How Carport Demolition Works and How Much It Costs

Updated February 17, 2023

Carports are the wall-less garages used to shelter cars and trucks.

Typically, carports project from the side of a building, like a house or a barn, but sometimes they're a separate outbuilding entirely.

Either way, carports are great for storing vehicles and equipment on residential and commercial properties.

However, over time, carports can degrade and become unsightly or unsafe.

Find carport demolition pros near you

When to Remove Your Carport

Carports are useful for storing cars, trailers, tractors, golf carts, and more.

But if they are old, showing signs of degradation—like splintering or rotting wood, rusting metal, or any unevenness—it's likely time to remove it.

Even if your carport is in decent condition, there may be a financial benefit to removing it, especially if you plan on selling your home soon.

If you live in an area where carports are the norm, then by all means, leave it as is.

But if you live in an area where carports have become hard to come by, this is another reason to consider tearing it down; it may improve your home's overall value.

Keep reading: Will Demolition Increase Your Property Value?

How Carport Demolition Is Done

metal carport attached to brick building

There's more than one way to tear down a carport, but the most common way is starting at the top and working your way down—the reverse of the way it was installed.

Professionals with experience removing carports know how to assess each project and recommend the best course of action.

With that said here's how most carports are typically removed...

Step 1: Remove existing walls or siding

Most carports don't have any walls; they're simply vertical supports holding up trusses and a roof, but some do have siding or full walls on one or two sides.

If your carport has any walls or siding, these will be the first to be removed.

Removing existing siding will expose the supports.

Step 2: Remove roof

Next, it's time to remove the roof in order to expose the trusses.

Typically this will involve removing screws with a drill or nails with a pry bar.

Your contractor will also need to remove any panelling or plywood sheeting beneath the roof as well.

Sometimes a reciprocating saw helps move the process along, especially in places that are epoxied or glued in place.

Step 3: Remove trusses

The trusses are beams that support the roof, and the trusses are supported horizontally with beams called purlins.

After the siding and roofing is removed, they will have access to the trusses and purlins.

They'll start by loosening and removing the purlins first, then they'll be able to detach the trusses.

Step 4: Remove wall supports

Once all of the roofing materials and trusses are removed, all that's left are the vertical supports and supports connecting the vertical supports to the wall (if connected to a home or other structure).

Girts are the supports higher up the wall.

There may also be railings on the lower sections.

Just like with the materials up to this point, these sections also need to be either unscrewed or pried apart.

They will start by removing the girts first, then remove the railings from the lower section.

Step 5: Remove vertical supports

The last thing to go are the vertical supports.

Oftentimes, these are simply resting on top of the ground and can be removed as girts and railings are removed.

However, if your vertical supports are set in concrete, there are two options: 1) Cut the posts off flush with the concrete using a reciprocating saw, or 2) Break up the concrete surrounding the posts with a jackhammer to remove them.

Once the supports are removed, they can patch and repair the concrete as needed.

Do you need your carport cleaned out prior to demolition? Dumpster rentals are a great option. For a stress-free, hands-off approach, hire garage cleanout services.

Equipment Used for Carport Demolition

The most common equipment used for tearing down a carport includes:

Ladder
Electric drill
Reciprocating saw
Prybar
Rope
Excavator

Carport removal pros have the necessary equipment to safely remove all kinds of carports, so hire a qualified expert to get the job done.

Average Cost of Carport Demolition

The average cost of demolishing a carport is $2-$6 per square foot, but that price can vary a great deal depending on a number of factors.

Factors that affect carport removal costs:

Where the carport is located and the cost of living there
Materials used to build the carport
Whether or not the materials are salvageable/recyclable
Whether or not the foundation must be removed too
Who you hire to handle the removal

Local Carport Demolition Professionals

Depending on where you live and where your carport is located, there may be limitations to who you can hire to perform your carport removal.

For example, some cities have lists of permitted or approved contractors, so be sure to check with your Building Department.

Hometown Demolition can help you find carport demolition contractors near you. You can also compare company profiles, see what other customers have to say about their services, and request quotes from multiple contractors with the click of a button.

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