Carports are a much cheaper alternative to a garage and with the various designs now available there is a carport to suit all properties. It is when Autumn comes and the trees shed their leaves and fruit that the benefits of having a carport really come to the fore. Carports are (usually) simple to install, and the better ones are made out of materials that will last for many years. They come in a choice of colours (there’s even an anthracite grey one!)  so there is normally one to match your property and the better ones are glazed with polycarbonate which is shatterproof and so minimises the risk of damage from falling objects.

Carports	Caravan Carports	Bike Carports	Cantilever Carports

Cantilever Carports  are a great way of covering your car when you have restricted space. The cantilever beam is attached to the wall but is strong enough not to need posts at the front. This has the benefit of avoiding damage to your car or the canopy when you open your car door. Also if your driveway is narrow, installing a cantilever canopy gives you more room to park

With so many types of carport now available how do you go about deciding which one to buy? Here are a few things to consider:

1. Ensure the Carport you buy is robust and fit for purpose

There is no point buying a carport to protect your car or caravan and then having it collapse on your pride and joy at the first sign of wind or snow. Unfortunately as with every product there are cheaper, inferior and sometimes dangerous version available to buy. My advice would be to choose a canopy system from a company that has been manufacturing and selling canopies for more than 25 years and also to avoid the ones that are made out of wood. Don’t get me wrong there are some solid timber carports out there but it can be hard to tell if the product you buy has been though the same structural examination as say an aluminium carport.

Aluminium carports are designed around structural aluminium profiles which fit together to provide a robust structure. Aluminium does not weather or corrode and unlike timber does not need constant protection (varnishing or painting). Also water build up through blocked gutters can lead to damage to the timber while it will not affect an aluminium carport.

2. If you are going to fit it yourself make sure the carport you buy is easy to install

A  carport should be easy to install so it can be fitted by a competent DIYer. Check the carport you buy has comprehensive Assembly Instructions and ensure you have a look at them before you start. One sign that the Carport is one you should consider is if it has clear instructions which tell you the tools you need for the job and guide you through the installation step by step.

3. A Carport should fit together and be watertight without the need for sealant

Silicone sealant is a versatile product that can help make a product watertight when used in certain situation. Unfortunately it can also be used to hide problems causd by a failure to install a product correctly. What is the relevance of this to Carports you may ask? Well a good Carport does not need a lot of silicone sealant, so the builder can leave it in the van. A little can be used to seal along the wall plate but certainly not in the construction of the Carport. Sealant really only lasts a couple of years and even less if it rests in water, so where you have to use sealant to seal the connection with downpipes or to fit stop ends on the gutter you should know that in a couple of years this will start to fail.

Quality canopy systems are designed to do without sealant so if you don’t want to have to be up on a ladder with your silicone gun in a couple of years then choose one of those.

4. Buy a Carport from a company that can offer technical advice and design a carport that meets your needs.

Canopies are simple you say so why do I need technical advice? Yes Carports are simple but unfortunately no two houses are the same and you will likely want  a carport that fits in with the particular characteristics of your home. For example if you live in a bungalow the eaves height may be too low to attach a wall plate so what can you do? Well you could reverse the pitch and have the water running into a box gutter attached to the wall of your home. You may also have a tarmac or tiled floor so the legs will need to be concreted into the ground.

Make sure you talk to a company that knows it’s stuff and can give you proper advice. Send over photos and measurements and they will be able to design a structure to suit your needs and will tell you if there are any problems that may hinder your ability to install the carport. Some companies may even be able to provide you with technical drawings that you can then give to your builder to ensure the posts are fixed in the right place.

5. Choose a Carport that is built to last and comes with a guarantee

I suppose this is self evident and is similar to the first point above, however you want to choose a carport that will give you many years use with little maintenance. So this means choosing an Aluminium Carport system and ideally a system that has been around for many years. That way you can be confident that it has been properly tested in the marketplace. You will normally find these companies are happy to provide a guarantee so that if any of the parts fail and with aluminium and polycarbonate sheeting that is unlikely, they will replace the faulty items free of charge. If a company won’t give you a guarantee then it obviously has no faith in its own product and they should be avoided at all costs.