Your family vehicle is one of your most important and expensive assets; as such, protecting your vehicle from the elements is essential. Garages are a great way to protect your vehicle, but they are expensive, occupy a large portion of your property, and aren't always the best option. Another great way to protect your vehicle is with a carport, and there are several great reasons to choose a carport over a traditional garage.
In this article, we will explain what a carport is, how carports differ from garages, some of the benefits that come along with installing a carport, and some of the reasons why you might want to choose a carport rather than a garage for protecting your vehicle.
What is an Arrow Carport kit?
An Arrow Carport is a structure that covers your vehicle, typically with a roof supported by beams. Unlike a traditional garage, carports don't usually have walls or doors but rather are designed to save space and protect your vehicle from the elements and the sun's harsh UV rays. A carport kit then contains everything you need to assemble your very own carport, which can often be accomplished in only a few short hours at a fraction of the cost of constructing a garage.
How does an Arrow Carport Differ from a Full Garage?
As mentioned above, there are numerous differences between a carport and a full garage. The shape and overall design of a carport is very different from that of a garage. Although they are both designed to protect your vehicle, carports don't feature doors, and many don't feature solid walls. Although there are some carports that do have fabric walls, a carport is primarily designed to shade your vehicle and protect it from the elements. Carports are also significantly less expensive than garages and are also much easier to assemble.
What Is the Overall Appearance of Each Structure?
Traditional garages come in a few different form factors. Garages that are attached to houses normally feature a door, which is often automatic, and they also have solid walls on all sides, which certainly provides more security for your vehicle than a carport as garages deter thieves. That said, there are also external garages, which are typically constructed from metal such as steel or aluminum. These garages are not attached directly to the home but feature a very similar design with a door, a roof, and four walls.
Arrow Carports, on the other hand, differ from garages in that most of them don't have any walls, and no not feature a door. Instead, Arrow Carports have no walls, and a steel roof that is supported by steel beams or posts. Like garages, carports come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, from fabric carports that feature canopies to metal carports that usually have a steel or aluminum roof. Unlike full garages, Arrow Carports are portable, which means that if you move, for example, you can take your carport with you, allowing you to protect your vehicle while you are at your new home.
What Is the Cost Difference Between a Carport Kit and a Full Garage?
So, we've seen that both garages and carports can protect your vehicle from the elements and that they feature different designs and different overall characteristics. But what about the cost? Here there is a clear winner.
Carports are substantially less expensive than garages. Constructing a garage can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and even buying a premade exterior garage will usually cost well more than ten thousand dollars.
Carports, on the other hand, usually cost much less, and carport kits are even more cost-effective. That said, you still need to factor in the cost of assembling your carport, which can add a little bit of money to the purchase price, but if you are handy with tools and have somebody to help you, then you can easily assemble your carport without the need to spend anything extra.
Garages, on the other hand, are almost impossible to construct yourself and will certainly cost thousands of dollars beyond the purchase price for installation and assembly. So, if you want to protect your vehicles but don’t have tens of thousands of dollars for a garage, then a carport kit will certainly be your best bet.
Are Carport Kits Durable?
Despite not having four walls, modern carport kits are very durable and can last a very long time if assembled and installed correctly. This, of course, depends on the type of carport you purchase. Fabric carport kits are certainly less durable than metal carport kits due to the obvious fact that fabric is weaker in structural integrity than metal, and carports, in general, will be less durable than garages simply because they have less support. However, carports can last for many years, even decades, offering your vehicles a great amount of protection for a fraction of the price you would pay to install a new garage.
What Advantages do Carports Offer over a Full Garage?
There are a number of excellent reasons to choose a carport over a garage, and by choosing a carport, you can enjoy a few great benefits. So, let's briefly look at some of the advantages that come along with installing a carport on your property so that you can decide if this might be a good option for you and your unique situation.
Carports are cost-effective
As discussed above, carports are significantly less expensive than garages, which means that by choosing a carport, you'll have more money to spend on whatever else you'd like. The cost of buying a home is, of course, substantial and is usually the largest purchase of most people's lives.
So, if the home you've purchased doesn't already have a garage, then by installing a carport, you can protect your vehicle while keeping a ton of money in your bank for other renovations, furniture purchases, or anything else you desire.
Plus, carports, especially all-steel carports, can increase the resale value of your home, which means that rather than spending your money, you can make money by installing a carport on your property.
Carports are quick to assemble
Constructing a garage can take weeks or even months, and in the meantime, your vehicle will remain unprotected and liable to be damaged by the elements. But carports can be assembled very quickly, usually in under a day, and often in only a few hours, which means that you can save a ton of money that you would otherwise be paying laborers, while also having the peace of mind of knowing that your vehicles will be protected as soon as possible.
Carports can be relocated
Should you decide to move in the future, then you will essentially lose the money you invested in building a garage. However, when you choose to install an arrow carport kit instead, you'll have the option of taking your carport with you as carports can be dismantled and reassembled at your new property so that you'll only have to buy your carport once and won't need to purchase a new one when you relocate to a new home. Of course, dismantling a garage will be impossible, or at the very least, highly impractical, and so if you plan on moving any time soon, then a carport will almost certainly be the better option for you.
Carports offer more versatility
Unlike garages, carports can be used in a variety of different ways. For example, you could use your carport like a gazebo or pavilion in the summer, offering guests a shaded area to relax outside without being cooked by the hot summer sun. You could always invite your guests to come over and sit in your garage, but that would be significantly less fun and somewhat weird. In other words, carports can enhance your yard by adding increased versatility and functionality to your outdoor space, whereas garages are pretty much limited to only housing your vehicles.
Carports take up less real estate
If you don't have a particularly large property, then a carport will almost always be the best option for protecting your vehicle. Carports take up way less space than garages, meaning that you can install a carport in your small front, side, or backyard without worrying too much about losing a ton of outdoor space. Garages, on the other hand, range from large to very large, chewing up a ton of your outdoor space and shrinking the size of your yard.
Why Choose an Arrow Carport Kit Over a Full Garage?
All things considered, there are several reasons for why you might want to install a carport rather than a full garage. Carports offer your vehicles an excellent amount of protection at a fraction of the cost required to install a new garage, plus they are quick to assemble, can be relocated, offer way more versatility, and occupy less real estate.