Carport Kits Buying Guide: What to Know Before You Buy
CarportBay Editorial Team Reviewed
A carport kit is a set of prefabricated parts shipped for assembly, in sizes such as 12x20 (240 sq ft) and 24x24 (576 sq ft), and the kit price usually excludes footings, permits and installation. Some kits are sold by a dealer or retailer, not the manufacturer, so check who makes a kit before you compare prices.
This guide states who makes each kit, what the listings say a kit includes and leaves out, and the kit-only prices listed in October 2026.
Every price carries its source, its scope and the date of the check.
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Carport kit or installed carport: what is the difference?
A carport kit is a set of prefabricated parts you or a hired crew assemble, while an installed carport arrives built by a dealer or contractor. The kit costs less up front, but its price usually leaves out footings, permits and labor. Angi lists installed 20x20 carports at $4,000 to $12,000 (updated May 2026), while Mueller lists a 20x20 kit at a $1,795 sale price before tax and freight (checked October 2026).
Kit, you or a hired crew assemble it
Parts ship in cartons or bundles. Mueller lists pre-cut parts, erection drawings, fasteners and instructions. Kit-only prices checked in October 2026 run from $1,095 to $3,379.95 across the listings in this guide.
Installed, a dealer or contractor builds it
A crew builds the carport on your pad. Alan's Factory Outlet advertises delivery and installation at no charge in 21 states (October 2026), and Angi lists installed 20x20 carports at $4,000 to $12,000 (updated May 2026).
Building a carport from raw materials is outside this guide. Mueller's and Arrow's pages leave footings, permits and installation out of the kit, so those costs sit with the buyer unless a quote says otherwise. When you ask a dealer or contractor for an installed price, ask which of those items the quote covers.
Who makes carport kits, and who only sells them?
Carport kits come from makers such as Mueller, Arrow, VersaTube and Canopia, and a retailer such as ShedsDirect may sell a kit that another company makes. The block below states each role as its source gives it, with the date of the check.
For how the maker, dealer and retailer roles work across the whole market, see how carports are actually sold.
Companies in the table below appear in alphabetical order, so none sits first by preference. A company can hold more than one role: ShedsDirect sells kits that Arrow and Canopia make, and Home Depot also sells the Canopia kit.
| Company | Role the source states | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alan's Factory Outlet | Seller. Its help article names Carolina Carports Inc and Eagle Carports Inc as its builders | Help article, 2026-01-25 | 2026-10-04 |
| Arrow (Arrow Sheds) | Maker of the Arrow kit, as ShedsDirect names it | ShedsDirect Arrow page | 2026-10-04 |
| Canopia by Palram | A subsidiary of the PALRAM Group. Also sold by Home Depot and ShedsDirect | canopia.com; Home Depot | 2026-10-04 |
| Mueller | Makes the prefabricated buildings it sells | muellerinc.com | 2026-10-04 |
| ShedsDirect | A retailer that sells Arrow and Canopia kits | shedsdirect.com | 2026-10-04 |
| VersaTube | Manufactures DIY carports. Lowe's and Home Depot list its kits | Press release, 2020-06-16 | 2026-10-04 |
How can you tell a maker from a seller?
Three checks work on most listings. Read the company's about page for a statement that it manufactures what it sells, as Mueller's kit page does. Look for another company's name as the maker on the product page, as ShedsDirect does for Arrow. Look for a factory or builder named in the specifications or in a help article.
Alan's Factory Outlet shows why the third check matters. Its kit category page does not name a builder, but its help article, dated January 25, 2026, names Carolina Carports Inc and Eagle Carports Inc. A role is only what a source states, so this guide prints each role as written and dates the check.
What does a carport kit include, and what does it leave out?
A carport kit usually includes frame parts, roof panels, fasteners and instructions, while Mueller's kit page excludes concrete, permits, installation, soffit panels and freight. Listings describe the contents in different words, so these are the contents two listings state.
- Mueller kit page: pre-cut parts, erection drawings, fasteners and instructions (checked October 2026).
- VersaTube 12x20 at Lowe's and Home Depot: frame, screws, panels, trim, butyl tape, ground anchors and instructions (checked October 2026).
What a kit leaves out matters as much as what it includes. Each item below names the listing that says so.
- Footings or concrete: Mueller's kit page excludes concrete or a foundation, Arrow's page notes footings are not included, and the Canopia Arizona Wave listing says concrete footings are required.
- Permits: Mueller's kit page and Arrow's page list permits as not included, and Home Depot's carports guide says a permit may be needed, so check with your county.
- Installation or erection: Mueller's kit page excludes installation or erection, and Arrow's page notes professional installation is not included.
- Freight: Mueller's price excludes freight, ShedsDirect lists free nationwide shipping on Arrow kits, and the Canopia kit ships curbside by LTL freight.
Compare what each price covers before you compare the prices, because the same dollar figure can cover different parts and different delivery terms.
How do four carport kits compare on specs?
Four carport kit listings checked in October 2026 differ in frame, roof, wind and snow rating and warranty, and only the Arrow listing names a standard. Where a listing prints no figure, the cell reads Not listed.
| Kit | Maker role | Frame and roof as listed | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mueller 20x20 | Maker (own page) | Square tube; 26-gauge PBR roof | 45-year limited paint |
| Arrow 12x20x9 | Arrow makes; ShedsDirect sells | 2-in tube; 29-gauge roof | 10 years |
| VersaTube 12x20 | VersaTube makes | 2x2 in tube; 29-gauge panels | 20-year limited |
| Canopia Arizona Wave 10x16 | Canopia by Palram | Aluminum; polycarbonate roof | 10-year limited |
Warranties range from 10 to 45 years, and Mueller's 45-year term is listed as a limited paint warranty. Gauge is the number a listing prints for its steel, and this guide does not define it, so compare gauge only between listings that print it.
| Kit | Wind (mph) | Snow (psf) | Standard named |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mueller 20x20 | Not listed | Not listed | None named |
| Arrow 12x20x9 | 100 | 35 | ASCE 7-05 |
| VersaTube 12x20 | 115 as configured | 22 (40 with brace) | None named |
| Canopia Arizona Wave 10x16 | 75 | 15.4 | None named |
Only one of the four listings names a standard: Arrow names ASCE 7-05. Mueller's page lists no wind or snow figure, and the other two name no edition.
What do wind and snow ratings on a kit listing mean?
A rating on a kit listing is a number the listing prints, and no retail page checked defines it. The Lowe's text for the Arrow kit calls its ratings for reference only and assumes a standalone unit anchored per local code.
Arrow's listing names ASCE 7-05, the 2005 edition of the standard for minimum design loads on buildings and other structures. ASCE 7-22, released in December 2021, is the edition the 2024 IBC and IRC reference. The listings for the other three kits name no edition at all.
The design wind and snow values for your site come from your local building department. A rating on a listing therefore does not show that a kit meets code where you live.
What do carport kits cost per square foot?
Five carport kit listings checked in October 2026 run from $4.49 to $21.12 per square foot, kit-only and before tax, with freight terms that differ by seller. The table has six rows because the Canopia kit appears at two sellers.
| Kit | Seller | Kit-only price | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mueller 12x20 | Mueller | $1,095 | $4.56 |
| Mueller 20x20 | Mueller | $1,795 | $4.49 |
| Arrow 10x15x7 | ShedsDirect | $1,099.95 | $7.33 |
| Arrow 12x20x9 | ShedsDirect | $2,689.95 | $11.21 |
| Canopia Arizona Wave 10x16 | Home Depot | $2,987.47 | $18.67 |
| Canopia Arizona Wave 10x16 | ShedsDirect | $3,379.95 | $21.12 |
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Freight terms differ by row. Mueller's price excludes freight, ShedsDirect lists free nationwide shipping on Arrow kits, and the Canopia kit ships curbside by LTL freight, so a delivered total can differ from the table.
Per square foot, the lowest listed kit is the Mueller 20x20 at $4.49, and the highest is the Canopia Arizona Wave 10x16 at ShedsDirect at $21.12. That is a spread of 4.7 times (arithmetic: $21.12 divided by $4.49).
The same Canopia model costs $392.48 more at ShedsDirect ($3,379.95) than at Home Depot ($2,987.47), a gap of 13.1% of the lower price (arithmetic).
Mueller's 20x20 kit price of $1,795 is 44.9% of the $4,000 low end that Angi lists for an installed 20x20 (arithmetic, Angi updated May 2026). A kit price leaves out footings, permits and installation, so the installed figure is not a like-for-like comparison.
Per square foot divides the price by width times length. It is a way to line up listings of different sizes, and it does not measure quality.
Use the carport size calculator before you compare kits, so the size you price matches the vehicles you park.
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Carport kit questions
These six carport kit questions cover what a basic kit includes, permits for a 20x20, build versus buy, cost, which kits are best and where to find cheap ones.
What is included in a basic carport kit?
Most kits include frame parts, roof panels, fasteners and instructions. Mueller's kit page lists pre-cut parts, erection drawings, fasteners and instructions, and it excludes concrete, permits, installation and freight (checked October 2026).
Do you need a permit for a 20x20 carport?
A 20x20 carport covers 400 sq ft, above the 200 sq ft exemption in the 2021 IRC (Section R105.2). California's residential code exempts only up to 120 sq ft, and your local building department makes the final call.
Is it cheaper to build a carport or buy a kit?
A kit costs less up front, but footings, permits and labor add to it. Angi lists DIY kits at $1,000 to $6,000 and installed 20x20 carports at $4,000 to $12,000 (updated May 2026). Raw-material builds are outside this guide.
What is the average cost of a 20x20 carport?
Angi lists $4,000 to $12,000 installed for a 20x20 (updated May 2026). Mueller lists a 20x20 kit at a $1,795 sale price, and a kit price excludes footings, permits, freight and installation (checked October 2026).
Which carport kits are the best?
No kit is best for every site. Compare who makes the kit, its size, its wind and snow rating with the code edition named, and what the price leaves out.
Where can I find cheap carport kits?
Kit prices vary widely: five listings checked in October 2026 ran from $4.49 to $21.12 per sq ft. Compare kits of the same material, and confirm what the price includes and who makes it.
What this guide does not cover
This guide covers what a carport kit is, who makes it and what listings say, and it leaves out assembly steps, material-specific kits, sizing and installation. Steel, wood, aluminum and RV kits each raise their own buying questions.
Steps for assembling a kit yourself, sizing and capacity, permits in depth, installation, financing, carports with storage and carports with canopies are outside this guide as well. So are the wind and snow design values for your site and any claim that a kit meets code, because your local building department sets those.
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