U.S. CARPORTS FAQ

The answer is yes. Unfortunately, we can't provide everyone in the post with a one-size-fits-all answer to whether or not you will need a building permit. What we can say is this: permits are often required for carports. In many places, it is necessary to secure a building permit for your project, even if the structure is not technically going to be placed into the ground. If you live in a city of at least a modest size, there is a good chance you will need a permit to complete this project in accordance with the law.

With that said, the best thing to do is to contact a government office in your area. There is no need to guess at the need for a permit, and you shouldn't just assume the answer will be yes or no. Tracking down the right information shouldn't take very long, so there is really no excuse to cut corners at this stage.

Customer is responsible to check for any building codes and restrictions in order to obtain a permit.

Yes we do! We offer generic plans, which are free of charge and Engineered specific plans, in case the customers local building department does not accept Generic plans. Note Generic plans are not offered with custom units.

Specific plans generally take anywhere from 2-10 business days for customers to receive from when the request was made. Depending on the complexity of the unit. Please keep in mind that when ordering plans the price of the structure is subject to change based on the engineers design criteria.

The delay of delivery will depend on how long it will take to get the permit. Wait time will start when the permit is obtained.

We use 12 gauge and 14 gauge framing, 12 gauge is highly recommended for snow load areas.

14 gauge comes with 1 year workmanship, this warranty covers anything that was not properly installed or damaged on the unit by the contractor. Any damaged material not done by the contractor will have to be purchased by the customer. Our workmanship does not cover skylights leaks, additions done to an existing unit or water coming from underneath base rail or doors.

This provides a 20-year limited warranty on rust of framing. There is no rust warranty on the sheet metal. This warranty states that within a 20 year time-frame from when the unit is completely installed, if the customer starts to notice rust on the tubing of their building, Our manufacturer will go out to the location and fix the issue assuming normal user care, and maintenance on the 12-Gauge materials. On units 3 years or older from the install date, customers must show proof of contract.

On our 14-Gauge and 12-Gauge buildings. The customer will only have this warranty if they purchase the anchor package required for their building. The base rail has to be completely ripped out of the ground or concrete in order for the warranty to cover as long as the wind did not exceed 90 MPH that it is certified for. The wind warranty will not be provided, if anchors cannot be installed, due to rocky surfaces. For units10 ft or taller, in certain areas, customers will need to purchase a concrete support package in order for the unit to have the wind warranty. If there is a natural disaster such as a tornado and destroys the unit. It will not be replaced as they are not designed to withstand that amount of damage. (Wind warranty does not cover panel damage).

Depending on your foundation, at an additional cost, we use anchors to secure the unit onto your foundation. If you have concrete foundation the anchors are included.

Foundation should be as leveled as possible, no more than 2-3 inches of unleveled foundation. Extra charges may incur if the land is not leveled. If the unit will require  3’ anchors please make sure there is nothing that will be damaged from the anchors being augered into the foundation such as water valves, electric etc. 

There is no additional cost to pick your color.

Standard heights range from 6 feet to 12 feet.

Standard width ranges from 12 feet to 30 feet.

Lead times may vary  depending on the state and season.

Yes, as long as the building is less than 3 years old, we will gladly make additions to your unit. (All additions to units come with a service charge, any additions done the building has been installed will void all warranties.) Units 3 years and older will only be able to have material drop off.

We strongly recommend the A-Frame Vertical style roof in areas with large amounts of snow. The ridges of the steel panels run parallel with the truss allowing snow,rain or debris to runoff easily.

Yes! We do offer insulation for your buildings. We offer the R-value 16, .20”(5mm) Closed cell polyethylene foam with reflective reinforced foil on one side and plastic white finish film on the other side. Total 5M Plus insulation combines the benefits of insulation with vapor, air and radiant barrier protection. That means you’ll have a cool, dry structure in the summer and a warm,dry structure in the winter.(Only offered on Vertical Roofs, sides and ends.)

Yes! We do offer clear panels in 3’Wx4’L & 3’Wx8’L (Only offered on Vertical Roofs and areas 

without snow.)

All concrete slab options are for units up to 30’ wide and they require a minimum 4” this slab with a 12”x12” (or per local code) perimeter footing.

We have two option recommendations when it comes to the slab.

Option one is we recommend the customer to do it 4” Notch  all the way around to prevent any cracking of the concrete. This will also prevent any water from entering underneath the building.

Option two Slab same size of the unit-Flush Detail

With this option, the concrete is the same size as the unit and there is a way to prevent the water from running under the base rail by extending the panel to pass the base rail and cover part of the concrete edge.(With this method, we need to make sure to add the welded angles* at an additional cost in order to anchor the unit it is recommended to purchase extra panels based on the height of the unit).

Our L-brackets are highly recommended if the building will be the same size as the foundation. 

With a steel building there is very little to almost no maintenance required. Metal also offers longevity that wood can’t match. In terms of durability, metals are designed to endure any climate with proper maintenance,They are built for snow, rain, wind etc. Buildings from metal material will virtually be impervious to fire, rot, mold, moisture, and pest damage.

The header provides the customer the freedom to remove any unwanted legs in a certain area of the building.

An equipment charge is applied to an order when the height surpasses the standard height of 12’. In some cases a labor charge instead of an equipment charge will be applied, but this  depends on the width of the structure.

You Certainly can! But please keep in mind that this can get quite costly. In most cases the customer will be charged 70% of the current market value of the building, but a trip fee may also be applied. Any units that are 3 years or older or no longer eligible to be moved.

We use 29 Gauge and 26 Gauge. 26 Gauge is thicker.