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Custom Carport or Garage? How About a Combination—a Garage Port? | Stratton Exteriors

At Stratton Exteriors we love to design and build detached garages and custom carports. But there’s a third possibility—a middle ground, if you will—that’s growing increasingly popular in the urban Nashville neighborhoods we serve. You may hear them referred to as garage ports, and the main reason clients choose them is they offer more value than carports but remain more affordable than detached garages. You may have even heard them referred to as car patios.

What Is a Garage Port?

For starters, let’s review the primary differences between garages and carports. 

A garage may be a natural extension of your home or freestanding but it’s always completely enclosed. It can be used to house vehicles, but the detached garages we build for our clients are typically used as additional living space and frequently include an apartment, home office, workshop or gym.

A carport usually has a metal roof and is primarily used to protect vehicles from the elements. It typically has no walls or doors—or perhaps one wall, if it’s attached to your house.  The advantage of a custom carport is that it requires a much more modest financial commitment as compared to a garage and can be designed and constructed in a shorter time span.

But a garage port can be the best of both worlds. It’s a more secure off-street parking solution than a carport because the exterior side is typically closed off by a garage door. But it can also double as an outdoor entertainment space or patio and still cost much less than a detached garage, typically in the range of $18K – $25K.

Garage Port Tips

A few things to remember, whether you’re building a garage port or a custom carport.

Make sure you add incorporate gutters into the design, which will keep you from getting drenched when you walk out from under the structure in a heavy rain. Gutters guide water into downspouts, where it can be directed away from the structure.  This may seem like an obvious tip, but some builders fail to incorporate gutters.

Also, make certain all framing is covered, otherwise carpenter bees or other nuisance pests may call wood framing home. Carpenter bees seek out dry wood in which to live and will hollow out wood to make a home, typically higher off the ground than lower, which is why exposed support beams are vulnerable.

Want to Discuss Adding a Garage Port?

If you don’t have the space or the budget for a detached garage but want a multi-use space that protects your vehicle and valuables, a garage port may be just what you’re looking for.

At Stratton Exteriors we work with leading architects to create a design that works for you, one that complements your property and your neighborhood. We’re more than a general contractor; we’re your source for ideas and inspiration and we’re dedicated to making spaces work for you.

Give us a call at 615-750-2148 to discuss your next Nashville area home renovation.