RV Garages

The RV Market and What to Do with Your RV Once You Bring It Home

How big is the recreational vehicle market in North America? Pretty big. The market value for RVs just in North America exceeded $25 billion in 2021, and the global RV market topped $70 billion. More and more folks are now leveraging motorhomes and other RVs for camping, sports, and tourism, and the market is expected to grow by more than 10% annually through 2028.

So, if you own or are planning to buy an RV, you’re certainly in good company. But what to do with your RV once you bring it home? What happens to your RV whenever you’re not actively using it?

Unless you’re retired or independently wealthy, you probably won’t get out on the road nearly as much as you might like. In fact, the typical American RV owner only uses it about 4-5 weeks total each year. So, where does that leave your motorhome during those other 11 months? That all depends on your offseason RV storage plan.

What’s the Best Way to Protect Your RV?

To keep your motorhome or pull-behind camper in its best condition, you need to keep it under some type of cover to protect it from the elements and to preserve its many sensitive components. Some motorhome owners may opt to try settling for a tarp or fabric cover. While something is better than nothing, this option still leaves your RV exposed to weather extremes like wind, hail, & snow and does nothing to provide any security. And some RVers just decide to pay for offsite storage, but those rental fees add up over time, and having to drive across town to get to your RV isn’t a particularly convenient solution.

A better, more convenient, and potentially more cost-effective solution over the long haul is to have a metal RV garage installed right on your own property. A steel RV garage provides reliable protection from sun, storms, & theft and can be installed much more quickly than you may realize. Metal RV storage buildings are incredibly durable and low-maintenance, too.

Why a Steel RV Garage Makes Good Sense

While it’s true that an RV cover can be constructed with a number of materials, the most-reliable, best-quality RV storage buildings are made with light-gauge steel. What makes a steel building a better choice? Pretty much everything. Here are some specific reasons why choosing steel makes good sense for your RV protection:

• All-Weather Performance – Steel RV garages provide superior protection from all common weather threats – including rain, snow, wind, hail, and lightning – and provide better protection during earthquake events, too.
• Multipurpose Potential – Steel structures are more flexible in design than other building types. Steel structures are also simpler to adapt or expand, should your needs change in the future.
• Cost-Effective – Many assume that steel is more expensive to build with than wood, but they assume wrong. The fact of the matter is that it’s actually more cost-effective to build with light-gauge steel, especially for an RV garage of larger dimensions.
• Delivery & Installation Is Included for No Extra Charge – Not only is the price right for steel buildings, but here’s another bonus that comes along with choosing a metal RV garage – delivery and installation is included with purchase when you buy from a reputable metal buildings provider like Carport Central.
• Unsurpassed Strength & Durability of Steel – Steel structures simply won’t rot like wooden buildings, and they aren’t threatened by the same moisture sensitivity. A steel structure is made to stand the tests of time, weather, and constant usage. The same simply can’t be said for a stick-built RV garage.
• Resistant to Both Fire & Pests – Steel is naturally incombustible, so any fire threats will be greatly minimized. But what about termites, other pests, mold, and mildew? They pose no threat to steel, either.

Choosing the Right RV Garage Size

So, how do you decide what size of RV storage building will meet your particular needs? To begin with, it helps to understand what is generally meant by the terms single, double, triple, and commercial RV garage:

• Single RV garage (starts at 12′ wide)
• Double RV garage (typically 18′ to 24′ wide)
• Triple RV garage (typically 26′ to 30′ wide)
• Extra wide or commercial RV garage (32′ to 70′ wide, or wider)

Here are some key factors to think through as you identify your ideal building dimensions:

• Which type of vehicle do you need to cover?

A single RV garage can generally cover a single RV effectively, but it’s also important to understand how big your RV is. It’s also a good idea to build in some wiggle room around your vehicle for easier access and for the ability to be able to perform some basic vehicle service on your own.

• The number of vehicles to cover

Got more than one RV? Or maybe looking to install a building big enough to house one or more personal vehicles as well? Then you’ll want to plan for a bigger RV garage. Keep in mind how much buffer space you’d like to build in between your parked vehicles, too. You want to have at least enough room to be able to fully open a passenger door without banging into an adjacent vehicle.

• Vehicle height

Vehicle height is something else to keep in mind. You’ll need to ensure enough clearance to accommodate your tallest vehicle. RV garages can be engineered to pretty much any height you may require, but you’ll need to know what that height is beforehand.

• Other intended building usage

Besides simply covering your RV and/or other vehicles, you may also have some other uses in mind for your metal building, which is cool because metal buildings lend themselves to many multipurpose applications! Just factor these additional uses in mind whenever you make your RV garage plans. Carport Central can help you to develop the right building plan to meet your needs.

• Future usage considerations

It’s a good idea to envision future possibilities when making your building plans, too. Planning to add another vehicle to your fleet anytime soon? If so, it’s best to go ahead and build an RV garage that will accommodate. Going with a bigger building now can save you money in the long run. It’s cheaper to build right the first time rather than having to budget for an additional building expansion down the road.

Customization Options for Your RV Garage

Another benefit of going with a metal RV garage is the myriad of customization options that are available to you. You have the freedom to decide your exact building dimensions, roof and side paneling options, trim, colors, access points & types, and more!

• Building dimensions – You can go as small as 12’ wide or you can go all the way up to 70’ wide, or even wider. You also have the freedom to choose whatever building height you need, and there’s essentially no limit in terms of potential building length.
• Roof style – While some building providers still offer regular horizontal roofs and A-frame horizontal roofs for smaller buildings, Carport Central only recommends vertical roofs for any metal building application. The vertical roof offers the best solution in terms of engineering, strength, and performance, period. And vertical paneling is best-suited for shedding precipitation and debris too, and also delivers higher wind and snow load ratings for your building.
• Steel gauge options – 14-gauge steel is a general standard for metal building framing, but you can also choose to upgrade to a thicker 12-gauge for an even sturdier building. The 12-gauge option works better in areas which receive more extreme weather and works better for commercial, agricultural, and industrial applications, too. You also have different gauge options from which to choose for your roof paneling and side walls, including both 29-gauge and 26-gauge steel panels.
• Full building enclosure or partial enclosure – And speaking of paneling, you get to choose how much you want to place around your building. A fully-enclosed garage offers the best protection, but you can also opt to go with partial side walls if you prefer. You can also design a combination utility building approach that includes both fully-enclosed space and open-air covered space if you like. It’s really up to you!
• Gables and trim – Want to add some decorative J-trim to any exposed panel edges? You certainly can. And you can also add attractive gables to the ends of any open-air, carport-style building designs, as well.
• Colors – Another benefit of partnering with Carport Central is the large palette of custom paneling colors which are available to you. Who says a metal RV garage has to be boring? Not us! We currently offer 17 attractive color choices for roof paneling, side paneling, and trim. You can even opt for a tasteful two-tone wainscot look for your building if that’s what you prefer!
• Anchors for many foundation options – On which type of surface would you like to install your RV garage? We give you options there, too. You can choose to install on a poured foundation like concrete or asphalt if you prefer, but you aren’t just limited to that. We can also anchor your building to a gravel surface, or to plain level ground. No need to pour a hard foundation if you don’t want or need one!
• Building certification – Many local building codes now call for metal structures to be certified for specific minimum wind and snow loads. That’s not a problem whenever you partner with Carport Central. We can certify your RV garage to meet any and all local building codes. And even if certification isn’t required in your location, we still recommend a certified building regardless. Certification simply provides greater peace of mind for any property owner, period.
• More ways to customize, too!

Multipurpose Uses for an RV Garage Building

So yes, an RV garage building is perfect for parking both RVs and personal vehicles – but it can also be used for much more than just that.

What are some other ways you can take full advantage of owning a multipurpose steel structure like this? Here are just a few good applications:

• Outdoor storage – Many (if not most) garage owners in America love to use their buildings as catch-all extra storage facilities. And if multipurpose storage is something you need, then you can certainly design a new RV garage that’s large enough to suit. With the right building solution, you can accommodate both your motorhome or camper AND a significant amount of other “stuff,” like lawn equipment, recreational equipment, seasonal decorations, etc.
• Workshop space – Wish you had some covered workspace outdoors? With an RV garage building, you do! Use your metal building to service a vehicle, knock out a carpentry project, pursue a hobby, or tackle any number of items on your home project list.
• Sheltered play area for the kids – Tired of having the kids cooped up inside? Then send them outside to play under the protected cover of your metal building! You can leave all the doors open, so they’ll get some fresh air, but they’ll still be protected from the elements and any inclement weather. Win-win!
• Picnic shelter & outdoor gathering site – You can host a picnic, family gathering, or neighborhood cookout inside your metal building, without any worries about what the weather might do.
• Poolside building – If you have a pool on your property, then it’s certainly convenient to be able to offer swimmers a shelter to be able to dry off or change without having to track in and out of your house. A nearby metal RV garage gives you that option!
• Many agricultural, commercial & industrial uses – For all the great residential uses that come along with having a metal RV garage, there are at least as many – if not more – applications for installing such a metal building in an agricultural, commercial, or industrial setting!

An RV Garage Can Be Installed on Practically Any Foundation Surface

Obviously, you want your new RV garage to stand tall for many years to come. And as far as the galvanized steel materials themselves go, you really won’t have any issues. But it’s also important to make sure your RV garage is properly installed on a level foundation. Which type of foundation? That part is really up to you! Depending on how you intend to use your metal building, you can choose to install on a poured concrete or asphalt foundation, or you can opt to install on gravel or on plain level ground. Carport Central offers specialty anchors which are designed to be used with each of these respective installation surfaces:

• • Concrete Anchors

Concrete anchors are a type of expansion bolt designed for use with concrete foundations. The process of tightening causes the bolts to expand into the lead holes you drill in the concrete. The pressure exerted on the concrete by the expanded bolt makes for a very secure building anchor.

• • Asphalt Anchors

Since asphalt is a softer material than concrete, an asphalt anchor typically features screw-like threads or barbs on the shaft instead. This design helps the anchor to “grab” the asphalt, thus securing your building in place.

• • Rebar Anchors

Rebar anchors are essentially long metal stakes which can be used to secure a metal building directly to the ground. Rebar anchors work pretty well in strong, sturdy soil as long as you’re located in an area that doesn’t typically receive extreme winds.

• • Auger Anchors or Mobile Home Anchors

With softer soil, recently-disturbed soil, or installation areas that do receive more in the way of extreme winds, an auger anchor (or mobile home anchor) approach makes more sense. The auger design does a better job of keeping your building more stable and secure. In addition, choosing auger anchors for unpaved ground installation can also help qualify your building for any wind and snow load certifications that may be required by your local building code authority.

If you have any other specific questions about metal building anchors, you can always reach out to one of our building experts at Carport Central. We’ll be happy to help!

Getting Your Site Ready for Building Installation

If you’re planning to purchase a new custom metal RV garage, a professional installation crew from Carport Central will be happy to take care of putting up your building for you. But there are still a few things you’ll need to take care of beforehand. Here are three site prep considerations things to keep in mind:

1. All debris and vegetation should be cleared away from the install site itself, as well as from the area immediately around your site. It’s important to make sure the installation crew has full access and can bring in any needed equipment without any issues.
2. If you plan to install on a hard foundation, you’ll need to have the foundation poured early enough that it will be fully set and cured before the scheduled installation day. This is something you’ll have to get taken care of yourself; Carport Central and other metal building providers generally don’t provide groundwork or paving services.
3. And here’s another important consideration – your site needs to be level! There’s really no way to ensure that your building will be installed to last if the foundation surface isn’t level to start with.

Metal RV Garage Prices

So, how much does a metal RV garage cost? That depends upon several key factors, including building dimensions (width, length, and height), which gauges of steel you choose for the framing and paneling, which customizations you may decide to add, and whether your building needs to be certified.

But here’s the good news. Even though construction material costs have gone up across the board since the pandemic arrived, steel structures are still more cost-effective to build than wood-framed structures or structures made with other building materials. If you want to get the most bang for your buck, you’d be smart to choose steel. And you’d be even smarter to partner with Carport Central to provide your new RV garage!

A Metal RV Garage Kit You Can Install Yourself

A professional building provider like Carport Central is happy to deliver and install your custom-designed, custom-fabricated RV garage at NO extra charge. But maybe you’d like to save a little money by doing your own building installation. If so, then we’ve got a custom DIY RV garage kit for you! Carport Central makes custom-manufactured metal building kits available that you can pick up and install yourself at a discount. These kits come with all the building materials you’ll need for installation, including fasteners and anchors. If that sounds like something you’re interested in, then just get in touch with a building specialist at Carport Central today. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have about carport kits and metal building installation, and we can help you to get the exact metal building you want and need!

Choose Carport Central for Your Perfect RV Garage Solution

You know from our name that Carport Central sells carports, but we can honestly provide any sort of metal building solution you may need.

We’re the premier online provider of metal structures in the continental US, and we specialize in custom metal building applications! Whether you need a simple carport, RV cover, RV garage, barn, storage shed, workshop, warehouse, commercial building, office space, barndominium, metal building home, or something else, we’ve got you covered! Simply put, we deliver the best-quality steel structures with the best customer service and the shortest lead times!

Each of the steel buildings we source is made from the highest quality materials, and each is truly designed to last you a lifetime. Our building specialists are always standing by to help, and we’ll work hard to ensure that you get EXACTLY what you want in your dream metal building.

Why wait? You can connect with us online, or for an even faster response, just pick up the phone and give us a call at (980) 321-9898 today!

Experience the Carport Central difference for yourself.

What’s Central to you is Central to us.