I have been considering building a flat roof carport for the better part of a year, and I have done a fair amount of research to prepare for my big project. While researching the type of carport that I would build I came across many different options, including metal carport kits which seem to be pretty popular from what I can gather. However, the esthetics of the available kits just didn’t suit me, so I am opting for a build from scratch project.
The first thing I did was to go to city hall and get a building permit. I had heard through the grapevine that I could get a building permit with only rough plans. I had also heard that there were some hefty fines for those you started construction before getting the permit. The permit must be posted to the outside of my house or affixed to a window and clearly readable from outside of my house. The permit has to remain there throughout the entire construction period.
The only hiccup that I ran into when applying for my permit, and this was not so much a hiccup as an oversight on my part, was the fact that my property taxes are going to increase as a result of building my new carport. I shouldn’t have expected any different, of course the carport will increase the value of my property, therefore my taxable value will increase. One minor comfort is the fact that my carport is not going to increase my taxes nearly so much as a fully enclosed garage would.
Following my fact finding step where I figured out what I needed to file with the city before receiving my permit, I now have the task of actually getting my visual concept onto paper where any details that need refining or problems with my concept will come to light before I commit my idea to a formal building plan. I have planned to build a carport that will echo the style of my house, so there are quite a few details that are cosmetic only, and I can add on top of the basic structure which will not impact the structural design. Deciding on a wooden carport actually has benefits in this way over a metal carport, since my final carport is going to blend in much better than if I had chosen a kit.
The final step before actual construction is to get my plans approved by an engineer. I have a lot of building experience but it is best to have a certified engineer go over the plans carefully before I even start the foundation. I think there is a very good chance that I might use the flat roof as the base for a second story addition at some point in the future. I don’t have the money to do the second floor addition right now but I want to have the option in the future. Accordingly, an engineer can help me calculate the load I need to plan for. I may do the second story addition in steps. Perhaps in a year I will build a deck with outside access.
So that’s as far as I’ve gotten so far with planning my big summer project – I just need to wait for the ground to dry out a bit since the spring has been pretty muddy, but I’m hoping to start digging some footings by the beginning of June. Even though I only have weekends to build my new carport, and I will certainly lose a few to fishing trips and weekends at the cottage, there’s still no reason that I shouldn’t get the whole thing built and finished off before fall. That will give me plenty of time to finish the details and painting before it starts snowing.