Carport questions

[vmacekesq]

I've been wanting a single-bay carport since I moved into my Levittown- style house. The few prefabs I can find just don't look like they'd work - and I'd like to build something that complements the house. Space constraints mean it will be up against the side of the building, and a flat roof would be least visible from inside (it would be just beneath a kitchen window) and would best suit the style I'm aiming for. So two questions:

-The roof: what material options do I have? I'd like to go with a quality corrugated plastic panel (which has worked fine on sheds I built) but worry how flat I could go with it (allowing a minimal slope for drainage), even using liberal amounts of silicone sealant at the overlaps. I'd go with alternatives like metal or asphalt sheeting if necessary, but I'd be unfamiliar with installation, and would miss the light-transmitting quality of plastic (and there would still be the drainage issue). I'm in Georgia, so snow accumulation is not a problem (though I'll have to be diligent cleaning off tree debris).

- To keep it as open as possible, and for added stability, I'd like to anchor one side of the roof to the side of the house (actually the carport would stick out past the front of the house so it would just be the back half of the roof anchored to the building, with a post at the front corner). I'd rather not use a full ledger - if I could connect it with a few anchor points and keep about 6 inches between the two structures I'd avoid tree debris accumulation and wouldn't impact the house structure as much. Any ideas how I could do this? I doubt there's a ready-made anchor/spacer available, but what would be easy to fabricate? I'm figuring on attaching directly into the wall frame - it'll be a bear finding those studs through sheathing and two layers of siding, but that's another story.

VMacek

[buffalobill]

metal could be noisy. see history and some house pictures at:

[Steve B]

I used to be a steel erection contractor. I've built and repaired hundreds of carport spaces.

You should be able to find carport materials at your local steel dealer. Google ASC Pacific and look at the panels. You use 3" or 4" posts, with Cee or Zee purlins, then some corrugated galvanized or painted panels on top of that. Cap with available trim. This will give you a stout carport that will be almost maintenance free. Check with local building departments, as an attached carport will be easier to get permitted than a freestanding one. Almost anything constitutes attachment, and I have used a 1" piece of flat bar ten foot long, and the inspector just looked at me, smiled, and signed it off. (the homeowner took off the strap the next day per instructions, but I have no knowledge of that ;-) )

Don't waste your time on plastic panels. They die in the UV of sun's rays, and break. The poles should be about $40 each, purlins $40 each, the panels about $40 each, and the trim pieces about $10 each, making it a grand total of under $600. Erection extra, or you can do it yourself if you have any skills at all.

Steve