The Carports Brisbane Guide for Homeowners

All You Need To Know About Carport Building

What is a carport?

A carport is a structure used to protect your vehicle from various weather conditions. This structure is not fully enclosed. Instead, a carport is made from structural beams with a roof on top. You can choose to keep your carport on a concrete slab or an unfinished terrain. There are also several customization options to consider when building a carport.

Today, Jamie Wyatt of NO1 Carports Brisbane will discuss everything you need to know about carports to make informed, confident decisions about the structures you add to your property. Carports are versatile and handy in multiple situations. 

Why are they popular?

Carports are popular because they are an affordable alternative to a garage. Keeping your vehicle under a sturdy covering is ideal for keeping our car in excellent condition. When your vehicle is exposed to the weather for prolonged periods, the appearance of your vehicle can erode. 

Garages are expensive because they use more materials than carports. If you choose to add a carport to your property instead of a garage, you will save large sums of money while still keeping your vehicle protected. 

Difference between carports and garages

A garage is a fully enclosed structure to protect your vehicle and store household items. A carport will cover your car but isn’t ideal for storing your household items. Carports are not enclosed; they are made from structural beams and covered with a roof to protect your vehicle. 

A garage needs to be placed on a concrete slab because it is fully enclosed to keep everything in it secure. On the other hand, a carport works fine on either a concrete slab or grass. Carports do not need a concrete slab because their purpose is only to keep your vehicle covered. In addition, carports are a more affordable option than garages because they use fewer materials. 

Carport Material Options

Several materials are available to give you a durable carport that can withstand multiple weather conditions. Steel, timber, and aluminum are all materials commonly used to build a carport. 

Roofing 

The roof of your carport is vital to keep your vehicle safe. Fantastic roofing materials to use on your carport are listed below. 

Colorbond steel: This type of roofing material works well on carports. Colorbond steel is more lightweight than standard steel and less likely to dent than aluminum. 

Zincalume: This material adds protection to your roof to keep your structure lasting longer. You want your carport to last in weather conditions, and Zincalume will prevent your carport roof from rusting. 

Aluminum: This material is used on the roof of carports because it is weatherproof and affordable. The negative aspect of this material is that it will dent easier than other roofing materials, but it will not rust. 

Posts

Posts must be sturdy to prevent your carport from collapsing or falling apart. If you don’t use strong materials to build your carport, you can damage the things resting under your carport. 

Steel: Steel is frequently used in the beams of a carport. Steel is heavy-duty and stable, making it an excellent material to support the roof’s weight on your carport. 

Timber: Timber is also frequently used to build carports because it is solid and resistant to weather conditions. However, when using timber to build your carport, you will need to worry more about fire damage than you would with a steel-based structure. 

Carport Design Options

When building or selecting a carport, there are many design options to consider. Picking a design that blends well with your environment is essential for your satisfaction with your carport. Below will list the design options you can select for the roof of your carport and what each style features. 

Hip roof

A hip roof carport is excellent for severe weather protection. This style of roof slopes all four sides to the ground to make it easy for rain, snow, and debris to slide right off. 

Flat roof

A flat roof is a style of roof you can get on your carport that is one lever and only slightly sloped to the ground. This roof style is convenient to stand on and has a modern appeal. 

Dutch gable

A Dutch gable roof is a roof style with four sloped-down sides that include the addition of a smaller gable roof on top. This roof style is modern and can provide additional storage space in your carport. 

Gable 

Gable roofs are a roof style with two sides that slope down and form a triangle shape. This roof style will easily roll-off water and snow because of its steep design. 

Carport Kits

Carport kits are kits that provide all the supplies and instructions you need to build a carport. These kits are affordable and easy to follow for people who aren’t experienced builders. In addition, carport kits can take the confusion out of building a carport. 

Carport Kits Versus Custom Design 

Carport kits and custom design carports each have benefits that will appeal to different people. For example, carport kits are more affordable and convenient than building a custom design carport. However, carport kits also provide fewer features and options than custom design carports.

A custom design carport will allow you to completely control how your carport is made and what features you have on it. For example, you can choose your roof style and materials and even add a skylight to your custom-designed carport. 

Council Approvals

In Brisbane, Queensland, you need to get council approval to build a carport or garage on your property if there is already a house present on the property or if you are in the process of building a house. 

• Consult with a building certifier.
• Plan the scale and features of your carport.
• Plan the location you will place your carport.
• Provide documented plan details to a building certifier.

Carport Costs

Carports cost between $1000 to $2000 to build, and the price varies on a few details of your carport build. The factors that contribute to the price of your carport are the following:

Materials: Material costs vary based on supply and demand at the time of the build

Size: If you only want one car accommodated in your carport, the price will be lower. The more cars you want to be covered, the more your carport will cost. 

Features: Adding a skylight or specific roof features will cost extra. 

Base: If you want to add a concrete base instead of using the ground already there, it will cost extra. 

How to find a good carport builder

When building a carport, you will need to hire a reputable and licensed builder to get the job done well. If a carport is built wrong, it can collapse or corrode shortly after the build is complete. Follow the steps below to find a good carport builder.

Read the reviews before you hire. If people are unsatisfied with the work done, they usually leave a bad review for the company on google. If a company has several bad reviews, it is ideal to stay away from them.

Visit the website and note how long the company has been in business. If a company has been in business for a long time, that is typically a good indicator that it can be relied on to complete your project. 

Ask the people you know if they have any input on local carport builders. You may be surprised by your friend’s and family’s input. 

Look on their website for photos of the work they have done. Photos of finished products posted by customers are more telling than photos of finished work posted by the company. A company will only post its best work. 

Locations 

Brisbane CBD 

This area is renowned for its shopping centers and gardens. The culture in this location appreciates the city’s history and features many historical landmarks. 

Brisbane Northside

Brisbane Northside features beautiful riverfronts. This area has easy access to restaurants, shopping centers, and lovely nature spots.

Brisbane Southside

Brisbane Southside is a primarily suburban area that features several neighborhoods. This area is renowned for its diverse restaurants and well-kept nature parks. 

 Ipswich, Toowoomba 

Ipswich, Toowoomba, is a great area to take families. This area features museums and railways and is an educational spot. 

Conclusion

If you are in the market to get a carport, you need to decide if you want a carport kit or if you want to custom design your carport. Custom designing your carport is the best way to feel satisfied with the structure for years to come. You can make sure your carport is built with the best materials and has the most efficient roof design to suit your needs.

A carport is an excellent addition to your property that will keep your vehicle safe from severe weather conditions. Building and installing a carport is significantly more affordable than a garage but will keep your vehicle just as safe from inclement weather. Always check reviews before hiring a carport builder or buying a carport kit to ensure you get a quality product.