Carport Enclosures in Metro Atlanta, GA

Converting a carport to an enclosed garage can be a sizable investment for your home, adding security and comfort. Having a car that's not frosted over to climb into during cold winter mornings is easy to take for granted. Hopping into your 75° car on a 95° day during the summer is pretty nice, too! While each carport is unique in some respects, in that there may be a varying degree of "walls" present, some have may another structure like a utility room in the rear, there are a few key points that you may want to consider when converting your carport to an enclosed garage.

First and foremost in everyone's mind is the construction of the existing carport or covered parking area. What's the rough size of the area to be included in the enclosure project? More square feet means a larger project.

Are there any walls or parts of the home that form an already partially enclosed carport? In some cases, there is already a back and side wall, so all that's needed is some framing in of the opening to accommodate a garage door installation. Some need three, or even all four walls framed in.

Matching the new structure on the enclosed carport with the exterior is, understandably, a big concern. By choosing the right materials to fit in with the existing exterior detail, we blur the lines between what once was and what's now new! New color-matched paint on new siding and trim make the new garage look as though it's been there all along.

Brick homes can certainly undergo the same process of matching materials by sourcing the right brick. Bear in mind, there may be slight differences in appearance between brand new bricks when alongside the bricks on a 60-year-old home. Many times, when working with a brick home, we'll draw from the appearance of the trim and painted elements for any new structure, blending in without breaking the bank on the higher cost of using brick.

Many homes in the Atlanta metro have a ranch style layout that includes a front porch leading from the carport. Here's a concern we've heard many times: will enclosing the carport cut off access to the front porch from the carport? If the ability to walk freely from the car parked snugly in the garage to the front door is a must, you may want to consider ways to incorporate an entry door to accommodate that foot traffic into the design. Otherwise, you'll need to make adjustments to the layout of the enclosure project, keeping your family going with the flow! It's worth keeping in mind that most garages just have access through the side door.

Windows and doors are the top items found on everyone's carport enclosure wish list. Converting the carport to a garage is the perfect time to add a back door, providing access to the backyard. Enclosing an area the size of a carport throws some definite shade! Sometimes it's enough to make a pronounced difference in the amount of light entering the house. You may find the interior of your home is somewhat darker, especially if there are windows present on the carport.

New windows can help restore some of the light lost from converting to an enclosed garage. A sunny window in a garage is a perfect place for outdoor potted plants weathering the cold winter months.

Since you're enclosing the carport and installing a garage door, you'll want it to also go up at the push of a button. Does the carport have an electrical outlet in the ceiling for the garage door opener? Adding this additional outlet is very common since most carports don't have one. Moving the overhead light fixture is sometimes necessary to install the garage door opener. They tend to be right where the motor attaches to the ceiling.

Choosing a garage door can be a bit of an adventure, depending on your tastes. A wide variety of materials and designs are available, including custom garage doors. Traditional steel and newer steel garage doors with a carriage house inspired design are popular and can be an economical choice. Easily achieve a unique appearance with custom trim work on energy efficient steel garage doors. We also build true swing out carriage doors for garages.

Check out our gallery for photos of carports enclosed in the metro Atlanta, GA area.