1. Choose the layout

Single carport

For one vehicle. Our typical span is about 3.5–4.5 m. Can be freestanding on posts or tied into a wall on one side, which saves posts and looks neater on a narrow driveway.

Double carport

For two vehicles, typically spanning about 6–8 m. Needs a stronger beam or truss to span without a post in the middle, so both doors open freely.

Cantilever carport

Posts at the back only, with the roof overhanging the cars — up to about 4 m in our designs. Nothing to reverse into, and the driveway stays clear. It needs bigger footings and heavier steel, so it costs more.

Wall-tied or freestanding?

Wall-tied is neat and saves posts, but the wall must be sound enough to carry the load. Freestanding can go anywhere on the plot — including over paving that is not laid yet.

2. Choose the roof covering

  • IBR-profile steel sheeting — the workhorse: strong, rain-proof, stands up to hail. Plain galvanised or pre-painted.
  • Pre-painted steel sheeting (Colorbond-type) — the same protection in a colour to match your roof or gate, and a painted underside that reflects more heat.
  • Shade net — widely sold and cheaper to put up. It cuts sun but lets rain through, gives little protection from hail and the fabric has to be replaced after a few seasons in strong UV.
  • Polycarbonate — lets light through, which some people like next to the house. Cheaper sheets can discolour and turn brittle in strong sun, and it shows hail damage more than steel.

We build steel-framed carports with IBR or pre-painted steel sheeting and full gutters. If you are weighing up a lighter covering, ask us — we will tell you honestly what your site needs.

Steel canopy and shade structure under fabrication on site — Tshipiworks
A steel canopy frame going up on site: the frame and footings are what keep the roof on in a storm.

3. Plan for Botswana weather

Sun. Strong UV breaks down paint, plastics and fabric. A properly primed and finished steel frame — galvanised or powder-coated if you want longer life — holds up far better.

Wind. Summer thunderstorms bring sudden, strong gusts, and a carport roof behaves like a wing. What matters is what you cannot see: post footings, how the posts are fixed to them, and how the sheets are fixed to the purlins. Ask every supplier how they handle each one.

Rain and hail. Downpours come fast. Gutters and downpipes should take water away from the driveway and the house, not onto the neighbour’s wall.

4. Questions to ask any carport supplier

  1. What steel sections are used for the posts and beams, and why that size for this span?
  2. How deep and wide are the footings, and are the posts bolted down or cast in?
  3. How is the sheeting fixed, and how many fixings per sheet?
  4. What is the finish — primer only, galvanised, or powder-coat?
  5. Are gutters and downpipes included, and where will the water go?
  6. How long will installation take? (Ours is typically 2–3 days on site.)

5. Permission and estate rules

Rules vary between councils, land boards and estates, and a structure near the boundary may need permission. Check before you build — especially in an estate or complex, where the body corporate may have rules on colour and position. If you need a dimensioned sketch of the design, ask us.

6. What affects the price

  • Number of vehicles and the span (single, double, cantilever)
  • Roof covering and colour
  • Frame finish — primer, galvanised or powder-coated
  • Footings — soil, rock, and whether paving must be lifted and relaid
  • Gutters, downpipes and any side screening

Pair the carport with a matching sliding gate or aluminium garage door and everything can be finished in the same colour. Building on a larger plot? See Tlokweng; building new? See Mmopane.

Want a price for your own site? Send the driveway width, the number of cars and a photo of where the carport will go. WhatsApp +267 75 388 737 — we reply within 4 business hours, and the site measure is free anywhere in Greater Gaborone.