We all know the saying “April showers bring May flowers.” This means that April—spring—can bring severe and unexpected weather, preparing us for the beautiful month of May. In the midst of this season of rainstorms, if you want to protect your car/boat and don’t have the money or expertise to build a garage, opt for a carport that is cheaper and less hassle! A carport still adds extra space and can keep your car or storage material safe from sun, wind, snow, etc. Carports feature multiple building options! Connect the carport to your house to create a new immediate entrance to your home. Build the carport high enough to fit boats, RVs or trucks. Use it as a place for storage, a washer/dryer, a covered patio or anything you desire. The options are endless, and the setup is simple enough for almost any homeowner. Here are some general steps you will need to follow when constructing a carport:

 Check with your local municipality building department for possible regulations, though carports contain less regulations than most additions because they are outdoors. Also, check with a utility company to see if you can dig where wires or pipes might exist.

 Measure the space that you want to build in to help you decide on a design, to make sure it’s compatible with what you want and to determine how much building supplies you’ll need.

 Choose your design from the many available options. It could be as simple as a roof laid over four posts or it could be a fully enclosed space with walls. Decide how tall to make it and if/how to connect it to your house. Also, consider weather conditions for your area. Add more slop to the roof, for example, if it snows.

 Choose building materials to suit that design. Metal or wood are the most popular choices. Advantages of metal are that it’s secure and strong, it’s fire-resistant, it’s easier to install and is easier to maintain. Advantages of wood are that it blends in with the rest of the house and it can incorporate shelving, workbenches, pegboards or anything you want to add.

 Narrow it down even more. If you choose metal, will you use steel or aluminum? What type of wood? The more familiar you are with your options and with what you prefer, the better off you’ll be. Take the time to shop around and watch videos that are available online.

 Purchase a carport kit. With these easy-to-assemble kits, you should have no problem constructing it yourself or with a little help from family, friends or neighbors. From beginning to end, the average construction period is from one day to three days. However, if you are also paving a driveway, that will obviously need to happen first and will take extra time.