Choose a carport if you mainly need affordable overhead protection for a vehicle from sun, rain, and snow. Choose a garage if you need full weather protection, security for valuables, or a space to store equipment and work. A carport is open-sided, faster to build, and less expensive; a garage is fully enclosed, lockable, and more versatile. If you need something in between, a steel carport with an enclosed storage room gives you covered parking plus secure storage.
What Is a Carport?
A carport is a roof supported by steel posts or columns, open on the sides. Steel carport kits are strong, low maintenance, and quick to assemble, and they come in a wide range of sizes — from single-vehicle covers to wide structures for trucks, RVs, and boats. Toro offers the straight-wall M-Model carport, manufactured directly by Toro, and the arch-style C Model carport, manufactured by our sister company Future Buildings and sold through Toro.
What Is a Garage?
A garage is a fully enclosed building with walls, a roof, and doors. A steel garage kit gives you a lockable space for vehicles and belongings, protecting them from weather, debris, and theft, and it can double as a workshop or storage building. Like a carport, a garage kit assembles quickly and needs minimal maintenance over its lifetime.
Carport vs. Garage at a Glance
| Factor | Carport | Garage |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Roof on posts, open sides | Fully enclosed walls and roof |
| Weather protection | Sun, rain, snow from above | Full protection from all sides |
| Security | None | Lockable |
| Storage for valuables | Not recommended | Yes |
| Assembly time | Often a day or two | A weekend to a few weeks |
| Cost | Lower | Higher |
| Can be used as a workshop | Limited | Yes |
How to Decide
Appearance of Your Property
A carport’s open design keeps sightlines to landscaping and green space, which some owners prefer. A garage’s walls can be finished in colours and trim that match your home, so it looks like a natural extension of the property.
Storage and Protection Needs
A garage is the clear choice if you’re protecting against theft and harsh weather, or storing lawn and garden equipment, golf carts, boats, seasonal items, or anything valuable. A carport still does an excellent job keeping a vehicle out of the sun, rain, snow, and falling debris — including sap and bird droppings if you’d otherwise park under trees.
Assembly Time
A typical carport kit can go up in a day or two with simple tools and two or three helpers. A garage takes longer — a weekend for a small, simple kit, or a few weeks for a larger building with insulation, windows, and electrical or plumbing connections.
Total Cost
Carports generally cost less than garages of the same footprint, since there are no walls or large doors. Toro’s steel building kits start at $19 to $26 per square foot for the shell, with the final price driven mainly by your site’s snow, wind, and seismic requirements, plus doors and accessories. Don’t decide on price alone — the right choice is the one that meets your needs, since adding walls to a carport later can cost more than building the garage you actually needed.
Permits and Regulations
Requirements vary widely by municipality. Carports aren’t enclosed or livable spaces, so in some areas their permit requirements are simpler — but many municipalities still require a permit, setbacks, and engineering for a carport. Garages typically face more code requirements, especially when attached to a home or connected to utilities. Check your local rules before you order either one.
The In-Between Option
If a carport isn’t quite enough but a garage is more than you need, consider a DIY Steel Secureport — a straight-wall steel carport with a fully enclosed, lockable storage room on one end. You get covered parking and secure storage in one structure, at less cost than a full garage.
Built to Handle Your Climate
Whichever you choose, the structure should be engineered for your location. A carport’s open sides and large roof face real wind uplift, and both carports and garages need to carry your area’s snow load. Every Toro carport and garage is made with Galvalume Plus steel and engineered for its exact address.
Permits, Codes & Engineering
Design loads follow the ASCE 7 standard from the American Society of Civil Engineers, referenced by the International Code Council‘s International Building Code, or the National Building Code of Canada. Toro’s in-house engineering team — not a third-party engineer most competitors outsource to — calculates your carport’s or garage’s loads for its specific address before it ships.
Related Building Types
Carports | Garages | What Size Garage Do I Need?
Get Your Carport or Garage Kit
Toro Steel Buildings can help you choose the right structure for your vehicles and property. Request a free quote to get started.