We had one installed at our home here in MD last September. We made the purchase contract thru a local Ace Hardware, and the carport was installed by a company out of NC called Newmart Builders. It wasn't the best experience...
The Ace Hardware employees (even the manager) have NO CLUE what they are doing on the order form if you want a "custom" unit vs. the standard cookie-cutter $795 unit. They totally screwed up our order. Told us we didn't need things, charged us for stuff we didn't get...
The installation crew was prompt and professional, but... They completely dropped the ball because they KNEW what we ordered wasn't correct, yet they installed it anyway. They *should* have spoken up and installed it correctly, including the "included in price" bracing that wasn't correctly marked on the order sheet.
The crew failed AGAIN, when they came back out 3 weeks later to install some parts we had paid for but hadn't received in the first shipment. Again, they didn't correct the original structural issues with the carport.
So, along comes a windy wet snowstorm on March 6th, 2013. The carport starts tipping over/leaning to the west - we have to move the trucks out and brace it as best we can with heavy ratchet straps and T-posts. We called the company, and they were actually VERY apologetic that not once, but THREE times our carport was overlooked and not installed right. They sent out a crew ASAP (which ended up being 10 days or so later) and fixed the carport for a minimum charge ($75). But even then, *I* had to tell the crew to install more parts, they were going to leave after only doing half the work.
So.... Do your homework. Order from someone who KNOWS what they are doing. Familiarize yourself with all the terminology and parts, and don't believe it when the salesperson/installer says "nah, you don't need that".
Cost wise, our carport was $2600. It is 24Dx26Wx10H. Being that size requires additional bracing, which is what was missing during install.
