Build a storage canopy , yes or no?

[Thearcher01]

I have a three year old Grey Wolf 22RR that I park in my driveway when not using it. I wash and inspect the roof once a year. I am thinking of building a canopy/car port to park it under to protect and extend roof life as well as keep the unit cooler in summer. The cost would be around $1000. My questions: From anyone's personal experience, would the roof life be extended enough and any other benefits to justify the cost and effort?

[Capacitor]

Do you want to do this in your driveway or in a side yard?

[mysery1]

It has been my experience that any sort of shelter is beneficial. I'm lucky that a friend of mine sold his pontoon boat and had space for our new TT in his 3 sided shelter.

[Thearcher01]

I have a spot in the side yard. I live in WV so it's usually parked during the cold months from mid November until April or May and when not in use during the summer.

[Reverse_snowbird]

We had a tt that we stored in a 'garage type' locked storage shed for a couple of years. Then we got cheap and stored it outside at campground storage. Within 6 months 'outside', you could see the tt aging so we put it back inside til we sold it.

At campgrounds, we've talked to people who rent yearly sites and have errected metal storage canopies to protect their roof and keep the temp down in the summer. They seem to think the canopies are worth it.

[Thearcher01]

Thanks. I can't help but think that keeping the temp down would be better for everything all around as well as shielding the roof from UV weather.

[D W]

You probably need to be checking the roof, and seams, more often than once a year. As far as UV goes, when the UV is the strongest you'll probably be rolling down the highway, or sitting in a campground. I would only worry about UV if I lived in a desert climate such as Southeast CA, AZ, NM, NV etc., with a blistering sun.

[01tundra]

Love ours, keeps the weather off the roof and protects it from all the limbs during storms.

I also ran water to it and installed a 20/30/50A pedestal.

[W5CRE]

If you have a flat spot big enough for your trailer, I say make use of it. You must be a West Virginia low lander or damn rich to have a flat spot for parking even.

[Sunseeker16]

I say thats a cheap investment if you have the room and want to keep your rig looking good. I've used covered storage for years and mine looks like new. In my opinion it's not temperature, cold or hot that is hard on these things it's sitting out in the elements. Mine is under roof and I have never had issues with humidity or temperature Currently in Missouri and it gets pretty humid here. So If I had the space where I live I'd have a cover of some sort.

[Thearcher01]

Originally Posted by W5CRE

If you have a flat spot big enough for your trailer, I say make use of it. You must be a West Virginia low lander or damn rich to have a flat spot for parking even.

I do have to use 4wd to pull it up the steep 1/2 mile gravel driveway but once you get here there's 5 acres as flat and level as a table top.

[moose074]

I would love to build a cover for mine. I enjoy that type work I used to park mine in the back yard built a fence to keep my puppies at the time away as the Great Dane chewed up wires and the sewer line. 90’ of 6’ by 5.5” planks, post, and ran 4 runners because the sun is a killer and warps my boards bad if I don’t. Plus stain it wasn’t cheap. A year later the city sold the lot behind me and new owners fenced it. Well within their rights ( so not complaining) and it has cut down on alley traffic. However now I can’t get my trailer in the backyard. So I pay $50 a month for uncovered storage and the sun is a killer.

[wildmanabe]

I vote for getting the Storage Covered. Just find a way to keep the critters out of it. Dam if i had that, i build a small solar farm, plug in, dig a well and camp there. lol

[NJKris]

Beats putting a cover on it every winter like I do. If I could build a decent shelter for a grand, I would. Seems like most of the commercially available shelters cost way more. Plus, it's protected from the worst sun of the year when you're not using it. When my cover comes off in Spring, it stays off till winter.

[Homebrew]

Yes , we installed a very large carport 24 x 14 x 41, it’s been very helpful keeping the sun and snow off the RV.
My biggest complaint is birds nesting in the open soffit. Working on solving this issue with bird netting.

Also check you local and state building codes. I learned the hard way that any carport 100 sf or more requires a building permit and inspections.

[Bhrava]

Just DON'T use a Shelter logic type cover! They may seem practical and low cost, but they are low cost for a reason. If they go down for a reason they can cost more in damage to the trailer than what you saved by using it.

A good steel one like Versatube is a good way to have one. I have one as a carport for 2 cars, and has held up in some really strong storms, strong enough that you can see it move, and have trees come down. A more permanent would be the pole barn type I saw above. I want to build one for my 5th wheel but already have too much roof coverage on the property that I would need an easement or whatever they call it to add one. I would be better off raising the roof on the barn. Would cost about the same since the trailer is 43' long and would need a 50' structure 16' high.

[Thearcher01]

Thanks Bhrava. I am building this one with 6x6 timber posts and roof trusses so no worries there.

[Retired JSO]

We have a Carolina Carports building. At our previous home we also had a Carolina Carports but it was just a 40’X18’X15’ tall structure, about $1700. At our new home, we installed a 42’X50’x18’ tall building with 3 roll up doors. It holds my Truck, tractor, 20’ flatbed trailer, fifthwheel, and all lawn equipment, about $28,000 including concrete slab.

[Thearcher01]

Very nice Retired JSO.

[rmac04401]

Originally Posted by Retired JSO

We have a Carolina Carports building. At our previous home we also had a Carolina Carports but it was just a 40’X18’X15’ tall structure, about $1700. At our new home, we installed a 42’X50’x18’ tall building with 3 roll up doors. It holds my Truck, tractor, 20’ flatbed trailer, fifthwheel, and all lawn equipment, about $28,000 including concrete slab.
Attachment 268869

Where do you live? Prices I got for smaller pole building was much more than that.