Sos Roofline Systems

Posts Tagged ‘car storage’

Carports that need to fit properly in a limited space can usually only be a lean to carports which is also called single slope carports or a flat roof carports. When choosing a carport that is attached to your house you might want to consider a single slope carport (lean to carports). If the only practical location for your carport is adjacent to your house or another existing structure such as a storage building then you might find yourself limited in the type of carport you are able to build.

Any carport with either a gable roof or shed roof might not work for a few reason reasons. The first reason is space available to build the carport. Both shed roof carports and gable roof carports need considerably larger space to be at a proper angle for water runoff and to look proportional to the height of the walls. Any less than a certain minimum amount of space just won’t work. You simply can’t crunch gable roof carports into small spaces. Another reason is aesthetic. The flow of the roof lines may look awkward. A strong delineation between house and carport takes away from the attractiveness of your house. You want your home and new carport to look as though they blend together naturally. A carport that looks stuck to the side of your house as an afterthought will not bring any satisfaction.

Lean to carports or single slope car carports tend to look more natural and blended into your home than a flat roof carport. Matching the pitch of the roofs is very important. If the roof lines march then the two roofs look like they are meant to be together. If you are considering adding a carport that has a roof at a different angle than the angle on the roof on your home do yourself a big favor. Take a picture of your current home and print off two copies. Draw a carport addition with the same pitch roof as your house and then draw a carport addition with a different pitch than the pitch of your house. The difference in appearance is clear to see.

Flat roof carports have one screaming advantage over the other types of carport roofs. The roof of a flat roof carport can be used as a screened in porch or a deck. An experienced contractor could probably do the job in one day. In order to support a deck or any type of second story the supporting posts of the carport would need to carry extra load. There are specific formulas for determining load and how much support those loads would need. An experienced contractor would be able to help you. Using the roof as a deck or even the base for a second story addition is made easier if there is a pre-existing window looking over the carport. Changing this window into a doorway is a fairly inexpensive and easy proposition.

You don’t need to build a door to allow access to the deck right away. With advanced planning this decision can wait a few years or more. However, if you think you might consider utilizing the top of the flat roof then you need to calculate the increased load and plan accordingly.

In conclusion, think seriously about what type of carport roof is suitable for your family. Consider location and purpose. Once the carport is constructed you will have to look at it for a long time. A lean to carport or a single slope carport might suit your needs best.