We are expecting our 2nd child and need more room. Would it be too expensive and too difficult to enclose our carport to make another room? We live in North Alabama and our carport is attached with only 2 open walls. The other two walls have a back door on one and a laundry room door on the other. It obviosuly has concrete flooring and the roof is held up by the house and 3 wood poles. The house has wood siding on it but we are considering putting vinyl siding on it as well. That will be another question down the road though along with gutters.
1st thing congradulations on your news.i pray that all will be well. and yes it would be cheaper,to inclose the carport. or you can buy one of those tool sheds,an put it out back. just kidden....close that thing in. will you be doing the work yourselves.if you get a complete[90%] material list.you could shop it around to the different lumber yards.and save some money.on a package deal do you need help making a take off [list] you can go to the pro desk at hodepot.give them a dimensionalized drawing.and a hundred bucks they will give ouy a list. of the siding,boards,insulation,sheetrock. mud etc they want to sell you all this. but you can take the list and shop it around
Wow, thanks a million! Regarding the building out back, I already tried to talk my husband into moving in our storage buiding but that didn't work!! Lol!! Seriously though, we are thrilled with the upcoming baby...but my 4 year old daughter wants us to give it to Good Will!! Hopefully she will come around though!
FYI if you are going to use siding, hardy board is a cement board product,that looks good and will give you a break on your insurance. because it won't burn. i have it on my house i placed a peice in the burn pile took it out and dusted it off not even scourched
How high is the slab up off the ground? If it's to close then water may get under the wall. Any siding must be at least 6" up off the ground or the bottoms of the sheathing will rot, or the weed wacker will distroy it. Even Hardee board needs to be off the ground. One way around this is to add a layer of block around the outside of the slab.
joecaption
Posts: 10541 | Location: Halieford VA | Registered: Jan 31, 2004
The concrete is about 4 inches off the ground on the side and obviously flat in front. The rest of the house has block at the base so it would match fine if we put block around this room. Would this work to block any water under the wall? Would this be placed flat on the cement as well? When reading my silly questions take into consideration that I am a girl!! LOL!!
Being a girl has nothing to do with it. as long as your willing to learn most of use here will be willing to help you. Yes set the blocks on top of the s;ab around the outside where the outside walls are going to go. Then I would seal them with Dry-Loc or foundation sealer.
joecaption
Posts: 10541 | Location: Halieford VA | Registered: Jan 31, 2004
When we enclosed our carport, we framed the front for a standard garage door. A heavily insulated door was installed without all the rails and such and we caulked it inside and out. The inside of the wall was a 2 x 6 and we left the rails in the wall for storage.
POint being, it looks like a garage, which on our overly long ranch house, looks good, and if anyone wanted a garage down the road, it is easy to convert.
I got the garage door at a used/surplus garage door place.
I am most definitely willing to learn! This is precisely why I came to this site!! My husband has been asking around to find out how to do this and he has come up with many different ways and of course they are from so called "experts". I love the people but do not trust them when it comes to getting advice on something that is going to cost this much money. I want to do it right the first time. So, if you have the time, I need directions from start to finish. I know that I need to lay the concrete blocks first, but from there, do we use 2 x 4's all the way around besides where the windows and doors will be? How will we brace the 2 x 4's, if 2 x 4's is even what we should use. I love the garage door idea that's really not a garage door. I also would really like to have a bay window on the side of the house. Help!! Help!! Help!!!! I trust you folks more than I do anyone else.
I have been reading a lot of the other folks questions and the comments people are leaving and I have found my solution!! I need frodo and joecaptain in the worst way. You guys know something about everything!!! I am totally amazed!!! I would love to have even 1/4 of what you have in your heads. Can I adopt you or will you adopt me??? Please!!!! Pretty please!!!! Seriously, you are amazing!!! My husband is even impressed and that really says alot!!!
