Building a carport - size?

[rvshrinker]

After much planning we are getting ready to do a landscape project which will involve a concrete pad for truck and trailer and a carport.

How wide and tall will this need to be given the following parameters:

- standard trailer width 8.5 ft
- truck is just under 7 feet wide
- I want to park the truck and trailer next to each other. When I need to use the trailer (as a guest room), we will move the truck and open the slide
- we have mild weather so this will be just an overhead cover to protect from UV and pouring rain. I don’t winterize and we run a heater in the trailer when the weather gets cold.

I was thinking 20 feet wide, and 12 foot legs, but to park the trailer on one side of the carport and still have clearance with the support braces, maybe I need 13-14’ legs - I’ll check with the manufacturer on that. Maybe 30-32 feet long (TT is 29’ plus the hitch, so maybe 32’). I don’t see us ever getting anything bigger.

I’ll be using a trailer dolly to move the trailer in and out so I should have pretty good control of the movements, but I don’t need this to be a white knuckle experience every time.

(I was going to do a heated garage but can’t justify the costs and permanence of it).

[rvshrinker]

The place I am working with can do higher than 12 foot legs but it substantially increases the costs, because anything taller requires different engineering and two legs in each position. Right now a 24x30 carport in 12 gauge steel with 29 gauge roof is around $4600 installed (built and bolted to concrete pad). As long as there is room to bring the trailer in ~ 1 ft from the leg - which I need anyway so as not to cut it too close when backing in - it should fit.

I remeasured my trailer. It is 26’ from end of the tire to front of the nose. The hitch is another 3’. So 30’ covers the tire and covers the hitch and still leaves me another foot of room.

What do you think? Am I going to regret this? We aren’t going bigger! Our next camper will be a truck camper if anything. When the kids go off to school this will be too big for us and we’ll downsize if anything. Full timing is not in our future, not for 20+ years LOL. The problem is anything longer than 30 feet really starts to cut into my backyard, and becomes visible in a way I don’t want with the landscaping plan we have. In some vague possible future I guess I’d rather have a couple feet of RV sticking out the back end of the carport than living with the whole shebang visible from my back porch and pool area every day for the next 20 years.

[jerem0621]

30x40x16 (16 ft posts!)

[CincyGus]

One last thought is are you going to want to be able to work on the camper under the awning? If so, I'd raise those legs even higher to keep give you room to at least crawl and not have to belly slide from the ladder to where ever you are going. Roof Inspections, cleaning the AC cover and coils, replacing a cracked vent cover, etc.

If you don't mind moving it from under the cover to work on, ignore the thought but wanted to throw it out as a consideration.

[tragusa3]

When I was in your position, I received recommendations to build big enough for the future. I was 100% I would never go bigger than a 30' TT, so I didn't listen and that's what I built for.

A few years later, I buy a 35' motorhome that is also 13' tall. Had to pull down the old carport and build again. Would have been much cheaper to build bigger to begin with.

Something to consider.

[Dave_in_TN]

Depending on how much concrete pad space you will have along the side of the trailer, if using the trailer for a guest room, consider that the steps will extend out and you will need sufficient landing space at the bottom of the steps so guests don't step down onto the edge of the pad and twist an ankle.

Also, while you said you don't see ever getting anything bigger, if there is a possibility of getting a newer trailer someday, you may want to just put in 50amp service while you are doing it now, since more new trailers seem to be going in that direction with 2 A/C units. Don't imagine it would cost a great deal more to do that now, and you can put in a panel with both 30 and 50 amp outlets.

[rvshrinker]

So maybe 24w, 14h (legs), and 32l? the pad will be longer than this to provide maneuvering room for the dolly and of course a driveway.

it will have gutters, overhead lights and an outdoor switch, and the concrete pad will have sewer, water, 30 amp electricity. and i am considering outting in a 300 gallon propane tank to provide heat for my unit as a guest room, haven’t decided for sure yet. anything else yuo can think I’d need?

[Cocky_Camper]

Go at least 24ft wide! We had a 20ft wide aluminum carport, and if you ever decide to park two cars side by side, your door WILL HIT! The extra 4ft in width will make a bigger difference than you think.

[blownstang01]

I would go with 14' legs due to the upper supports just like you say. Whatever with and length you're thinking, add a few feet in each direction as long as you have room. They are never big enough.