Help deciding on carport or cover for 5th

[tinkerreknit]

I most likely will go with a local dealer. He has invested in some long phone calls with me. I don't find much difference in prices anyway. You have to know what gauge metal is used, and what kind of cross braces, anchors, etc. so that you can compare the prices of similar models. I also was looking around at local dealers and getting the namebrand of various units. Then I would go online or call the manufacturer. They offer a discount in some cases, but use the same local installers.

[RickV]

I was looking at getting one of those but decided to go with a Pole Barn and a Concrete Slab. I am going big though 30'x36' with a 8' concrete ramp..They are going to start construction on Monday I will post pics when they finish. Here is what I have now

[tinkerreknit]

Originally Posted by eisbell

So who did you decide to get one from. We have looked online and it is scary to do it online we have poured addition to driveway and need to find a cover.

Somehow, I overlooked your question until just now. I think I have settled on Eagle brand carports WELCOME TO EAGLE CARPORTS
They are on display locally and are installed by (as far as I can tell) a reputable dealer. I have tried repeatedly to beat his price, but I can't. He offers 18' x 36' - (I wanted 16' x 38'), and he will cover both sides even though I only wanted the sides down to within 3' of the ground. So I pay less, and get more even though I had planned for different dimensions. I have a long, dedicated gravel driveway backing right up to the woods. I didn't want to take too much of my backyard for the 5th wheel, or block the woods view, but I am 90% decided. Mostly because of the seller's helpful attitude. He never tires of trying to help me.

[tinkerreknit]

Originally Posted by tinkerreknit

We have a 32' 5th wheel and are planning on getting a carport for it - one of the metal carports that you see everywhere. We will get a top-quality one that is engineered for snow. It will probably have vertical roofing so snow will slide off. My questions concern the length, height, and width. The camper has one slide. I am considering 36' length and probably 16' width (possibly 14'). I would want to keep the slide out sometimes. I understand it's hard to discuss height, and I am pretty much on my own there. I plan on minimum clearance for height to keep cost down, and also to minimize exposure of the camper to the weather. Also, the structure is certain to be more stable and wind-resistant if it is as small as possible. I want the sunny side covered down to within 3' of the ground.
So I just want to hear from ya'll and see what else I need to consider before I purchase.

I am the OP; months later, here's an update. I selected a carport with 12' legs, giving a height clearance of 13'6". I wanted a 16' width and had some trouble finding one. When I did, I found that the cost was the same for 17, and 18' widths. So I have ordered a 17' x 36' with both sides down to within 3' of the ground. I went with these guys http://www.gaport.com/. I want lots of light, the security of being to see anyone messing around my baby, and ease of blowing tons of oak leaves out of the area.

I hired a landscaper to level the area using crossties, dirt, and gravel. He did a very good job, but I kept telling him it wasn't level. He assured me it was all within 3" of level. After he left I staked it out and found out the corners were 0", -16", -19", and -10". His laser level was acting up, and he promises to come tomorrow to correct the job. Meanwhile, the carport installer wanted to come in 5 days, but I had to decline since I can't be sure I will have a level site by then. That pushed the installation maybe 6 weeks into the future.

I will post results since I know some of you like this kind of stuff

[dustman_stx]

I don't want to rain on the parade, but I will anyway. In June of this past year we had a thunderstorm roll through our area with winds around 80 MPH. We were actually camped about an hour away when it hit. A few days later we came back into town to find that every single one of the RV covers built from a kit like those being mentioned had damage. One was pushed over into the side of a Class A; probably only minimal damage but I bet there was some scarring. My neighbor across the road suffered the worst damage. His had the lower walls causing it to catch more wind. It was pushed into the side of his 5er and the whole rig was rolled onto it's side. Totaled his RV. My shed which was about 300 yards away sustained no damage at all. It is built using 4x4 14 gauge square tubing concreted 3' into the ground and 6" purlin. Obviously this type of structure is more expensive, but it is much stronger as well.

[Road-King]

Originally Posted by tinkerreknit

I hired a landscaper to level the area using crossties, dirt, and gravel. He did a very good job, but I kept telling him it wasn't level. He assured me it was all within 3" of level. After he left I staked it out and found out the corners were 0", -16", -19", and -10". His laser level was acting up, and he promises to come tomorrow to correct the job. Meanwhile, the carport installer wanted to come in 5 days, but I had to decline since I can't be sure I will have a level site by then. That pushed the installation maybe 6 weeks into the future.

Did he use a tamper to pack the fill? If not (maybe even if he did) I would let it set a few weeks, water it down a few times, to make sure it all has settled before I park a TT on it.

[eisbell]

Originally Posted by tinkerreknit

Somehow, I overlooked your question until just now. I think I have settled on Eagle brand carports WELCOME TO EAGLE CARPORTS
They are on display locally and are installed by (as far as I can tell) a reputable dealer. I have tried repeatedly to beat his price, but I can't. He offers 18' x 36' - (I wanted 16' x 38'), and he will cover both sides even though I only wanted the sides down to within 3' of the ground. So I pay less, and get more even though I had planned for different dimensions. I have a long, dedicated gravel driveway backing right up to the woods. I didn't want to take too much of my backyard for the 5th wheel, or block the woods view, but I am 90% decided. Mostly because of the seller's helpful attitude. He never tires of trying to help me.

We are getting our cover this Friday, it will be an Eagle boxed eve with 3' down on both sides, open front and rear. It will be 20X41 and it says that the height for this one will be 14'6" and the Columbus says it is right under 13" with front a/c. I kept worrying last night that it won't be tall enough. Will post photos when finished.

[RickV]

They Finished my Pole Barn last Thursday. I have to let the concrete cure for at least 14 days before I can put the 5ver in there so I have to wait until next Thursday to actually start using it. We are going camping next weekend through Monday so I will just wait until we get back to park it in there. I got lucky last Wednesday I have had the 5ver parked in the woods out of the way of the construction and we had a big storm blow through. A tree fell and missed the back of my rig by about 6". Now that the construction is done I am storing it more out in the open until I can put it the Pole Barn. Here is a pic of the finished structure. I ran 2 runs of conduit and wire under the slab before they poured it one for 30 amp for my rig and one for 15 amp for lights and stuff like that.

[Antiochrich]

Originally Posted by RickV

They Finished my Pole Barn last Thursday.

VERY VERY NICE

Curious if you compared price of building this to prefab metal and how long did the crew take to frame it all up and complete after the slab was poured?

[RickV]

I didn't want metal. I had thought about the carport, have on in front of the garage and while it does what it is intended to do even with only 7' poles it is kind of shaky. They actually built the structure first and then poured the slab they used quikcrete to set the posts. From the day they started it took them 4 days to build the PB and then the concrete guys formed the slab, compacted etc in one day we had a 2 day delay due to weather or it would have been 3 days for the concrete that is forming it, pouring it and then cutting expansion joint the next day. It will serve 2 purposes storage for the 5ver and my truck, we also have a big Christmas party every year 80-100 people and it seems like every other year it rains and everyone ends up cramped in the house. So now if the weather is no cooperating we can have the party under the PB.

[tinkerreknit]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

I don't want to rain on the parade, but I will anyway. In June of this past year we had a thunderstorm roll through our area with winds around 80 MPH. We were actually camped about an hour away when it hit. A few days later we came back into town to find that every single one of the RV covers built from a kit like those being mentioned had damage. One was pushed over into the side of a Class A; probably only minimal damage but I bet there was some scarring. My neighbor across the road suffered the worst damage. His had the lower walls causing it to catch more wind. It was pushed into the side of his 5er and the whole rig was rolled onto it's side. Totaled his RV. My shed which was about 300 yards away sustained no damage at all. It is built using 4x4 14 gauge square tubing concreted 3' into the ground and 6" purlin. Obviously this type of structure is more expensive, but it is much stronger as well.

I certainly agree with these concerns, and I would erect a more robust structure if I was financially able. The carport I chose is engineered and certified for my locality. It is rated for the snow loads and the wind speeds we normally experience. If the carport fails, there should be lots of damage to other structures in the area, and it will be an unusual event, covered by insurance. I discovered that I did need a building permit (a lot of time has passed since I started this thread). The landscapers came today and started correcting the site prep problem.

[tinkerreknit]

Originally Posted by Road-King

Did he use a tamper to pack the fill? If not (maybe even if he did) I would let it set a few weeks, water it down a few times, to make sure it all has settled before I park a TT on it.

Thanks for the heads-up. Yes the contractor packed it with Bobcat attachments. I have no doubt it is solid. The soil he hauled in was very good and was tamped tight. He packed soil on the outside of the crossties also.

[eisbell]

We fianlly got ours installed yesterday, came and finished this morning. We would have liked to have the rear enclosed to the 3' but that will have to wait. Now to get the 5er back from the dealer and put her in her new cover. We are happy with it and we got this one from Eagle Carports with the 12 gauge/120 mph rating

[kamp k]

Originally Posted by eisbell

We fianlly got ours installed yesterday, came and finished this morning. We would have liked to have the rear enclosed to the 3' but that will have to wait. Now to get the 5er back from the dealer and put her in her new cover. We are happy with it and we got this one from Eagle Carports with the 12 gauge/120 mph rating

Looks great! Nicely done. We just ordered one this past weekend ourselves and are looking forward to the installation.

[tinkerreknit]

I'm enjoying all the posts of carport projects. I am moving along (finally). The pad is level and completed, and today I got 9 more tons of gravel for the driveway leading back to the pad. The installer called today and I am scheduled for installation next Monday. I had to shovel and rake about 4 tons of gravel today, so I plan on surfing and sitting for a while tonight!

[tinkerreknit]

Carport installed! Now I am working on voiding the warranty by putting a power pedestal in it. I also am raking the topsoil around the area, seeding it and putting down straw. The project is still very much in progress so I don't want to post pictures yet. But the beloved 5th wheel is parked under the carport and is protected now.

[Gotago2]

Put down my 19x42' gravel pad last week. Now awaiting installer for a date to install 18x40' metal cover.

[Helmsey]

Man, I am jealous of all these nice places to keep the toys. Somehow I don't think the homeowners association in our condo's would appreciate us erecting something like that next to our place

[kamp k]

We just got our 18x36x10 cover installed yesterday. We got mobile home anchors even though wind is not normally a huge issue where we live. We can get a lot of snow in some winters, and it's nice to know we don't have to worry about snow on top of the rv roof anymore.

[eisbell]

Yours looks really nice. Here are a couple pictures of ours with our Columbus under it.