All posts by Ted and Tracy

Whether you built it yourself or paid a great contractor, like us, to build it for you, your carport is a valuable investment! You may be wondering “If my carport’s so valuable why bother converting it into a garage?”, we’re so glad you asked! Let’s share with you five answers to that great question…

But as valuable as it is, a carport can only do so much without having walls. That’s why we want to share with you five reasons why converting your carport into a garage is such a good idea!

1. It extends the life of your investment – By upgrading your carport to a garage you are protecting and extending the life of your investment. A garage is something that you will continually use and its value does not lessen over time. It not only adds value to your property but also keeps and protects everything you choose to store in it. The value it brings in so many different areas will practically pay for itself over time! 
2. It is cost effective – Many people find themselves having to think more carefully about how they’re going to spend their money these days. Making the “buying things on a budget” mindset far more common than it was in the recent past.  Well the good news is that you can convert your carport at a far lower price than if you chose to buy a new garage. The upfront cost is a whole lot lower but you’ll get the same benefits!
3. It is more secure – Without walls, carports can only offer limited protection for your property. There are many things you may need to store in a weather proof area that could never be safely stored under your carport because its security from the weather and intruders is only as good as its limited enclosure. A garage gives you more privacy, increased security, and greater protection from the elements. 
4. It also provides more space – With a garage you will be able to have the added comfort of knowing your property is safe because of having a complete enclosure with a door that you can lock or add extra security to. Having so much protection in place will give you the ability to be able to store stuff in it that you were not able to in your carport. This should free up other space on your property that you can choose to use however you want.
5. It doesn’t have to be tall enough for a garage door –  If you’re interested in upgrading but not sure if you have the right height to convert your carport, don’t worry! Even if your carport isn’t tall enough to handle a garage door, we can install a swing out door! No problem!

At almost every client consultation, a question you’ll be asked is: Do you ever plan to convert this carport into a garage? It is important to ask, “can a metal carport be converted to a garage?”

We ask that because we can make some forward-thinking decisions when designing your carport if your answer is ‘Yes!’ Thankfully, the process of converting a carport is easier than moving one!

To convert a carport into a garage, you will need to purchase additional metal and materials to outfit the carport. But that is not all that you need to consider.

The biggest factor to consider when asking can a metal carport be converted to a garage is: Will the carport be tall enough to fit a garage door?

Ask: How Tall Is My Carport?

Your carport needs to be high enough to fit a standard garage door. Ideally, you want a carport that’s 8-foot on the eave wall to accommodate a standard garage door. (And if you’re wondering what an eave is, that’s the term we use to refer to the part of a roof that meets, or overhangs, the walls of a building.) This will allow you to park a car in your garage. Some folks only want to store a lawnmower or landscaping equipment, in which case 6-foot eave walls might do the trick.

The overall process of converting a carport to a garage goes something like this:

1. Build Frame On End
2. Install Metal on Side Walls
3. Install Garage Door

Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as 1-2-3, which is why we love helping our customers outfit a carport into the perfect garage for their needs.

For custom recommendations for your project, give us a call! We are proud to supply the metal carport and portable storage building needs for Shelby, NC and the surrounding Carolinas.

Let’s say you’ve purchased a carport for your driveway, but you relocate in a few years. Once you purchase a carport or storage building, can you move it to a different location? Can a metal carport be moved? Can I move a wood building?

The answer is Yes…and No.

This article describes the process of moving both carports and storage buildings, so you can decide if moving or installing a new carport or building on your new property makes sense in your unique situation.

How Can a Metal Carport Be Moved?

The ease of moving a carport depends on how far you’re moving and how similar the landscape will be.

The big-picture steps of moving a carport are:

1. Remove the most accessible anchors.
2. Remove the harder-to-access anchors.
3. Disassemble the carport.
4. Make notes of how the carport went together.
5. Transport the parts.
6. Reassemble at the new location.

Of course, this is easier said than done! Usually, the greatest limit to moving a carport that we see is cost. Often, it is more economical to simply install a new carport in your new location. Some customers opt to sell their current carport for parts and scrap metal, to offset that investment. Disassembling the carport, moving those hefty pieces, and knowing how it goes back together to reassemble takes skill in logistics and construction.

A second factor to consider is what modifications your current carport may need to fit your new space. For example, the driveway at your current house might be perfectly level, but if your new home rests on a hill, then the carport won’t fit without some adjustment. Drilled holes for screws and anchors don’t often match up, meaning the carport won’t jigsaw back together as nicely as you might like. We think that’s one reason most people simply sell their existing carport for parts or leave in place and build new.

Moving a Storage Building

Moving storage buildings are a bit more straightforward, as they’re designed to be portable, depending on the construction of your particular model.

In a perfect world, every wood portable building could be loaded onto a truck and situated on a new foundation. However, the floor systems of some buildings are not strong enough to withstand a move. We’ve found that some building walls are too old, weak, or rotten to withstand the ordeal.

Also, we have encountered accessibility issues with moving. If the twin oak trees in your yard have grown around your building…you can imagine it’s going to be impossible to get your portable storage building onto a truck.

Another factor we consider is state lines. North Carolina, where we are based, has different zoning laws than South Carolina. A legal structure in one state might be illegal in another.

What should you do?

So, in summary, moving your carport or wood portable building can be done in theory, it just takes different amounts of work – and in some clear cases, the work of moving isn’t worth the effort.

For custom recommendations for your project, give us a call: 704-482-7880

(PS. If you’re moving, the chances are you’ll need a truck! We are an authorized dealer for Uhaul in Shelby, NC – and the surrounding area)

We all want to make the most of our money. And the best way to determine if your storage building investment will pay returns is to evaluate your long term goals.

How long will you be in your current location? For short term storage needs, you might be better off with a storage service. However, certainly for longer-term storage such as ~5 years or more, it would be better to buy or rent-to-own a building. 

Another factor to consider is the value of the item you’re needing to protect. If you don’t have things of great value to cover, avoid purchasing a building. However, if you’re needing to protect a significant investment, we would recommend owning your own storage building!

One benefit most storage building owners enjoy is having 24-hour access to their items, no distances to drive, or gates to unlock. It’s really convenient to be able to access your own belongings.

We did some number crunching, and actually, the cost of a rent-to-own storage building versus a storage facility is about the same per month. The difference? Within three years, you’ll have a certificate of ownership; that building is all yours!

The biggest regret people have buying a storage building is they buy too small. We cannot think of a time when someone has said they wish they would have bought a smaller building. When in doubt, order a size up than what you’re thinking!

Owning your own building gives you future versatility for storage and other needs. That portable wood building could move with you to that new house. Have your needs changed? You can remodel a storage building to be extra office space outside or to serve as a guest bedroom.

For more help finding the best buildings size for you, download our Building Buyer’s Guide: https://getabuilding.com/guide 

One of the first questions people ask when considering purchasing a carport is: What size do I need?

The biggest myth we encounter is the belief that carports only come in two sizes: single or double.

There are a variety of building size options, and the best size depends on what you’re planning to cover. Is it a Mini Cooper or an RV, a four-wheeler, or a grill? We can build any size carport to protect your investment. And we’re proud to offer a variety of metal buildings in Shelby, NC.

Standard carports begin at 12-foot-wide and 20-foot-long and can be extended well beyond those dimensions. Carports can get as big as 40-foot-wide, 16-feet-tall, and, as we like to say, as long as you have space and money!

What The Building People Recommend

If you’re considering covering one car and want room to open doors and move around, we recommend an 18-foot-wide carport. 

Why is that? The average minivan is probably 7-and-a-half-feet wide from mirror to mirror. If you only have a 12-foot-wide carport, that leaves you with 4-and-a-half-feet of extra space, only about 2-feet on either side of your vehicle. That’s not a lot of room to open up your vehicle doors and walk around! 

That’s why we recommend an 18-feet-wide carport to start, giving you plenty of room to open and shut doors, and load and unload your vehicle. For folks with two vehicles, up to 24-foot-wide is considered a double carport. A 24-foot-wide carport allows you to park two cars, open doors, and even fit a wheelchair, stroller, or bike in between your vehicles.

The term ‘carport’ is a bit of a misnomer, because you can cover more than just a car! We’ve seen customers protect motorcycles, mountain bikes, boats, ATVs, grills, and more.

What Will A Carport Cost Me?

The price range for the standard, 12-foot-wide carport is around $1,295.

In order to cover larger items such as a boat or RV, you will need more room in your carport.

GetABuilding.com is uniquely positioned to provide custom sizes to customers that many dealers cannot. Carports can be the size as you need. The longest we have quoted to date is 100-foot-long, and the largest we’ve built is 60-foot-long.

Of course, these sizable structures take a sizable investment. We offer free consultations for folks in the market for larger buildings. The best way to get options to suit your needs is to consult our GetABuilding.com experts for recommendations. 

For more help finding the best carport size for you, download our Building Buyer’s Guide: https://getabuilding.com/guide We’re a premier dealer offering metal buildings in Shelby, NC – and the surrounding area.