What Is A Metal Carport Kit? Pros, Cons, And Cost
A vehicle is one of the most expensive purchases most people make in their lifetime. It’s safe to say that having to park outside, and leaving one of your most valuable possessions left to the mercy of Mother Nature or a falling branch, isn’t the most desirable situation. If your home does not have a garage and investing in an expensive garage addition is not a possibility, there is another most affordable vehicle storage solution.
In addition to our metal roof panels and siding panels, Western States Metal Roofing manufacturers pre engineered and custom metal carport kits in all different sizes to accommodate any property or storage needs.
In this article, we go into the pros and cons of this garage alternative as well as go over the cost so you can decide if a metal carport kit is right for you.
What Is A Metal Carport Kit?
A metal carport is an outdoor steel structure that is used as a covering for cars that provides shelter from rain, snow and any falling debris. The kit arrives with the metal being precut and just needs the pieces to be put together for your metal carport to be fully assembled.
A metal carport is a cost effective and easy to assemble garage alternative that helps keep vehicles or other personal property shielded from the outside elements.
Pros Of A Metal Carport Kit
- Protects Personal Property From The Elements
- Cost Effective Solution
- Provides Extra Storage Space
- Easy To Assemble
- Pre-engineered
- Greater Durability And Lower Maintenance Compared To Wood Carports
Protects Personal Property From The Elements
Keeping your vehicle parked in a carport will protect it from nature elements that can cause cosmetic damage overtime including:
- Rain, hail, and snow
- UV rays
- Tree sap
- Bird droppings
A Metal Carport Kit Is A Cost Effective Solution
Metal carport kit prices cost a fraction of a garage. It’s a much more economical storage solution.
Metal Carports Provide Extra Storage Space
Whether you are running out of room in your garage or don’t want one at all, a metal carport offers you additional space on your property to store your outdoor equipment. Utility carports are carports that also have a storage building and are ideal when you are looking for both storage and vehicle covering.
DIY Metal Carport Kits Are Easy To Assemble
Metal carport kits are the perfect DIY project and can be completed in less than a day. The carport building kits include a set of stamped plans from the engineer to make for an easy assembly. It’s a smaller project with less labor compared to building a metal garage or storage shed.
What If I Cannot Install A Metal Carport Myself?
If you are not interested or able to assemble the carport yourself, you can hire a handyman to do the assembly for you.
In order for a successful installation, the following tools are needed to assemble your metal carport kit:
- Drill (power or cordless)
- Screw or tek gun
- Hammer
- Tape measure
- Saw
- Snips
- Level
- Rivet gun
- Ladder
- Shovel
- Writing utensils (markers, pens etc)
- String and chalk line
- Silicone gun and silicone
- Safety glasses and gloves
Do I Need A Permit For A Metal Carport?
A permit may be required prior to you assembling your metal carport. Whether or not you need a building permit for a metal carport depends on your local building code and is usually decided by the county. For example, Los Angeles county in California does require a permit for a metal carport.
Metal Carports Are Pre-engineered
Metal carports are pre-engineered which makes your carport installation process much smoother in multiple ways.
First, you do not have to figure out a materials list. Every part that is needed is sent to you in your carport kit. Since the engineering has already been done, you do not have to worry about the panels spanning the correct distance and carrying the correct loads as that’s already been done for you.
If your area requires a building permit to put up a carport, then having a pre-engineered carport will help make the permitting process smoother. Generally plans for the carport are required to be submitted along with your application. Western States Metal Roofing provides you with a set of stamped plans with every carport kit to make the permit application easier.
Greater Durability And Lower Maintenance Compared To Wood Carports
While wood is another popular material for carports, they are far less durable than metal structures. Metal carports can withstand high wind and a heavy snow load while wood is much more likely to collapse when put under stress from the weight of snow. You also don’t have to worry about termites or rot damage with a metal carport.
Cons Of A Metal Carport Kit
- Not portable
- Less home value increase
- Less protection than a garage
Metal Carports Are Not Portable
While a fabric carport is built to be portable, a metal carport is only meant to be used in one location.
Metal Carports Have Less Impact On Home Values Than Garages
There is debate on whether or not a metal carport increases your home value, as much of it has to do with the quality and location of the carport. Either way, a carport won’t have the same impact as a garage as a single car garage can add up to $10,000 to a home’s asking price. However, garages also cost much more to initially install compared to a carport so it’s more like getting some of your money back as opposed to an investment.
Less Protection Than A Standard Garage
Without garage doors or sides, a carport does not have the same level of protection from theft or the elements as a garage. If deciding between a garage or a carport, take the level of security and protection you are looking for into consideration.
Metal Carport Kit Prices
| Metal Carport Size | Finish | Cost |
| 2 car metal carport kit | Galvalume | $2,400 |
| 2 car metal carport kit | Painted | $2,600 |
| 4 car metal carport kit | Galvalume | $3,600 |
| 4 car metal carport kit | Painted | $4,100 |
| 10 car metal carport kit | Galvalume | $7,600 |
| 10 car metal carport kit | Painted | $8,900 |
Depending on the size of the carport, you can expect your prefab metal carport kit to cost anywhere from $2500- $9000.
Metal carport prices vary depending not only on the size but also the finish that you choose. Painted metal carports will cost slightly more than galvalume carports, and the price difference between the two gets larger as the carport size gets bigger.
For example, a 2 car metal carport kit in galvalume is $2400 while a painted version will be approximately $2,600 and 4 car metal carport is $3600 in galvalume and a painted 4 car carport is $4100. For a larger size, a 10 car carport is $7,600 in galvalume and $8,900 when painted.
Metal carports are available in either pre engineered or custom sizes. The below chart shows the pre engineered metal carports. Whether you are looking for a small 2 car metal carport, a mid size 6 car metal carport or a larger 10 car metal carport, we have what you need.
To see how much each of our DIY carport kits costs, check out our pricing sheets available for metal carport kits based on Arizona and California standards.
If you need a different size that is not listed, request a quote and specify what custom size you are looking for.
Metal Carport Sizes
Metal Carport Size | Cars | Posts |
| 18′ W X 18′-2″ D X 8′ H ( 7′ Clearance ) | 2 car metal carport | 4 |
| 18′ W X 18′-2″ D X 8′ H ( 7′ Clearance ) | 2 car metal carport | 6 |
| 36’-4″ W X 18’ D X 8’ H ( 7’ Clearance ) | 4 car metal carport | 6 |
| 36’-4″ W X 18’ D X 8’ H ( 7’ Clearance ) | 4 car metal carport | 9 |
| 54′ W X 18′ D X 8′ H ( 7′ Clearance ) | 6 car metal carport | 8 |
| 54′ W X 18′ D X 8′ H ( 7′ Clearance ) | 6 car metal carport | 12 |
| 72’-8″ W X 18’ D X 8’ H ( 7’ Clearance ) | 8 car metal carport | 10 |
| 72’-8″ W X 18’ D X 8’ H ( 7’ Clearance ) | 8 car metal carport | 15 |
| 90’-10″ W X 18’ D X 8’ H ( 7’ Clearance ) | 10 car metal carport | 12 |
| 90’-10″ W X 18’ D X 8’ H ( 7’ Clearance ) | 10 car metal carport | 18 |
Order Your Metal Carport Kit Today
A metal carport kit is an excellent solution when:
- Your home or building does not have a garage.
- You have additional vehicles or other valuable property (boats, jet skis etc) that need to be covered.
- You live in a climate that experiences all seasons and harsh winters.
- You need additional storage space.
Western States Metal Roofing offers easy to assemble metal carport kits in 5 different painted colors, as well as galvalume steel, and 10 different pre-engineered sizes with custom sizing available. Need a RV cover? We manufacture a RV carport also!
Ready to get started on assembling your very own steel carport kit? Request a quote for your carport kit today!
Western States Metal Roofing
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