FAQs for planning the conversion of a carport to a garage

Question 1: "Is it worth it?"

The typical issues here are the costs, benefits, and legalities (permits & building codes). Let's address them one by one.

The costs

Most carport to garage conversions will require a building permit an, including the cost of the permit, will cost between $3,000 & $9,000. In cases where no permit is relevant, then the costs may be a few hundred dollars lower, but that is still a pretty big range.

To learn why the price range is so big (beyond of the very obvious factor of the size of the garage), click here: how we estimate the cost of a converting a carport to a garage. To request a ballpark estimate (over the phone) or an in-person consultation and a written bid, click here: get an estimate.

The benefits

Nextt, here is a brief list of major benefits of converting a carport to a garage. The top issue is extra security for storing your vehicle and other valuables (including protection from wind storms and hail). To hear a short audio testimonial from a homeowner who hired our contractors shortly after his work truck (and tools) were stolen, click here.

The other major benefits are from the perspective of landlords and real estate investors. It can be much easier to rent or sell a home that has an enclosed garage, plus that will attract higher prices. To learn more about these benefits of enclosing a carport to convert it to a garage, click here.

Permits & Building Codes

Last, regarding legality, it is almost always legal to convert a carport to a garage (assuming that your carport is not breaking any laws already). Of course, depending on the exact renovations that would need to be made, a building permit may be legally required. (If you want to ask our local estimator whether permits will be required for building your new garage- or any other questions- then click here: contact.)

If a permit is legally required, which in many cities it will be, then failing to get a permit would create a risk of fines (and other complications, like with resale or insurance claims). Fortunately, most unpermitted conversions can be easily brought in to compliance with building codes. (To contact us about a case like that, click here: contact.)

Whatever ideas you might have about paying a couple of hundred dollars for a building permit and city inspections, it can be valuable to consider "building to code" as being the MINIMUM level of quality to target. Even if you were just putting a privacy fence and security gate around a carport, you still want a sturdy structure, right?


TO ASK A NEW QUESTION (OR REQUEST A CONSULTATION), CLICK HERE.

Question 2: "Who do I hire?"

First, should you hire someone or try a "DIY?" Next, what is the fastest and easiest way to identify a reliable expert to hire with confidence?

Besides the simplest tasks, like painting the inside of the walls of your new garage, most homeowners will want an expert to help them with the planning and construction of the new garage. In some ways, converting a carport to a garage is more complicated than just building a garage from the ground up.

Plus, just like with building any other garage, there are the tasks of dealing with permit applications, inspections, and electrical wiring for the garage door opener. Any of those alone can be too much stress for most homeowners. Further, most renovations do not involve a complex, heavy moving part like a garage door.

So, if you have ever gotten frustrated with government bureaucracy or with trying to assemble furniture that you bought from a store, how about totally avoiding all of that uncertainty, stress, and confusion? At least get a bid from one of our specialists in converting carports. If you would prefer to do a few of the most simple tasks, like adding the final paint, just let your estimator know. If the price is right and you are comfortable with the expertise and professionalism of our experts, then of course you will be glad that you requested an estimate and hired our pros, right?

Choosing the right carport conversion contractor

What if you could hear audio testimonials of past clients recommending our carport conversion contractor? Wouldn't that help you be confident in the professionalism and affordability of our experts?

We have contractors in many parts of the US where carports are most popular, including Arizona, Florida, and Texas. Many of them even have audio testimonials from past clients.

If you in the Phoenix AZ area, you can hear 3 audio testimonials about our carport conversion expert there by clicking here: learn why our contractor in Phoenix AZ has such great reviews for carport conversions. You can even see before and after pictures on that same page.

If you are near Orlando Florida, you can hear some very powerful recommendations for our general contractor there by clicking here: learn why a pro with 25 years in the construction industry said Dave was "BY FAR the best" contractor. That homeowner has hired Dave for multiple residential renovations plus multiple commercial projects. You will be impressed!

If you are near Miami Florida, you can read several short testimonials of our licensed general contractor there by clicking here (and the reviews will be slightly down the page within a horizontal slidebar). Not only do clients consistently call him "very professional," but the also happens to be originally trained as an architect.

We won't fill up this page by listing every single area where we have carport conversion specialists. However, for any other locations, just let us know and we will be happy to provide you with recommendations and credentials for our carport conversion pro in your area. To contact us now, click here: help me reach the best carport conversion contractor for me.

TO ASK A NEW QUESTION (OR REQUEST A CONSULTATION), CLICK HERE.

Question 3: "Can I finance it?"

Since many carport conversions are among the most affordable of all home renovations, this question is not as common as the others. However, we have some good news for those who need to spread out the cost of their renovations over time.

First, you might not even need to finance it once you learn about the typical payment schedule. Depending on the length of time involved in your renovations (which you can learn about here), you may have several paychecks coming within the timeframe between paying the fees for the building permit and the ultimate completion of the construction of your new garage.

Even with extremely fast conversions, like for a simple enclosure of a 1-car carport (which will only take a day or two of work), we can still inform you about all your best options, such as the federal government's 203k lending program for home improvements. In contrast, with larger garages (like this stunning conversion of a carport in to a 6-car garage), the payments for the construction of the garage will typically be split up in to an initial deposit plus several additional installments.

So, if you are like most people that hire our contractors, that means that you might not even need any special financing (or even to pay any interest on credit cards, which people can usually afford to pay off within the next billing cycle). You will just need to budget for each installment in order to keep the construction of your new garage on schedule.

Of course, since you may have at least a little bit of equity in your home, you still may prefer to get a loan because the rates and the amount borrowed will be so low. In recent years, many people have been pleasantly surprised to find that it can be very easy to get a reasonable rate on a loan to build your new garage. Plus, if your credit score is average or better, then you can qualify for the best interest rates on your loan (which will be far better than typical interest rates for credit cards). You may not even need to borrow anything from your 401k or to qualify for a special program like the 203K!

Whatever your situation, our builders can help inform you about the best options for the financing the building of your garage. If you would like a referral to a lender, just let us know.


TO ASK A NEW QUESTION (OR REQUEST A CONSULTATION), CLICK HERE.