Carports Vs Garages: How Do You Choose The Best Option For Your Needs?

For some homeowners, whether they keep their car in a garage or a carport is simply determined by which structure was there when they bought their home. For others, though, the type of building is an important factor in their decision making. Garages serve multiple purposes beyond housing cars. They can provide storage space or a spot for an impromptu laundry room. A secure place to build a home workshop is high on some homeowners' must-have list, and a garage is perfect for this. On the other hand, carports tend to be single-use structures, but not exclusively. Car ownership might be the primary driver of your decision-making when you're looking for options that suit your needs, but it's not the only one. Even the carless can find use for a garage or carport. Choosing the option that suits you best will depend entirely on how you want to use the structure itself and, if you're building from scratch, what your total budget is.

Both attached and detached garages are completely enclosed buildings, but one is free-standing and the other connects to your home. The simplest garage has an overhead door that covers the opening, but many have electricity or even plumbing and HVAC. Most have a human-sized door for entry and egress called a man door. Carports are much simpler structures with a roof and at least one open side; they're used primarily to protect vehicles from the elements. They can be attached to the house or detached, and are typically made from metal or wood. Both garages and carports with at least one solid wall can be customized with premade garage shelf storage systems.

When you're weighing your options on which shelter for your car is best, consider the weather where you live. An attached garage provides the convenience of having direct access from the garage to the house, meaning never having to face the elements, but it's not just sun or rain you need to think about. Either a garage or a carport will protect the car from snow, but in a very wintry climate, an enclosed garage will keep the temperature of the vehicle warmer and provide more protection for the driver getting in and out of the car. If you live in a very warm climate, the open sides of a carport allow the air to move freely, keeping your car cooler. 

A garage should be your choice if you're thinking about converting the structure into an additional dwelling unit (ADU) for use as a short or long-term rental, or to add living space for extended family. But carports are a boon to RV owners. For instance, Class A motorhomes are about 12 feet tall, and the typical garage door is only seven feet high. This means an RV carport can easily protect your rig from the weather, and is the perfect choice. 

Finally, if cost is one of your concerns, an attached garage shares a common wall with the house and can use the existing electrical systems. This makes it cheaper to build than a freestanding detached garage. However, if protecting your vehicle from the elements is your only goal, a basic carport is the most economical choice and can be built in a matter of days. You can even find affordable carports from Walmart or carport dealers, and these are designed for quick and easy assembly.