6 April 2023 · Sharon Winson
How much does a carport cost?
From a £628 lean-to kit to a £5,768 double cantilever — real delivered prices for UK carports, and the extras to budget for.
An aluminium carport kit costs from £628 to around £5,768 in the UK, including VAT and delivery. A wall-fixed lean-to kit starts at £628, a freestanding arched carport from £1,483, and a heavy-duty double cantilever tops the range at £5,768. Timber carports typically cost around half as much again, and bespoke oak or steel structures run to £10,000 or more.
What does each type of carport cost?
These are our live kit prices — every one includes VAT and delivery to most of the UK, so what you see is what you pay for the structure itself.
| Carport type | Price (inc VAT, delivered) |
|---|---|
| Lean-to carport kits | from £628 |
| Flat-roof carport | £1,235 |
| Arched carport kits | from £1,483 |
| Palram Atlas carport (3m × 5m) | £1,538 |
| Cantilever carports | from £2,691 |
| Extra-high carport kits | from £2,720 |
| Double cantilever carports | from £5,768 |
As a sanity check against the wider market: most aluminium carport kits in the UK sit between £1,000 and £4,000. Wooden carports usually cost about 50% more than the aluminium equivalent, and a bespoke oak-framed or fabricated-steel carport starts around £10,000 and climbs with size and specification.
How much does carport installation cost?
A carport kit is a genuine DIY build if you're competent with basic tools — the instructions set out every step, so many customers pay nothing for installation. If you'd rather not build it yourself, a local tradesperson can assemble a kit in a day or two; trade platforms like Checkatrade, MyBuilder and Rated People make it easy to get two or three quotes for your postcode.
Budget separately for the base. A carport needs a solid, flat, level surface to bolt into — an existing concrete pad or sound asphalt drive may cost you nothing, while pouring new concrete footings or a slab adds materials and possibly a groundworker's day rate. Our guide to carport foundations covers what each surface needs.
Does planning permission add to the cost?
Usually not, because in most UK cases a carport doesn't need planning permission at all — it falls under permitted development if you keep within the height and size limits. Where permission is needed (listed buildings, designated areas, or a carport in front of the house), factor in drawings, structural calculations and the application fee before you commit.
Is a carport worth the money?
For most drivers, yes. A carport keeps frost off the windscreen, protects paintwork from sun and hail, and shelters you while you load the car — for a fraction of the price of a garage. Because a kit is made to standard sizes, it also costs less and arrives far sooner than anything built to order. If you have a narrow drive, a lean-to kit fixed to the house wall gives you cover where a freestanding structure wouldn't fit.
See every size and style with delivered prices on our carport kits page. Prefer covered space for sitting out rather than parking? A patio cover uses the same aluminium-and-polycarbonate construction.
What is the cheapest carport in the UK?
A lean-to carport kit, from £628 including VAT and delivery. It fixes back to your house wall, so it uses fewer posts and less material than a freestanding carport.
How much is a freestanding carport?
Freestanding arched kits start at £1,483 including VAT and delivery — the Palram Atlas at 3m × 5m is £1,538. Heavy-duty cantilever designs start at £2,691, and a double cantilever for two cars is from £5,768.
How much does a carport base cost?
If you already have sound concrete or asphalt, potentially nothing beyond the anchors. New concrete piers are a modest DIY materials cost; a full new slab means concrete plus, usually, a groundworker's day rate. Get local quotes before you order the kit.
Is a carport cheaper than a garage?
Yes, considerably. A carport kit starts from £628 delivered, needs a simpler base, and in most cases goes up without planning permission — a garage costs several times more once the base and construction are included.