Home additions
Car ports
A carport is a roofed structure that protects vehicles from snow, rain and sun — attached to the house or freestanding, and far less expensive than a garage.
The work
A carport does most of what a garage does for a fraction of the cost. Attached to the house it shares a wall and often a roofline; freestanding it sits open on all sides with one or more parking bays.
In Ottawa the governing number is snow load. A carport roof carries the same accumulation as the house, and it does it on posts rather than walls, so footings, post sizing and beam spans are engineered rather than assumed.
The rest is detailing. Matching the roof pitch, soffit, fascia and column material to the house is what separates a carport that looks original from one that looks bolted on.
- Typical duration
- 3 – 6 weeks
- Permits
- Building permit; zoning review for setbacks and lot coverage
- Best suited to
- Homes with a driveway but no garage
- Upgrade path
- Can be designed for future enclosure into a garage
How we build it
What's included, and why it matters
01
Engineered for snow load
Footings below frost, sized posts and beams, and a roof structure designed for Ottawa accumulation and drifting.
02
Matched to the house
Roof pitch, shingles, soffit, fascia and column detailing taken directly from the existing exterior.
03
Drainage and grading
Eaves, downspouts and the slab or driveway pitched so meltwater leaves the structure instead of pooling at the posts.
04
Lighting and power
Exterior lighting and an EV-ready circuit run at framing stage, when it costs almost nothing to include.
Answers
Car ports, answered
Start your project
Thinking about car ports?
We'll visit the property, tell you honestly what's possible, and give you a scope and a number you can plan around.
We typically respond within one business day.