How Much Does It Cost To Build A Carport In 2026

The real cost of building a carport isn’t just the frame, it’s everything that supports it, from the ground preparation, drainage, and whether you’re integrating with existing surfaces or starting from scratch. Once you factor in those site-specific details, the same carport can vary dramatically in price even on similar-looking projects.

This article structures costs across different regions, three different build types, and benchmarks, allowing professionals to align design intent with budget from the outset and support feasibility studies, budget estimates, and early client conversations.

Building A Carport In The UK

Included in the project costs are a basic concrete pad (except in the example with tarmac), timber posts, roof structure, roofing membrane, EPDM roofing, lead flashing, guttering, soffit boards, and downlights. In terms of build specification, BuildPartner gives you three broad options to choose from:

• Basic spec is a basic finish; e.g., Leyland, Everest, Wickes.
• Standard spec is a standard finish; e.g., Dulux, Hamilton, Slim Line.
• Premium spec is a high-spec finish; e.g., Farrow & Ball, Fine Line, Siemens.

 

In this article, we’ve provided a breakdown of the cost of building a carport according to a standard specification. In addition, we have provided three different benchmarks to show the range of pricing you can expect among different contractors. These are: 

• Low benchmark – smaller companies are generally lower cost but less specialised and with low project management function; good for low/mid-spec projects and tight budgets.

• Mid benchmark – medium-sized companies offer a balanced mix of cost-effectiveness and specialisation; good for mid-range projects for effective execution within moderate budgets.

• High benchmark – larger companies generally have a higher cost base but can handle a wide variety of specialist tasks; good for mid/high-spec projects and project management.

 

The specification and benchmark you choose will have a major impact on the overall cost of building a carport, so it’s important to align them with your budget and the finish you’re aiming for.

 

Cost Of Building A Single Carport

Here’s a table showing the average costs of building a single carport for a standard-spec project in the UK:

 

Single Carport	Total Average Build Cost			Average Cost Per Sq Metre
	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark
East Anglia	£6,567	£7,344	£8,060	£438	£490	£537
London	£7,288	£8,161	£9,028	£486	£544	£602
Midlands	£7,064	£7,718	£8,477	£471	£515	£565
North England	£6,766	£7,857	£8,392	£451	£524	£559
Northern Ireland	£6,371	£7,017	£7,435	£428	£468	£496
Scotland	£6,317	£6,730	£7,080	£421	£449	£472
South East	£6,916	£7,387	£7,796	£461	£492	£520
South West	£6,922	£7,617	£8,087	£465	£508	£539
Wales	£6,874	£7,513	£7,986	£458	£501	£532
Average	£6,787	£7,482	£8,038	£453	£499	£536

All costs exclude VAT, overheads, and profit.

 

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a single carport to a standard specification:

 

• The minimum cost is £6,317, and the maximum cost is £9,028.
• The total average cost is £7,436, or £496 per square metre.

 

Cost Of Building A Double Carport

Here’s a table showing the average costs of building a double carport for a standard-spec project in the UK:

 

Double Carport	Total Average Build Cost			Average Cost Per Sq Metre
	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark
East Anglia	£9,975	£11,154	£12,242	£333	£372	£408
London	£11,070	£12,396	£13,713	£369	£413	£457
Midlands	£10,730	£11,722	£12,875	£358	£391	£429
North England	£10,277	£11,934	£12,747	£343	£398	£425
Northern Ireland	£9,677	£10,658	£11,293	£325	£355	£376
Scotland	£9,595	£10,222	£10,753	£320	£341	£358
South East	£10,504	£11,219	£11,842	£350	£374	£395
South West	£10,514	£11,569	£12,283	£353	£386	£409
Wales	£10,441	£11,411	£12,130	£348	£380	£404
Average	£10,309	£11,365	£12,209	£344	£379	£407

All costs exclude VAT, overheads, and profit.

 

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a double carport to a standard specification:

 

• The minimum cost is £9,595, and the maximum cost is £13,713.
• The total average cost is £11,294, or £377 per square metre.

 

Cost Of Building A Double Carport With Tarmac

Here’s a table showing the average costs of building a double carport with tarmac for a standard-spec project in the UK:

 

Double Carport With Tarmac	Total Average Build Cost			Average Cost Per Sq Metre
	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark
East Anglia	£12,042	£13,717	£15,263	£401	£457	£509
London	£13,363	£15,244	£17,097	£445	£508	£570
Midlands	£12,953	£14,416	£16,052	£432	£481	£535
North England	£12,407	£14,676	£15,893	£414	£489	£530
Northern Ireland	£11,682	£13,107	£14,080	£389	£437	£469
Scotland	£11,583	£12,571	£13,407	£386	£419	£447
South East	£12,681	£13,797	£14,764	£423	£460	£492
South West	£12,692	£14,228	£15,314	£423	£474	£510
Wales	£12,605	£14,033	£15,123	£420	£468	£504
Average	£12,445	£13,977	£15,221	£415	£466	£507

All costs exclude VAT, overheads, and profit.

 

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a double carport with tarmac to a standard spec:

 

• The minimum cost is £11,583, and the maximum cost is £17,097.
• The total average cost is £13,881, or £463 per square metre.

 

Average Cost To Build A Carport In UK

So, how much does it cost to build a carport in the UK? Based on the three build types covered in this article, you can expect building a carport to cost on average (when using a mid-benchmark contractor):

• Single carport: £7,842, or £499 per square metre.

• Double carport: £11,365, or £379 per square metre.

• Double carport with tarmac: £13,977, or £466 per square metre.

Please remember that these costs exclude a contractor’s overheads and profit and VAT. There may be other additional costs, such as obtaining planning permission, conducting structural surveys, making unexpected repairs, and completing custom finishes.

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Start your free trial with BuildPartner today to get the most accurate estimate of building a carport based on your own dimensions and specifications.

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FAQs About Carport Building Costs In The UK

Here are some frequently asked questions about carport building costs in the UK.

What factors affect the cost of building a carport?

Groundworks can vary massively depending on whether you’re laying tarmac, block paving, or a concrete slab, and whether you need to dig out and build up a proper sub-base. If the ground isn’t already flat and well-prepared, that can end up costing as much as the carport frame itself.

 

Future-proofing adds another layer. Even if you don’t have an electric car now, installing armoured cable while the ground is open is far cheaper than retrofitting later.

 

And once you start adding nice-to-haves like drainage channels and lighting, the whole thing stops being a simple shelter and becomes a more luxury driveway feature.

 

What is the breakdown of labour and material costs for building a carport?

Costs for a standard-spec carport, excluding additional construction or luxury features, roughly break down as follows:

• Building materials: 45.4%
• Labour: 49.2%
• Finishing materials: 5.5%

Price excludes VAT, contractor’s overheads, and profit.

What are the main benefits of building a carport?

Carports give you covered parking, which protects the car from rain, frost, sun damage, and bird mess, and a dry place to unload. They’re also a cost and space compromise. A garage is expensive, takes more land, and often needs planning and heavier construction, whereas a carport is a simpler build. For added security, a gate can be installed, which is a common upgrade for those wanting the carport to function more like a “soft garage” rather than an open shelter.