Carports Archives - Carport Kingdom Staging

How to Dress Up a Carport

April 13, 2021/in Blog, Carports, CK /by clickgiant

Many people assume that carports aren’t pretty structures. But at Carport Kingdom, we certainly don’t think that’s true. Rather, we know that a carport can be both a stylish and functional addition to a property—you simply need to design it to match with the rest of the buildings and landscape on your property. Explore this guide on how to dress up your carport to create a quality, great-looking structure!

Carport Kingdom has a variety of steel carports that are affordable, durable, and fully customizable. Use our Build & Price Tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, view a 3D rendering, and receive an instant quote!

Get the Colors Right

Selecting the right color is the easiest place to start when thinking about the visual appeal of your carport. When you shop with Carport Kingdom, you’ll be able to pick from a range of colors for the roof, trim, and exterior of your structure. You could opt for a monochromatic look with the same color throughout, or you could go with a featured color on the roof and an accent on the trim.

If this carport is going to be located near your home, it’s important to think about the color of your house and how it will work with the colors of your new carport. Those colors don’t have to match exactly, but they should coordinate nicely so you don’t have a clash that’s unpleasant to the eye.

Pick a Style You Love

The style of carport you choose will go a long way toward determining how it looks in the end. This isn’t a matter of one style being better than the other. Rather, it’s more about what looks good to you and how it will fit with everything else on your property.

For example, if you go with a regular roof style on your carport, it will have rounded eaves. If you’d prefer something a little more angular, switching to an A-frame style roof will square up the edges and perhaps leave you with something that’s more suited to your taste. You can also add walls or partial walls on those sides to further alter the look of the finished product.

Doors and Windows

If you’d like your carport to look less like a temporary addition and more like a completed structure, doors and windows will do the trick. Of course, in order to take advantage of this option, you need to have at least one or two walls on your carport. You can’t add windows and doors to a building that’s only made up of a roof and four legs!

The addition of doors and windows to your new structure will not only offer a finished look, but they will provide some additional functionality, as well. As you plan your order, think about what you want this building to do on your property, and make sure every feature you add is going to work to serve your needs. A door might look good on your new metal building, but if it isn’t going to serve a purpose, you might want to leave it out.

Keep It Clean

When you first purchase your carport, it will be in pristine condition. While metal structures require minimal maintenance, it’s still important that you keep it clean so that it continues to look its best for years to come. If you want your carport to appear stylish well into the future, ensuring it’s uncluttered and free of debris is key.

Fortunately, metal buildings like the carports we sell at Carport Kingdom are extremely easy to clean and only need the occasional washing to remain in great condition. Make it a point to wash your carport down at least once a year—maybe more in a harsh climate—and you’ll love the way it looks.

Custom Design your Carport with Carport Kingdom

We hope you enjoyed learning how to dress up a carport. When you’re ready to add a new structure to your property, you can rely on the products offered by Carport Kingdom to deliver outstanding quality and durability. We take pride in the way our buildings look, ensuring you will be proud to display them to family, friends, and neighbors for many years to come.

Use our Build & Price Tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, view a 3D rendering, and receive an instant quote. We look forward to serving you on this project!

Carport Dog Kennel Ideas

April 6, 2021/in Blog, Carports, CK /by clickgiant

As a dog owner, you would do just about anything for your pet. If your dog spends most or all of their time outside, you want to make sure they’re comfortable and safe. Adding a kennel to your property can do just that and serve as their home base. To create the perfect space for your pup, consider using a customized carport as a kennel that will serve their needs nicely for years to come. Explore some carport dog kennel ideas, below!

Identify Specific Needs

The idea of using a carport as a dog kennel can work in a variety of situations, but every solution is going to look a little bit different. As you get started on your project, keep some important points in mind:

Weather concerns. If this is going to be a place for your dogs to live, they’ll need to be properly protected from the weather. For instance, if you live somewhere with a cold winter climate and the dogs will be staying in the kennel during this time, you’ll need walls, insulation, and possibly even heating. On the other hand, if this is to be used during the day in mild times of the year, the roof of the carport will likely provide enough protection from the sun.
HOA rules. Another factor to consider is any rules that might be in place from an HOA that governs your area. Even if the carport itself is allowed, you might not be permitted to use chain link fencing around it to keep the dogs in. Check on these issues in advance to avoid frustrating surprises later on.
Easy access. Think about how this carport is going to work together with the rest of your property. This way, you can give the dogs access to the areas that they’re able to use. If there’s an area of grass that the dogs get to explore during certain times of the day, having a gate from the carport to that lawn would be a convenient addition.

Everything about this project will need to be customized to meet your needs. A stock solution just isn’t going to get the job done, which is why you are smart to shop with Carport Kingdom! Customization is what we do best, and you’ll have no trouble designing a building that is ideal for your situation.

Enclosure Options

The whole point of a kennel is to keep your dogs in an area where they are safe and controlled. So, a basic carport with only a roof and no walls may not be enough for this project. Sure, the dogs could get a break from the sun, but they would be free to walk or run away at any time.

There are a couple of ways you can approach the need to contain the dogs in the carport. As one option, you could invest in some chain link fencing to surround the carport, including a couple of gates that allow for easy access in and out. Chain link fencing is relatively affordable, easy to install, and will allow your dogs to see out without any trouble.

Another idea is to use carport walls to enclose much of the design. For instance, you might choose to order your carport with walls on three sides so that you only need to add fencing to one side. This approach won’t offer as much visibility in and out, but it should be more protected from the elements. Plus, you might appreciate the finished look of the carport walls instead of the chain link fence.

Allow for Plenty of Space

Since metal structures are so much more affordable than other types of construction, you can get a relatively large building for a modest cost. That means, depending on how much space you have available for the project, you could give your dogs a sizeable kennel without blowing through your budget. It’s also a good idea to err on the big side for your kennel in case you decide to get more dogs in the future and ensure they have plenty of space to roam around.

Design A Home They’ll Love with Carport Kingdom

We hope you consider these carport dog kennel ideas! Ready to create an outdoor home that your pet will love? Use our Build & Price Tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, view a 3D rendering, and receive an instant quote. Thank you for considering Carport Kingdom!

Carport Additions Can Add Value to Your Home

March 23, 2021/in Blog, Carports, CK /by clickgiant

As a homeowner, it’s always appealing to spend money on your house in ways that will pay off down the road. Sure, home-related projects can be expensive, but those costs are easier to swallow when you have a belief they’ll lend value over the long run. Learn how carport additions can add value to your home. You’ll not only enjoy the future monetary benefits, but also the instant parking and storage advantages this type of structure has to offer!

What is a Carport Addition?

The name of this product pretty much says it all—it’s a carport that acts as an addition to your house. So, rather than putting your new carport somewhere near your house, you’ll actually attach it to your home and extend the covered area you have available. While the concept itself is pretty simple, this type of addition can take on many shapes and sizes. That’s especially true when you work with Carport Kingdom, as we offer many customization options so you can make sure this new addition suits your home perfectly.

Planning Your Carport Addition

There’s plenty of planning that needs to take place before you place your order for a new carport addition. With this kind of significant project, it’s always best to take your time and work through the details in advance so there aren’t any surprises later on.

As a starting point, think about these three important factors when planning your carport addition:

Location

Choosing the right location is where the planning process should begin. Where is the carport addition going to go? If you’re planning to park under this structure, it will need to be in a spot that you can access with your vehicle. Also, it needs to be somewhere that offers convenient entry into the house. Many homes have an obvious spot that will be the right pick for a carport addition, but some houses will have a couple of possibilities. Pick your ideal location and then take some measurements to determine how big the carport can be.

Purpose

A carport can be used for far more than just parking cars. So, what’s your plan for this structure? Are you going to use it solely for parking, or would you like to store some of your belongings there, as well? Perhaps you also want to work on projects in this space. Having a clear purpose in mind will make it easier to make design decisions before placing your order.

Style

Since this addition is going to be attached to your home, it’s important to think about style so the finished product is something you can be proud of. You could opt to match your carport addition to the existing color that’s on your house. Or, you might decide to pick an accent color that coordinates with your home’s trim. Whatever your approach happens to be, our Build & Price tool is a great way to visualize various looks in real-time.

If you take some time to review these points, your plan for a new carport on your property will start to come into focus. Of course, if you need help at any point along the way, just contact us and our team will assist.

The Logistical Side

It’s fun to think about the possibilities that this kind of project can open up. However, don’t forget that you need to be practical about the project, as well. Specifically, take into consideration any building codes or HOA rules that might govern this project in your area. You’ll want to get ahead of the game by dealing with those matters first, rather than reacting to a problem after the construction has been completed and the carport is in place. It might not be fun to deal with this kind of red tape, but get it out of the way early so you can look forward to enjoying your carport as soon as it’s ready for use.

Get Started with Carport Kingdom!

Carport additions can add value to your home. If you’re ready to get started on this project, explore our Build & Price Tool today! You can customize your structure exactly to your liking so it perfectly matches your home. If you need assistance, contact us at any time for help. We look forward to serving you!

Carport Size Guide

March 16, 2021/in Blog, Carports, CK /by clickgiant

In this carport size guide, we’ll walk through some of the basics of how to pick the right carport size for your needs. With nearly endless options available, it can be hard to know where to start. However, with a few tips and considerations, you’ll be able to find the perfect option for your needs. Review the information below to help you start the carport buying process!

Standard Carport Dimensions

Carport Kingdom offers complete customization on our carport models so that each customer can get precisely the right size structure for their needs. No two situations are exactly alike, so the ability to order a custom size is essential—and one of the biggest advantages of working with Carport Kingdom on this project.

With that said, there are some standard dimensions you can keep in mind when planning out your carport design. By starting with these typical carport dimensions and then making changes to fit your needs, you should end up with the perfect storage solution:

Single carport. If you’re planning to park just one vehicle under your carport, a structure approximately 12’ wide should serve you well.
Double carport. To make room for two vehicles, you may need to double that single size and move it out to 24’. However, it’s possible to make room for two vehicles with just 20’, or even 18’, depending on the size of the vehicles and how much space you want around them.
Triple carport. At Carport Kingdom, we classify our Triple Wide carports as ranging in width from 26’ to 30’. We also offer even wider models that can stretch out to 50’ across.

If you have the space available on your property, it’s always better to go a little bit bigger with the width of your carport. You’ll be more comfortable having extra space on each side of the vehicle after you park. You don’t want to feel cramped each time you get in or out.

Remember to Consider Carport Height

The width of your carport is probably the first dimension to consider, but it’s not the only variable in this equation. You also need to factor in the height of your carport’s legs, as this will determine what kinds of vehicles will fit inside. Our carports come with legs as short as 6’ and as tall as 20’.

When parking standard passenger vehicles, height isn’t going to be much of a concern. However, if you plan to park something bigger, like an RV or big truck, you’ll need to pay careful attention to this measurement. Again, it’s better to give yourself a little margin for error to make sure all of your vehicles make it safely under the roof.

Are Your Needs Going to Change?

It’s easy enough to order a carport that’s going to work for your needs today, but are those needs going to stay the same moving forward? Our carports are made from durable materials and can be expected to last for years, but you’ll only be able to keep your carport that long if you design it with the future in mind.

So, if you have a child in the house who will be driving in the years to come, getting a wider carport that can accommodate an extra vehicle might be a wise move. Or, you could get a taller structure than you need now, anticipating that you might invest in an RV down the line. If you’re going through the process of adding a carport to your property, you might as well do your best to get it right the first time. This way, you’ll avoid needing to come back later for a whole new structure.

Order a Custom Carport from Carport Kingdom!

We hope this carport size guide assists you! Ordering a carport with the precise dimensions for your needs is easy when you work with Carport Kingdom. To get started, use our Build & Price to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, view a 3D rendering, and receive an instant quote! If you have any questions along the way or need help with sizing, don’t hesitate to contact us for assistance. Thank you for considering Carport Kingdom!

How to Build a Metal Shed

April 21, 2020/0 Comments/in Blog, Carports, CK /by clickgiant

A metal shed is a great addition to your property. While it can be great for extra storage, a shed can also be converted into a new space for you to complete DIY projects, for the kids to play, and more—the opportunities are endless. No matter how you plan to use this new addition, it’s important that you construct it correctly so that you can fully optimize the space. Learn exactly how to build a metal shed below.

We sell more than just carports at Carport Kingdom. Create a custom metal shed that fits your exact needs with our Build & Price tool!

What Will You Use it For?

The beginning steps in building your shed require extensive planning, and the first thing you need to nail down is its role on your property. Are you simply going to use it as a storage shed to house your lawn equipment? Perhaps you’d like to use it as a home office separate from the house. Whatever it may be, this decision plays a key role in many of the following steps. This will also give you a rough idea of how large the shed needs to be, and whether or not you’d like it to have electricity. Take note of these requirements as you think through exactly how you plan to use your new metal shed.

Choose Your Site

Next, it’s time to choose where you’d like to place your metal shed. How you plan to use it will influence this decision. For instance, if you’d like to create a workshop where you can use your power tools, you may want to place the shed slightly further from the house to keep the noise to a minimum. However, if you’re using it for extra storage, you may want it slightly closer to the house so you can come and go as you please without much hassle.

Another point to keep in mind is that the site you choose should be relatively flat. If there is a perfect place on your property for your new shed but it is not flat, then you’ll need to have that area leveled.

Select a Reputable Supplier

Having a reputable supplier on your side will make this process go much more smoothly! Our team at Carport Kingdom is here to help you every step of the way, from the design to the efficient construction of your addition. Plus, all of our affordable structures are created with high-quality, durable materials, so you can trust that your shed will stand the test of time. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have while planning your metal shed!

Start Customizing

Another great advantage of working with Carport Kingdom is that you can build your metal shed to meet your exact needs with our Build & Price tool. Take a look at just a few features you can customize, and try the tool out to view a 3D rendering of your structure and receive an instant quote!

Roof style. You have the option to design your shed with a vertical or horizontal roof. A vertical roof does a better job dealing with adverse weather, but a horizontal roof is slightly less in cost.
Doors, windows, and placement. Choose the number, style, and placement of the doors and windows. You can opt for regular doors or roll-up garage doors. Think about how your shed will be used to decide what you would like included!
Color and design. You can design your structure to match the current style of your home by selecting a complementary color and shaping it to blend in seamlessly.

Do You Need Electricity?

Again, you need to refer to the purpose of your shed to determine if it requires electricity. If you’re converting it into a playhouse for your kids or creating a “she shed” or “man cave” for your enjoyment, you likely will need electricity for lighting, a TV, and so on.

Once you’ve determined if you need electricity, be sure to call in a professional to complete this task, unless you happen to be a licensed electrician. You want to make sure that your structure is up to code.

Order from Carport Kingdom!

We hope you have a solid understanding of how to build a metal shed. When you’re ready to start this exciting project, be sure to work with Carport Kingdom! Begin customizing your structure with our Build & Price tool to view all of the possibilities for your new addition.

Carports & Garages Can Add Value to Your Property

April 14, 2020/0 Comments/in Carports, CK /by clickgiant

Increasing your property value is all about making your property more appealing in the eyes of potential buyers. Even if you’re not currently selling your property, when you make new additions, it’s always a good idea to consider how they can benefit your home in the long run. With that in mind, carports and garages are great investments that can add significant value to your property.

An affordable metal garage or carport from Carport Kingdom is a great investment for your property. Use our Build & Price tool to fully customize your structure, view a 3D rendering, and receive an instant quote!

Should I Choose a Carport or Garage?

There are a few distinguishing factors between a carport and a garage. A carport usually comes with a partial sidewall and a roof for protection, meaning the structure is mostly open. A garage, on the other hand, is often enclosed and has a roll-up door on the front. That said, if you plan to use your new structure for other purposes, such as a workshop or art room, a garage will be a better choice. However, garages are often slightly more expensive to construct than carports.

Both structures can accommodate one or more vehicles, depending how big it is. They both can also be used for the storage of additional items, but you have to keep in mind how well-protected from the elements these items need to be, as they will be more exposed in a carport.

Not Just Any Addition Will Do

In order to add value, you can’t just throw up any metal structure. It needs to meet a few key requirements:

Stands the Test of Time

Whether you’re considering adding a carport or garage to your property, it needs to durable and made from high-quality materials, ensuring it will stand the test of time. This way, when you’re ready to sell your home, your structure will be in as great of shape as the day you put it on your property.

If you skip on quality, it could actually be quite detrimental when selling your home. Potential buyers will be put off by a shabby structure that will only cost them more time and money to repair or completely remove.

That’s why it’s important to work with reputable suppliers like Carport Kingdom. You can trust that our structures are strong, reliable, and built to last!

Integrated Design

Another point to consider when adding a carport or garage to your property is how it looks in relation to your yard and home. You want it to blend in seamlessly with its surroundings for an integrated design. A structure that is built on your property thoughtlessly and designed with contrasting colors will surely look out of place.

When deciding where to place your structure, think about its intended use. You likely want your carport close to your home, so that once you park, you’re only a few strides away from reaching your door. If you’re going with a detached garage that will double as storage for your landscaping tools, placing it slightly further from the home in your yard may make more sense. This would allow you to have easier access to your tools while working on the landscape.

In addition, you can design your metal structure exactly to your liking with our Build & Price tool. This way, you can select a color and style that matches your home and the natural surroundings of your yard.

Multiple Uses for All Buyers

It’s also a good idea to have a structure that you can showcase as something that has multiple uses. When thinking about the design of your carport or garage, make sure you have enough space not just for your current needs, but for your future needs. If you have the space, consider making your structure slightly larger to accommodate the possibility of an additional car or boat, the desire for a workshop or picnic area, or whatever else may suit your needs. Buyers will enjoy seeing how they can maximize their use of the structure.

Purchase a Metal Structure from Carport Kingdom!

As you can see, if done correctly, carports and garages can add value to your property! To ensure you purchase a high-quality structure at an affordable price, choose to work with Carport Kingdom. Whether you go with a carport or garage, you can feel confident in our durable structures. To make the most of this investment, design your structure to match your exact needs with our Build & Price tool today.

Make a Private Home Office with a Steel Shed

April 9, 2020/0 Comments/in Carports, CK /by clickgiant

More people are working from home today than ever before. Whether you run your own business from your home or you work remotely for your employer, there are many advantages to this arrangement. Of course, if you are going to work from home successfully, you need a comfortable and quiet office to get your job done. With that in mind, you can make a private home office with a steel shed that can serve as a dedicated space for your work needs.

We sell more than just carports at Carport Kingdom. Create a custom structure for your home office with our Build & Price tool, view a 3D rendering, and receive an instant quote!

Some Important Considerations

Before you get started on this project, there are a few key points to keep in mind as you make your plans:

How much space do you need? This is the best place to start. For some people, a comfortable chair and a computer is all that is required to get the job done. Others will need a larger desk and room for supplies. Be sure to carefully think through your personal needs so you can create the perfect sized office space.
Do you have an appropriate site? Most likely, you’ll want to locate this new structure close to your main house so you can come and go conveniently. When looking at possible sites on your property, make sure to consider site prep work that will need to be done before the shed can be constructed.
Building codes and other regulations. You don’t want to run into any legal issues as a result of adding a home office shed to your property. Before you go any further, check into local building codes as well as any restrictions that might be in place by your homeowner’s association (if you have one).

Designing a Floorplan

By working with Carport Kingdom on the purchase of your new steel shed, you will be able to customize the size of the structure to perfectly fit your needs. But how do you know what size structure to order? It’s best to draw out a proposed floorplan so you can see how everything will fit together. If you already have a desk and chair, measure those items as a starting point. Include anything else you want to keep in the office, such as a file cabinet, printer, etc.

It should go without saying that the space needs to offer more than just room for everything to fit inside, because you’ll need enough space to walk in and out, and you don’t want to feel too cramped. One other idea for settling on dimensions is to measure your current office, whether it’s in your house or at an office building, and use that as a starting point.

Bringing in Professional Help

For a steel shed that is going to be used as an office, you will likely need to bring in some professional help to finish the job. Specifically, you’ll want to contact a licensed electrician to handle the wiring that needs to be done. This job is too important, and potentially dangerous, to handle on your own (unless you happen to be experienced in electrical work).

While virtually everyone will need to have a power supply in their shed if it is going to function as a home office, the matter of HVAC is going to vary from one case to the next. If you live somewhere with a mild climate, and you tend to work during the comfortable part of the day, you might not need to add HVAC capabilities. For some, simply insulating the shed will be good enough. However, if you do need heating or cooling to make this work, you’ll likely want to bring in a professional for that job, as well.

Lock It Up

There’s a good chance you will have some relatively valuable equipment or items in your home office shed. If that is the case, be sure to think about security while you plan the project. Make sure you can lock up the door that you use to access the shed and invest in a quality lock that will not be easily compromised. Of course, even a good lock isn’t foolproof, so you might want to think about storing particularly valuable items elsewhere if you are worried about security issues.

Order from Carport Kingdom Today!

The team at Carport Kingdom is excited to help you make a private home office with a steel shed! Our structures are durable, affordable, and completely customizable, so you can ensure your new office will suit your needs perfectly. To start this project, begin designing your structure with our Build & Price Tool today!

Organization Ideas for Storage Sheds

March 23, 2020/0 Comments/in Carports, CK /by clickgiant

When you add a storage shed to your property, you have visions of a beautifully organized space where everything you need is easily within reach. Unfortunately, for many people, this is not how the experience plays out in real life. Instead, the shed that was meant to help organize your life turns into a mess, with items just tossed in without any rhyme or reason. Pretty soon, you won’t even want to open the door because you know what is waiting on the other side.

It doesn’t have to be this way. With these great organization ideas for storage sheds, you can turn this space into a neat and tidy home for all of your supplies.

Add Modular Shelves to Get Started

If you use an empty shed to store items, you will inevitably wind up with a mess on your hands. You need some way to separate items and get organized, which is why you should start with some modular shelves.

The best option here is a freestanding shelving unit or two, as you won’t have to attach anything to the walls of your shed. This means you will be free to reorganize or adjust later. In addition, opting for plastic shelving units will provide you with a relatively low upfront cost and plenty of versatility.

Containers for Small Items

One common reason to need a storage shed is to handle all of the various tools and small pieces of equipment that go along with gardening and landscaping. If you will be using your shed for this purpose, add a couple of small containers that you can use to gather up little items that may otherwise wind up on the floor. For instance, you could use a plastic five-gallon bucket to catch things like hand tools, a kneeling pad, a watering can, etc.

Everything Has a Place

This is the “Golden Rule” of organization. No matter what you are trying to organize, every single item should have a place of its own. If you don’t know where something goes, you’ll just toss it on the ground or place it somewhere else, and it will eventually be in the way. Invest some time early in the process to assign each individual item a place in the shed and it will be much easier as time goes along to stay nicely organized.

Maintain a Path

When you run out of room to stand and walk around in your storage shed, you’ll know you have a problem that needs to be solved. Simply put, your shed is not going to be useful if you can’t even get inside without stepping over a few things along the way. One of your key organizational rules should be to keep a path clear so you can always come and go without any trouble.

Labels Are Your Friend

It’s frustrating to look around a storage area and spend five or ten minutes trying to track down one specific item. If you are using a variety of containers to hold your tools and supplies, consider adding labels to each of those containers to make them easier to use. You might not think that you will forget what is in the containers, but you are bound to lose track of some things as time goes by. It should take just a moment to two to add some labels, and you’ll be glad you made the effort when you look back and realize how helpful those labels have been.

Go on a Storage Diet

Perhaps the greatest storage tip of all is that you should be storing fewer items. With very few exceptions, people tend to keep far more than they need, and storage sheds wind up overflowing as a result. If you have a lot of items in your shed that you haven’t seen or used in years, it’s probably time for those items to go. After cleaning up and paring down, it should be much easier to make space for everything you actually do need.

When you head out to clean up the shed, try this method—go through everything in the shed, one item at a time, and determine if you have used that item in the past 12 months. Everything you have used within the last year can stay, and everything else should be piled up and considered for disposal. It’s possible that a few of those items you haven’t used in a year may still be needed, but most of them can probably go.

Metal Storage Sheds from Carport Kingdom

We hope these organization ideas for storage sheds assist you! If you’d like to add a durable storage shed to your property without busting your budget, work with Carport Kingdom today. We offer fully customizable metal buildings for fair prices, and you can trust our customer service to make this an easy process from start to finish. Create yours today!

How to Store a Boat on Your Property

March 11, 2020/0 Comments/in Blog, Carports, CK /by clickgiant

Caring for the condition of your vessel is one of the key tasks associated with owning a boat. If you leave your boat exposed to the elements, it’s going to show signs of wear in short order. Protecting your boat when possible will extend its life and reduce the amount of maintenance that you need to perform. Here, we’d like to show you how to store a boat on your property the right way.

We sell more than just carports at Carport Kingdom. Create a custom structure that keeps your boat safe all year long with our Build & Price tool!

Start with the Red Tape

Before you go any further, the first step in this process is to make sure there is nothing stopping you from parking a boat on your property. Specifically, if you are part of a Homeowner’s Association, you’ll want to consult those regulations for any restrictions on the long-term parking of boats or RVs. This kind of storage might not be allowed at all, or there might be rules that you need to follow. Check this point off your list first so there are no unwelcome surprises later on.

Find a Good Spot

Perhaps the biggest decision you’ll need to make with regard to home boat storage is deciding where the boat is going to live when it’s out of the water. If you have a few different spots to pick from on your property, keep the following points in mind:

Easy access from the street. This is a big one, as trying to navigate a long distance from the street to your boat parking spot could get tiresome as the years go by. You’ll want to pick a spot that is relatively easy to reach, with no major obstacles to navigate along the way.
Hidden from sight. If possible, it would be nice to keep your boat out of plain view from people passing by, just for security purposes. Of course, this is a hard point to reconcile with the first point about having easy access to the street, so try to strike a nice balance that offers both security and accessibility.
Relatively flat. It can be difficult to park a boat safely on a severe slope, especially if you own a rather large vessel. Your chosen parking spot doesn’t need to be perfectly flat, but try to find a spot without a dramatic slope in any one direction.

Provide Shelter

If at all possible, you want to park your boat under a shelter of some kind. Sure, you could simply place a cover on the boat, but that approach will never be as effective as a roof. Ideally, you’ll put a cover on your boat and then park it under a carport or a similar structure.

Going with a metal carport is a great option, since they are affordable, quick to construct, and have very few maintenance requirements. When you select your carport, be sure to choose dimensions that will not only leave enough room for the boat, but also for you to walk around the boat and park it without any difficulty.

Prepare for Winter

Even if you have your boat safely parked on your property, you’ll still need to take some specific steps to prepare for winter if you live in a cold climate. Freezing temperatures can do serious damage to some of your boat’s components, so a little bit of prep work can go a long way to avoid trouble later on.

A few key winterizing tips include the following:

Bring the battery inside. When you are done boating for the year, disconnect the boat’s battery and store it in your garage for the winter. If left out in the cold, it’s almost certain that the battery will be dead when you are ready to use it again.
Drain any water. When winter temperatures plunge, water is going to freeze–and water expands significantly when it freezes. If excess water is left in the boat, it will expand and potentially damage or break key pieces of equipment.
Remove your gear. Whether you use your boat for fishing, water skiing, or something else, it’s a safe bet you have plenty of gear on board during the summer months. That gear is valuable, so don’t let it sit out in the elements all winter long. From electronics and ski equipment to fishing poles and more, bring everything in to keep it all safe.

Order from Carport Kingdom Today

Now that you know how to store a boat on your property, consider purchasing a quality metal structure from Carport Kingdom. With a dedicated spot on your property to call home, your boat will be in great condition every time you’re ready to take it out on the water. Plus, not only are our metal carports affordable, but we also provide excellent customer service from start to finish. Begin designing the perfect custom structure for your property with our Build & Price tool now, and receive a free quote!

How to Add a Lean-To onto a Garage

March 4, 2020/0 Comments/in Carports, CK /by clickgiant

If you have outgrown your current garage but you don’t want to add a new standalone structure to your property, a lean-to could be the perfect solution. With a metal lean-to, you’ll add covered space for a modest price, and that space can be used for a variety of purposes. Let’s take a look at the basics of how to add a lean-to onto a garage.

At Carport Kingdom, you can build a custom structure to fit your exact needs with our Build & Price tool. Create a brand new garage complete with a lean-to to better maximize your space!

How Carport Kingdom Can Assist

If your existing garage was built by Carport Kingdom and is less than three years old, we can attach a lean-to onto the structure. We do this by building a free-standing lean-to and butting it next to the existing building. Contact us today for assistance!

However, if your current garage was not built by Carport Kingdom, read on to learn how to install a lean-to on your own.

Start with a Solid Structure

You only want to add a lean-to to your existing garage if that garage is in good structural condition. If it is an old building that is starting to fail on its own, it would not be a good idea to attach a lean-to and put even more pressure on the structure. If necessary, consider bringing in a building inspector to check out the overall condition of your garage and offer advice on whether the addition of a lean-to would be a smart move.

Consider Water Management

One of the most important points to handle in this project is how the water will be moved away from your structures. Currently, your garage has some way of getting water off the roof and safely to the ground away from the foundation. You don’t want to do anything with your new lean-to that is going to cause problems for that drainage plan.

A good option here is to place your lean-to under the overhang of your garage’s roof. That way, you will be able to let the water coming off the garage roof flow right onto the lean-to, and it can then make its way to the ground. If your lean-to is too tall, you might create a spot for water to pool during heavy rains, and that could mean big trouble. Spend some time thinking about how water will behave when it hits your garage and lean-to to make sure everything will drain properly once installed.

Prepare the Site

You will want to do your site prep well in advance of actually installing the lean-to, just to make sure there are no surprises when building day arrives. Site prep is an important part of this process, although you don’t necessarily have to pour a concrete foundation for the lean-to. While that is one option, you could also just clear the area of debris and vegetation, and maybe put down a layer of crushed rock for a base that will drain well.

The right kind of site prep for the job will depend on what you plan to do with the space once the lean-to is completed. If you are going to use it for extra parking, for instance, it might be nice to have a solid concrete floor as a parking space. However, if it will just be covered outdoor storage for things like landscaping tools, there may be no need for a formal foundation.

Check the Codes

As is always the case when you plan to build anything new on your property, it’s wise to check building codes and local regulations to make sure you won’t run into any trouble. You may need to get a permit for your addition of a lean-to, and it’s never too early to get started on the paperwork side of things. Rather than being caught off-guard down the road with a fine or a demand to take the lean-to down, get ahead of this issue and check in with the local authorities right away.

Maximize Available Space

For the dimensions of your new lean-to, you’ll be somewhat limited by the existing size of your garage. With that said, do what you can to make the most of the space available and give yourself the biggest practical lean-to to work with moving forward.

It’s a common mistake for people to build additional structures like this that only meet their needs at the moment, forgetting that those needs are sure to change down the road. If you have extra space available near the side of your garage, opt for a lean-to that is slightly bigger than what you need today. After a few years have passed and your space requirements have expanded, you’ll be glad you had the foresight to “overbuild” and give yourself room to grow.

Order a Metal Garage from Carport Kingdom

Now that you know how to add a lean-to onto a garage, if you’d rather purchase a new structure that meets all of your needs, order from Carport Kingdom! Whether you want a garage with a small lean-to to keep an entryway dry or something much larger, you can create a structure exactly how you’d like it. Design your ideal garage with our Build & Price tool now! Or, if your current garage was built by Carport Kingdom and is less than three years old, contact us for assistance adding a lean-to.