Carports are often thought of as a free-standing structure sitting off to one side of a house and providing little cover for whatever sits underneath it. However, installing a carport addition creates a natural extension of your home, increases its value, and protects your family and vehicles from the elements. Besides being a great way to shelter cars, motorcycles, or other recreational toys, a carport addition can be enclosed to create additional space for a workshop, or a mud room.

Carports are usually available in wood or metal. Even though wood carports can be crafted to add an exciting design element to your home, the use of metal for your carport should not be discounted. The sheet metal used to make carports these days is available in dozens of colors, and most likely one that will blend in with your house paint. In addition, there are advantages to using metal. In harsh climates, metal will endure the snow, heavy rains, and high winds, without rotting, shrinking, swelling, or maintenance.

Carport additions are among the simpler structures to build, and many homeowners choose to build their own from existing plans. Typically, a carport addition can be completed in a few days. When installing your own carport, consider how large your space is and measure carefully. You may want to park any vehicles that will be under the shelter when you measure.

Check the foundation in the area you want to build your carport. If it is dirt, a leveled concrete slab should be poured for the best stability. Without a strong base to hold onto, your carport will not last. Choose carport addition plans in a style that matches your house. Gable roof carports to accommodate multiple vehicles are widely available and go well with most traditional houses; but if your house is Cape Cod architecture, or you prefer to have the barn-style Gambrel roof, plans for these additions are available as well. Regardless, plans are available from as low as $40-$80. Spend the money and save yourself a headache.

So now you have a better idea of what style of carport addition you want to match your house, you have decided on how big the space needs to be, now one more question: What else might you use it for? You can add sides later, but if you think an enclosed carport with an automatic door will serve you better than an open one, install it this way, and the end result will be much more satisfying.