Carport query

GlennT · 03-13-2017, 09:55 PM

I am doing a very preliminary search into carports for winter protection of my (ordered) Escape 17 at my home in Pennsylvania.

One question that arises is, I realize, a difficult one to answer specifically, but I'm just looking for a ballpark estimate. What do you think the height of an Escape 17 trailer with the high axle kit and an air conditioner on top might be? Again, I realize this will just be a guesstimate, but for now, it helps a little as I begin to browse the Internet for different types and heights of carports.

And if anyone has any experiences or thoughts on what to avoid or what to look for in a carport, those would be greatly appreciated!

Glenn

**Donna D.** · 03-13-2017, 09:58 PM

Get it taller than you think you need!

Someday you may go from a shorter trailer to a taller trailer and you may find it's 4" too short

C&G in FL · 03-13-2017, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Get it taller than you think you need!

Someday you may go from a shorter trailer to a taller trailer and you may find it's 4" too short

I'll second Donna's advice. I was luck that my 5.0TA fit under the carport I originally put up for my SOB, as Tammy would say. That's "some other brand."

dfandrews · 03-13-2017, 10:11 PM

Glenn,
Our 2015 17A is 8'-7" to top of A/C. With the high lift kit I think you'll be very close to 9'-0".

(You could do like someone with an earlier 15 did; they had a set of rims with no tires mounted, that were their "park in the barn" set, that they changed to at home. Sort of like "puttin' on your slippers when you remove your boots!)

Iowa Dave · 03-13-2017, 10:24 PM

We designed the building for our 19 With 12 foot sidewalls and a 10 ft tall door.
This allows waxing or inspection of the trailer roof in any weather. We can also
unfurl the awning if it's wet when we get home. My advice is to build it as tall and wide as you can afford and zoning will allow. Do it once, do it right.
Dave

GlennT · 03-13-2017, 10:29 PM

Gee Donna, you speak as though from sad experience.

dfandrews · 03-13-2017, 10:51 PM

Deleted post: not relevant.

**Donna D.** · 03-13-2017, 11:03 PM

Sad and mad. I'm having the carport torn down later this Spring. I'm paying $65 a month to store Ten Forward outside. May as well be outside at my house! All for a lousy 4"

Bobbie54 · 03-13-2017, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Sad and mad. I'm having the carport torn down later this Spring. I'm paying $65 a month to store Ten Forward outside. May as well be outside at my house! All for a lousy 4"

Yep, two year old garage, and the door is 8" too short. (And I made it what I thought was plenty high.) Luckily the design will allow for a new taller door.

War Eagle · 03-13-2017, 11:32 PM

Call ETI. They can tell you exactly what it will be. When I asked prior to our build, Sarah replied that our 2017 21' standard lift with A/C would be 9' 1". So we started planning for a carport with 9' walls plus another 3' 9" (or close to that) rise to the center-of-roof peak. That should give me room to crawl around on the roof of the trailer while under the carport on the outside chance that I might want to some day.

StarvingHyena · 03-14-2017, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlennT

I am doing a very preliminary search into carports for winter protection of my (ordered) Escape 17 at my home in Pennsylvania.

One question that arises is, I realize, a difficult one to answer specifically, but I'm just looking for a ballpark estimate. What do you think the height of an Escape 17 trailer with the high axle kit and an air conditioner on top might be? Again, I realize this will just be a guesstimate, but for now, it helps a little as I begin to browse the Internet for different types and heights of carports.

And if anyone has any experiences or thoughts on what to avoid or what to look for in a carport, those would be greatly appreciated!

Glenn

Hi Glenn,
I have been looking at several brands of shelters. They have some variation of a pipe frame with a fabric / tarp cover. Generally they are a shaped like an upside down ellipse or a section of a circle. Costco makes some but they will collapse in a twisting motion with too much snow or wind. In general, this type of shelter comes in all prices and quality.

Check out this address:
ClearSpan Structures | Fabric, Metal & Hybrid Buildings . Clearspan.com

I'm looking at their paper catalog and a 20'wX12'hX20' long = $2395.00
Guessing that does not include shipping or assembly. And think that price is for an open ended structure. End walls with doors are more. They are made in Iowa. Most in their catalog is for really big shelters but there are many RV sized shelters too. If you have the room, get a bigger one and share with other RV's to share the cost.

I'm not recommending this company as I have never bought any of their products ... just shopping at this time.

My interest is I have 2 large wood framed tarp covered shops and have been using polytarps for covers. I like the white tarps as there is a really nice quality of light underneath in the day. Anyway I'm looking at companies like these for a tarp cover ... need a 60' X 60' tarp or so.

Should you freek out and get a bigger - taller trailer, then the construction of a pony wall under the walls would be a cheap and east way to add more height.

After having my shops for more than 25 years (I thought I'd only want it for 7 or 8 years) and going through many poly tarps (the UV gets them) I wish I had built a standard roof - plywood and metal roofing so snow would slide off easier. However the cost would be significantly larger.

Tom

StarvingHyena · 03-14-2017, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Sad and mad. I'm having the carport torn down later this Spring. I'm paying $65 a month to store Ten Forward outside. May as well be outside at my house! All for a lousy 4"

Hi Donna,
Any chance you can jack up your carport in one piece and buld a pony wall underneath to give you the height you need? Think we talked about this a while back but I forget your details.

Tom

**Donna D.** · 03-14-2017, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarvingHyena

Hi Donna,
Any chance you can jack up your carport in one piece and buld a pony wall underneath to give you the height you need? Think we talked about this a while back but I forget your details.

Tom

No unfortunately, jacking it up is the issue. I can't find anyone willing to do it. Everyone is afraid it will twist. The carport is 18'x25'. Before I give up, I'll contact some house moving companies. THEY have the expertise and tools to move massive homes. Surely a metal carport would be a breeze. BUT, like anything... it could get down to $$. One company I contacted told me it would be cheaper to tear it down and start over because of what it cost to lift would just about be the same. I have about 10 more feet of space. I've thought about having a second piece built that's taller. I can get Ten Forward under all but the nose. Maybe that second piece being 2' taller would cover that. I really haven't done any measuring to figure it out. When the carport was built, I had the option of 8' or 10' eves... I went with 8'. DANG.

Bruce Wray · 03-14-2017, 11:47 AM

Pennsylvania, huh? Two things: do your research for reputable companies, there are many fly-by-night cowboy outfits out there, and get it built with PLENTY of snow load capacity. I live in the Sierra high foothills, I ordered 65 lbs./sq/ ft. -- and I'm glad I did.
Bruce

**Donna D.** · 03-14-2017, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Wray

Pennsylvania, huh? Two things: do your research for reputable companies, there are many fly-by-night cowboy outfits out there, and get it built with PLENTY of snow load capacity. I live in the Sierra high foothills, I ordered 65 lbs./sq/ ft. -- and I'm glad I did.
Bruce

Bruce is right. Good products, good people, good company that stands behind their work. In my case, I have to worry about wind. 3' Earth anchors have kept the carport secured, rather than sailing into my neighbors yard!

NCBill · 03-14-2017, 01:17 PM

I have a Carolina Carport garage with an attached carport on one side. Well built, at a reasonable price IMHO.

I have two issues with my carport right now, both self inflicted. First, I can only enter from the side of the garage and carport, making height a much bigger issue. Secondly, I bought it for a prior trailer, where it was tall enough, but now its not. I am looking at getting the carport section raised. I bought mine with 9 foot side wall height, if I was going to do it again, I would get 12 foot side wall. Now if I was entering from the front of the carport, nine foot side wall would be more than sufficient.

I also have what they call a vertical roof, much better than the cheaper horizontal roof style (its the direction of the seams on the panels, not a roof style).

Carolina Carport has factories all over, and they send out knowledgeable crews for construction. My garage with electric doors was built in ONE DAY!

As far as trailer height, realize the listed height from Escape does not include the air conditioner. Figure 8-2 for the base trailer. Add 10 inches for a roof top air, another 3 inches for high lift axle, then a safety margin above that, so a 10 foot opening sounds right. My 9 foot side height carport has about 8-9 clearance (modified door header to get that). If I go to the trouble and expense to raise it, I will bump it another two feet.

Whatever you get, I would NOT buy a kit that you have to assemble. The crew that built my two units was very knowledgeable and efficient. That they could do in 8 hours would take me a week.

I see Carolina Carport has a PA manufacturing facility.

http://www.carolinacarportsinc.com/contact/index

Fox hunt · 03-14-2017, 01:24 PM

how tall is a 5.0? im thinking of getting some kind of car port /cover too. i am getting air but not sure about high lift?

escape artist · 03-14-2017, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

how tall is a 5.0? im thinking of getting some kind of car port /cover too. i am getting air but not sure about high lift?

Hi: Fox hunt... The finished height doesn't rely on the A/C but the King Jack antenna is front and center in the calculation of over all height. So too is the setup of the 5.0TA suspension. I had Reace measure ours at ETI on orientation day to be precise. 10' 3" to the top of the antenna. Suspension set for Nissan Frontier size truck. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

**Donna D.** · 03-14-2017, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCBill

I also have what they call a vertical roof, much better than the cheaper horizontal roof style (its the direction of the seams on the panels, not a roof style).

This is REALLY important. Vertical panels allow for water runoff into mounted roof gutters. The horizontal panels do not (very well). If moving excess water away from foundations, etc. is important to you.

padlin · 03-14-2017, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

how tall is a 5.0? im thinking of getting some kind of car port /cover too. i am getting air but not sure about high lift?

My 2014, with the Jack antenna is 10'6", no high lift axle. There may be a difference with the NBS (new body style).

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