We’re thinking about getting a garage/carport kit for our truck - just something to keep the crud off it. We figured we’d spread some gravel on the ground where we park the truck and install the kit carport/garage.
Before we go any further, I figured someone here may have one of these or may know someone who has one. I’d be interested in your opinions and/or experiences, including advice about who to deal with or who to avoid. You can PM recommendations to me if you prefer not to trash a company in this thread.
We’re not concerned about secure storage - we just want something to keep the snow and leaves and bird poo from covering the truck. It’s an occasional use vehicle, so it sits more than it’s driven, if that makes a difference.
I put up a couple on my property. Kits purchased at the local Home Depot.
Metal square-tube frame with corrugated roofing. The kit was well-designed and went up with no particular drama. I anchored mine by bolting it to poured concrete piers, which also let me level it fairly easily by making some piers taller than others. The key, of course, is to get everything square when you’re laying out the piers; measuring twice at the beginning makes the actual construction of the carport easy.
My only problem is that the joint between the roof panels at the center of the carport (the panels are 10 feet long, but the structure is almost 20 feet long; ergo, a joint at the center) is sealed by a length of butyl putty/tape, and one of mine leaks at that joint. Might be my ineptitude, but it’s tricky thing to get right.
Do you live in an area where it snows? Just curious how well they take a snow load. My mom has a fabric-covered “garage” and it collapsed during a blizzard. I would hope the steel ones would be a bit more robust.
Myself and members of my family have gotten four carports from this company:
They have local dealers who place the order for you, then a crew comes in and puts it up “on your level ground”. They had our large carports up in HOURS…and these were big enough for four cars.
Seems to be a good deal for the price and having someone else do it. Lots of different sizes, custom sizes, colors, etc. We got exactly what we wanted.
They’ve stood up to Ohio weather just fine…the roofs are pitched and don’t seem to get too bad of a snow load.
The standard anchors are just a piece of rebar pounded into the ground. They sell better anchors that are more of an auger type, which I really suggest if you’re in a windy area, or just make something yourself as we did.
Though I don’t suggest moving one later the install (what an adventure I missed that day), then improperly anchoring it. They tend to go flying when the next big storm comes up…not a fault of the company or the design of course.
I think you’ll be pleased with the carport, we have two fabric covered carports that have been standing for close to five years. This is Michigan so they’ve taken a beating, and snow heh, got to sweep it off of there or it will fill up and collapse. Our poles have taken a few hits from cars trying to turn around and the snowplow drivers come awful close. We have a short gravel drive that we would like to brick and then install a new double carport (i’m saving that link).
We will probably need a permit to do it, but given that the ROW is so near that may be problematic, so move along nothing to see here…
Well, it snows a bit here (Pacific NW), maybe max four or five inches, and it’s held up fine. However, the corrugations in the roof go lengthwise, so it wouldn’t shed snow; if there was a lot of snow that might be a problem.
My sister, who lives on the shore of Puget Sound, has a fabric-covered one to protect her camping trailer. Or rather, she had one; there was a bit of wind a while ago and the fabric went bye-bye.
