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How much to enclose a carport?

jlee

jlee

Lifer
For something like this...ballpark? $5k? $8k? (to turn it into a garage)

I can do some stuff myself, but I wouldn't want to trust myself for structural stuff....I can stuff insulation in walls and do finish-ish kind of stuff, but nothing critical. 😛
 
put up something like this... and will probably cost ya under $100

19WSuburbanSeriesCarport.jpg
 
Nothing structural needed. The roof and shear loads are already taken care of. Wind loading is actually more on an open structure like a carport.
That said you might want some help framing the walls. Then there is the question of permits. If you can get a permit, you can get a framer to help you tip up the walls in a day. Add another day to install windows and finish closing it up.
 
Ah ok, so not a big deal at all then - I'll have to look into permits. I'd definitely need a hand though...wouldn't even know where to begin when it comes to installing a garage door.

guyver - that doesn't exactly turn a carport into a garage... :hmm:
 
you may be screwed by zoning and square footage requirements. Sometimes you can have footage as a carport but not as a garage, depending on the lot and house size.
My neighbor had to do that, he has a long RV bay down the side of his shop that he could not enclose.
 
guyver01 said:
can you park there?
is it covered?

garage 😀
Click to expand...

Then I'd save the $100 and park under the carport. 😛

Tools will 'walk away' if stored in your garage...lol

skyking said:
you may be screwed by zoning and square footage requirements. Sometimes you can have footage as a carport but not as a garage, depending on the lot and house size.
My neighbor had to do that, he has a long RV bay down the side of his shop that he could not enclose.
Click to expand...

City zoning board would be the place to go with that question, I take it?

A friend of mine lives less than half a mile from that house and he said that a lot of the older homes weren't built with garages, but some have been switched over - I'm hoping that won't be an issue.
 
guyver01 said:
well.. don't move to a shitty neighborhood.
or get a property fence around your whole property.

problem solved.

:sneaky:
Click to expand...

Property fences, like locks, only stop the honest people...a criminal, if he wants your stuff, is gonna get it regardless of any fence or locks...

I would NOT leave valuables in a carport protected by just a fence...even in a GOOD neighborhood.
 
Any suggestions on putting a carport next to (attached to) a garage? I've thought about it but never looked into it.
 
We enclosed part of our carport last Summer to make a screened porch. We used powder coated perforated steel screening as it is considerably more secure than regular screen. Total cost of materials was ~$1200. Double that for a full enclosure. I'll post pics later if you're interested. The perf metal allows air movement while pretty much blocking the view from the street.
 
you have to get some local quotes. for us to add a garage it'd probably cost as much as that house you linked too. cheaper to build a giant shed and park in that for us.
 
I agree with MotF ... take it down and build a proper garage. Your biggest cost will be the foundation. Wall studs and roof rafters / trusses are not too costly and roof materials run a wide range, depending on what you like. If you do this, don't forget to run in plenty of electric power, especially if you want to use it as a workshop.
 
bruceb said:
I agree with MotF ... take it down and build a proper garage. Your biggest cost will be the foundation. Wall studs and roof rafters / trusses are not too costly and roof materials run a wide range, depending on what you like. If you do this, don't forget to run in plenty of electric power, especially if you want to use it as a workshop.
Click to expand...

Not remotely worth the cost...might as well just buy a house that has one to begin with.
 
But if you build it yourself, you get to chose everything. What sq footage, how many bays, where to put the car lift, how to set up your workshop, you can add storage over the bays. I know I would like a 4 bay garage when I move. Even if it needs to be a seperate structure. With one bay intended for maintenance work.
 
bruceb said:
But if you build it yourself, you get to chose everything. What sq footage, how many bays, where to put the car lift, how to set up your workshop, you can add storage over the bays. I know I would like a 4 bay garage when I move. Even if it needs to be a seperate structure. With one bay intended for maintenance work.
Click to expand...

With lot sizes measured in square feet instead of fractions of an acre, finding space for a 4 car garage is not going to be easy, not to mention a free-standing 4 bay garage would probably cost at least half of what that house is (maybe more, I dunno). With most of the houses I'm looking at, there's simply no room.

I'd love a high ceiling 3-4 bay garage with a 2 post, but I'm not rich like ATOT. 😉
 
jlee, this type of project is very common in AZ. Code permitting, to frame the walls and finish the exterior, including service door and garage door is well within a $5000 budget if you are able to do some of the work yourself.

As others have said, the structure is done, the roof is finished.

Other options, such as electrical outlets/lighting and interior finish (insulation and drywall) can always be done later if money is tight.

My advice would be to carefully choose an exterior treatment that works with the rest of the house, so as not to look like an after-thought, as many carport projects in AZ often do.

Good luck!
 
Thanks! Yeah, I would try to match the house as closely as possible - probably insulate the garage as well so I might be able to semi-affordably cool it at times during the summer...not too interested in working on a car if it's 130 degrees in the garage. 90 would be bearable. 😛
 
Here in Tempe (next door to Mesa) the permits can be a pain sometimes BUT there's a way to get around it. You can add walls to a carport without a permit BUT you can't fully enclose it. Our neighbors have enclosed theirs but instead of a normal garage door they put up a gate that goes up to about 2 feet away from the top of the carport. I'm not 100% sure that Mesa is the same way but its worth looking at if you don't mind something like that.

One thing you should also know about enclosing carports is that the door can be a pain due to the relatively low ceiling. Many normal garage doors won't work because they require higher ceilings.
 
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