Metal RV Shelter or carport in Minnesota?

[bbells]

I have searched the web for a metal RV shelter and found lots of companies from other parts of the country that build metal RV Shelters. But, I would really like to have someone local do it - And can't find anyone. Maybe i am using the wrong search terms or the national places just use pay-per-click so the smaller places don't show in searches. Who knows?

I already have a barn, it is too small for the trailer, but I don't need another barn

I want to build a simple metal carport style shelter for my trailer. 12Hx12Wx36L. Only need one full side and the roof since ot will be near my barn.

Does anyone know of a local / Minnesota installer for these? Or, anyone have luck with the national guys and can throw a referral?

I've looked into Carolina Carports, but they don't install here. Alan's Factory Outlet sounds good, but i can't find any unbiased reviews.

Any help will be appreciated.

[Cobra21]

In much of Minnesota the building inspector dictates the information on snow load, not the land owner. We can only build what they let us after proper permit.

Brian

[bbells]

Again, we are talking about metal roofs that snow slides off of. Not shingled roofs on houses. Please remain on topic.

Again, I have never seen much depth at all stay on a peaked metal roof. And, we are talking about peaked metal roofs on unheated buildings, not flat roofs or heated homes with rough shingles. In fact, in Minnesota it is extremely rare to see any snow on the peak of an unheated metal roof - Even after an ice storm. There is nothing to hold it up there. It slides off and blows off. Any ice is broken off when the wind slightly shakes the metal roofing. I have seen 20 inches of snow and since the roof is peaked it simply slides or blows off. We are never left with any more than 4 inches or so of snow on the metal roof of any unheated metal buildings with peaked roofs.

Please start your own thread if you want to talk about snow on the roof of heated homes or out buildings.

If you are in Minnesota look at your roof at 1am tonight. Even with six inches of snow you will barely see any remain on the roof. It will blow or slide off since metal is slippery, and since it isn't heated inside the snow does not freeze to the roof. This is simple physics. With nothing to hold the snow there it either blows off or slides off.

dadmomh wrote:
We lived in Cleveland for a few years and I can absolutely guarantee that we had more than 4" of snow on our roof for many days. We never shoveled the roof, but did go around and clear off the icicles and snow that was hanging over the gutters. Even parts of TN had 4"+ this year!

[dadmomh]

We lived in Cleveland for a few years and I can absolutely guarantee that we had more than 4" of snow on our roof for many days. We never shoveled the roof, but did go around and clear off the icicles and snow that was hanging over the gutters. Even parts of TN had 4"+ this year!

[dewey02]

bbells wrote:
That's interesting about snow load. I have never seen more than 4 inches of snow stay on any of my pole barn roofs here in Minnesota -Or any roof for that matter.

????

[bbells]

Dewey, we are talking about smooth metal roofs on unheated buildings where snow slides off. Not about sand paper rough shingled roofs on pre-war heated and leaky bungalows.

[dewey02]

bbells wrote:
Yes, badly designed roofs are like that. Either you live in a different Minnesota, or you don't notice the ice dams that are creating the need for shoveling roofs. I have never seen any one anywhere in this state having to shovel off a healthy roof in the last 6 or 7 decades.

dewey02 wrote:

bbells wrote:
That's interesting about snow load. I have never seen more than 4 inches of snow stay on any of my pole barn roofs here in Minnesota - Or any roof for that matter. We have had more snow than that of course, but since the roof is slanted it doesn't stay on it. Especially with metal roofs. ...snip!

I live in northern Minnesota and I can Guarantee that more than 4 inches will accumulate on a roof. Last year we had more than a couple of feet accumulation, and many people shovel their roofs to reduce the load. There are even professional roof shovelers who will do your roof for a fee.

We must live in a different Minnesota. I find your comments on never seeing more than 4 inches of snow on a roof and never seeing anyone in the entire state having to shovel a roof to be incredible. And I am certain that most houses 60 to 70 years old don't necessarily have what you might define as a "healthy roof".

[GeoBoy]

I have a VersaTube carport for my TT. It is 12'x30'x 13' high, the snow load rating is 65 PSI at a 90 MPH wind, highest standard for NYS. I had it installed on a 5.5" thick, reinforced concrete slab. We had a record snow, cold and windy winter and it is still standing in my back yard since 2006.

[bbells]

Yes, badly designed roofs are like that. Either you live in a different Minnesota, or you don't notice the ice dams that are creating the need for shoveling roofs. I have never seen any one anywhere in this state having to shovel off a healthy roof in the last 6 or 7 decades.

dewey02 wrote:

bbells wrote:
That's interesting about snow load. I have never seen more than 4 inches of snow stay on any of my pole barn roofs here in Minnesota - Or any roof for that matter. We have had more snow than that of course, but since the roof is slanted it doesn't stay on it. Especially with metal roofs. ...snip!

I live in northern Minnesota and I can Guarantee that more than 4 inches will accumulate on a roof. Last year we had more than a couple of feet accumulation, and many people shovel their roofs to reduce the load. There are even professional roof shovelers who will do your roof for a fee.

[dewey02]

bbells wrote:
That's interesting about snow load. I have never seen more than 4 inches of snow stay on any of my pole barn roofs here in Minnesota - Or any roof for that matter. We have had more snow than that of course, but since the roof is slanted it doesn't stay on it. Especially with metal roofs. ...snip!

I live in northern Minnesota and I can Guarantee that more than 4 inches will accumulate on a roof. Last year we had more than a couple of feet accumulation, and many people shovel their roofs to reduce the load. There are even professional roof shovelers who will do your roof for a fee.

[CavemanCharlie]

What about some sort of Quonset Building. There are several manufactures and I don't know who operates in your area but, I see a lot of them around.

[dadmomh]

Try checking under "aluminum siding" or similar. We have one that's approx 26 x 38 and think the cost was about $3500. They designed it so "when" we moved to a Class C or A we'd have clearance, not! Certainly in your area, I would ask for a steeper pitch to the roof....cost should be minimal.

[westend]

colliehauler wrote:

Merrykalia wrote:
We had around 40" of snow, then rain, then sub zero temps and more snow last month and there were about 70-75 of the metal carports that failed and damaged or destroyed the vehicles (cars, trucks, boats and RVs) under them here in our county. Our county has less than 40k people, so that is a major occurrence for us. DH is working with the state disaster assistance people doing canvassing of the county for damage, so we got the numbers pretty close.

There were also many steel-framed buildings that failed under the stress of the snow and ice, also.

That being said, there might be a reason you can't find them in Minnesota!!

I bought a carport for a trailer in Kansas and wanted one for a trailer in North MN. When I called they said they did not sell there because of the snow load requirements.

Well that means you would not be getting a good shelter from that Mfg. in any area of the country, it would be "under-built", IMO. Chances are that the Mfg. doesn't have an erection crew that far North and is spinning customer inquiries with the snow load requirements.

FWIW, I worked for Lester Buildings many moons ago and built many different steel buildings, from hobby farm storage buildings to large commercial structures. The roof architecture on all their buildings is pretty much the same. Purlin spacing might change with span but all were rated for a full snow load for the Upper Midwest.

[bbells]

That's interesting about snow load. I have never seen more than 4 inches of snow stay on any of my pole barn roofs here in Minnesota - Or any roof for that matter. We have had more snow than that of course, but since the roof is slanted it doesn't stay on it. Especially with metal roofs. I can understand if it was a flat roof - Those are the only roofs I have ever seen cave in due to snow anywhere.

Many people around me have both the fabric covered and the metal covered and snow has never been a problem for them. Even some of the fabric ones have been up for a decade with no problems (shaded areas). Unfortunately the ones who have the metal RV shelters had them there when they bought the property and don't know who installed them.

Lester buildings wants $15,000 to build a carport (not mistyping). That is only 3 times what I paid for my entire pole barn 15 years ago (with me and hired help building it), and about the same as I paid for my trailer. That is ridiculously overpriced. I could have another pole barn delivered and built for that price even these days. I just don't need another barn.

Alansfactoryoutlet.com wants $1900 installed, and they say they will install it here. The metal is the same specs that Lester and Menards gave.

Looks like I will either use one of the national places or get a kit and put it up myself. Thanks!

[colliehauler]

Merrykalia wrote:
We had around 40" of snow, then rain, then sub zero temps and more snow last month and there were about 70-75 of the metal carports that failed and damaged or destroyed the vehicles (cars, trucks, boats and RVs) under them here in our county. Our county has less than 40k people, so that is a major occurrence for us. DH is working with the state disaster assistance people doing canvassing of the county for damage, so we got the numbers pretty close.

There were also many steel-framed buildings that failed under the stress of the snow and ice, also.

That being said, there might be a reason you can't find them in Minnesota!!

I bought a carport for a trailer in Kansas and wanted one for a trailer in North MN. When I called they said they did not sell there because of the snow load requirements.