Do I need a Garage or a Carport?

When you move into a new home, your priorities tend to be in-house improvements, such as repainting the walls, replacing the old leaky faucets, and retiling the mouldy bathtub -- the outside of the house can wait. But once you've got the indoors reasonably taken care of, you start looking outside at things like the landscaping and any outbuildings (or lack thereof) on the property. If you find that there isn't space for your car, for instance, you'll need to decide what type of investment you want to make. 

You know you want some kind of protection for your vehicle and are looking at carports and garages. But which should you choose? There are advantages to each kind of structure, and here are the most important of them:

Garage

More Secure Space- Unquestionably, garages provide more secure space. The only question that you have to ask yourself is "is it necessary?" For instance, if you have a Jaguar, a garage might be a smarter move, since it will protect a valuable asset from wind and weather, not to mention burglary. 

Protects Sensitive Items- If you have a lot of items that you need to store that are temperature or moisture sensitive, a garage might be a good choice. For instance, those books that you want to keep, but can't fit into the house, old photos of family members, and that antique chest that was made by your great grandfather are all things that require a dry building. 

Makes for a great workshop- If you have a serious hobby and no extra room in the house, a garage provides a great spot for it. The enclosed space means that when you need to work off some stress by throwing a vase or painting a picture, you can head out to the garage -- even in the winter. 

Carport

Less Expensive- Now, if you don't own a Jag and have to pay some attention to how much you are spending on the project, a carport is a great option. This will allow you to cover your vehicle and make sure that it isn't exposed to the worst weather, avoiding rust and other damage. 

Great Place for Parties- An attractive carport could double as a porch or verandah for barbeques, birthday parties, and other events. Just park the car a bit further down the driveway that day, set up some folding tables, lawn chairs, and decorations, and you are good to go!

Less Effort- When you are setting up your structure, the amount of work that you put in can be a factor, depending on your physical state and the help you will have. While all of our buildings are relatively easy to assemble, the effort involved does vary somewhat, depending on the specific garage or carport designs. Smaller/less complex/less material = less effort and vice versa, so if you are looking for easy, a carport should be your choice.