How to Choose a Carport Builder in Wollongong and the Illawarra

Most carport quotes read like they describe the same job, and most of them do not. One includes a new slab, another assumes you already have one. One lists the fixings, another leaves them out. Choosing a builder is mostly a matter of making the quotes comparable, then checking the person behind the best one.

This is the checklist we would use. The licence, contract and insurance points come from NSW Government guidance, which is linked where it is used. The carport items come from the work we do across Wollongong and the Illawarra.

Check the licence first

In NSW, a licence is required for residential building work valued at more than $5,000 including GST in labour and materials. A built carport nearly always clears that. The NSW Government has an online licence check that shows the holder's name, licence number, categories and expiry date, along with any cancellation, suspension or conditions on the licence.

Ask for the licence number and look it up yourself. If a company is making the contract, the company needs to be licensed, since an individual's licence does not cover their company.

Ask the questions the government suggests

The NSW Government publishes a list of questions to ask before hiring a tradesperson or builder. The ones that matter most for a carport are:

• Who has used you recently? Ask for references and what the client thought about timing, cost and any defects that needed fixing.
• What insurance do you carry? The page lists several types, including home building compensation insurance, public liability and workers compensation.
• How much deposit do you need? The maximum is 10 per cent, and for work needing home building compensation cover, no deposit can be asked until the certificate of cover has been given to you.
• When can you start, and when will it be finished? A start date and a completion date should be in the contract.
• What sort of contract will you use? A written contract is required where labour and materials are over $5,000.

Make the quotes comparable

The NSW Government also advises giving at least three contractors the same written information so the quotes can be compared. For a carport, a short job brief should state:

• the size, and whether it is for one car or two
• the roof style, flat, skillion or a gable that ties in with the house
• the frame material, steel or timber, and the roof sheeting
• whether there is a sound slab or paved area already, or whether the builder is to supply one
• who is arranging any approval

Without those, a quote may only include the cheapest materials, and the cheapest quote may not be the cheapest job.

What a carport quote should name

These are the items that most often separate one carport quote from another:

1. Slab or footings. If there is no sound concrete or paved area, the slab or footings are a large part of the cost. See what drives the price in our carport cost guide.
2. The span. Two cars side by side with no post in the middle needs bigger beams and stronger footings than a single carport.
3. The fixings. Standard cheap brackets rust near the coast within a year or two, so ask what the brackets and screws are made of. We use coated or stainless fixings close to the water.
4. Roof and flashing. If the roof ties into the existing house, the flashing has to be right or water can run down the wall.
5. Approval. Modest carports can be exempt from an application if they stay inside the height, floor area and boundary rules, and a heritage or bushfire-prone site can change the path. The quote should say who handles it. Our post on council approval for a pergola, patio or carport explains the paths.
6. Council and certifier costs, and clean-up. If these are left out, they come back later as extras.

Kit or built on site

A kit carport price covers steel on a pallet. It does not include the footings, the anchoring, the labour to stand it square and level, or any slab. If you buy a kit yourself, it is fair to ask a builder to quote only for putting it up, and to ask what the footings and fixings will be.

A built carport priced as a whole job is easier to compare, because the footings, frame, roof and labour sit in one number. If you are still deciding between a carport and a garage, carport vs garage sets out the differences in price and approval.

Red flags in a quote

The NSW Government guidance warns about a contractor who pushes you to sign quickly to avoid a price increase, or who gives a quote that seems extremely low compared with others. In a carport quote, a very low figure usually means something is left out, most often the slab, the footings or the fixings. Ask which items are not included before you compare totals.

Getting a carport quoted

We build carports from Helensburgh to Nowra, either supplied and built or stood up from a kit you have already bought. Our sheds and carports page covers the work. Ring Dave on 0414 007 351 or send through the details, and we will measure up and put the quote in writing.

Want a hand with this at your place? Get a free quote or call 0414 007 351.