Ever think about building a carport kit as a way to get some family bonding time? If you have been considering a carport or general shade shelter, then you should. You can create some quality family time by finally building that shade shelter you’ve been thinking about.
Your spouse or children might balk at the idea – especially if they’re not into using hand tools. But there are good reasons to make your case!
Quality family time is essential to building strong bonds, love, and improved connections between family. In today’s device-driven world it is important to create activities that can be shared by the whole family.
If you’ve long wanted a new carport, for whatever use, now’s the time to make that happen — you can enlist the help of your family & friends to help you with your new carport kit!
A good carport kit goes together easily with common tools, as there’s no heavy equipment needed for most smaller structures. Concrete slabs and footings might seem complicated, but the internet is packed with do-it-yourselfers making great how-to videos, and it’s easier than ever to learn new DIY skills.
5 Reasons Building a Carport is Quality Family Time
1. Self-Esteem Booster for Kids and Teens
It may seem that American kids aren’t interested in helping mom and dad build a carport. A device-dependent pre-teen kid may seem much more interested in smart phones & social media than power tools. However, after getting their buy-in on helping build your new carport, she’d be proud of her accomplishments.
A teenager might not tell you that outright, but I’ll be they’d be telling friends “Guess what I did last weekend”. And that accomplishment would stand for ages; just like your structure.
Qualify family time is an essential factor to raising healthy kids. Spending time together helps kids cope with challenges, develop confidence, and understand good values.
“Family and friendships are two of the greatest facilitators of happiness.” –John C. Maxwell
2. Teach Your Children Important Life Lessons
Understanding how to use tools, reading a tape measure, following written instructions – it’s a life skill. With a project like this, the idea may seem intimidating to some. If someone has never “built” anything, or doesn’t have a lot of experience with tools, it can feel quite daunting.
But, like most things in life, it’s often just getting up the nerve that’s the toughest. Quality carports, like an Absolute Steel carport, arrive in neatly bundled kits.
They are surprisingly affordable and easy to work with, especially if they have detailed and easy-to-follow instructions like ours do. Some kits are well-organized and clearly marked, helping to simplify the task with commonly available tools.
Below is an image of an Absolute Steel frame kit as it is delivered. Note how all the frame parts have even ends (quality manufacturing), and the way they are bundled make it easy to find your parts. All you do is slide the frame parts together or bracket them together and use some self-tapping screws at each connection, and then install the panels.
If you have family members helping you that are not accustomed to using tools, this is a great learning environment. You can teach them the basics of how to use some common, but very important tools. For example, reading a tape measure, level, power drills, what a self-tapping screw does.
Learning, or at least having a basic understanding of these skills will come in handy for life.
3. The Satisfaction of Success – Strengthening family bonds
Families who work together and share activities together form stronger emotional ties.
Plenty of families have enjoyed the satisfaction of installing a carport, or even a full building, in just a couple days or a couple weekends, depending on the size of their project.
Imagine that feeling when you finally put up the carport you’ve wanted for ages. Think of being able to protect your vehicle from hail and blazing summer sun, and how good it’ll feel to look outside and think, “We did that!”
In addition to that pride, and the fact that you finally have that carport you’ve wanted, chances are that you’ll be able to share some funny stories about the process. “Remember that time….”
“This is my family. I found it all on my own. It’s little, and broken, but still good. Yeah. Still good.” –Stitch
4. It Creates Happy Memories and Helps Kids Become Better Adults
Working together on a family project like this can create warm memories for parents and children. Times like these are what kids will look back upon when they reflect on their childhood.
Learning to work together as a family will help children become better adults, and this will impact them and their future families.
Smaller carport kits are not very difficult to assemble. The frame sections slide together like butter (on a good kit – don’t get a roadside cheapie). Instructions are clear and concise. Make sure to allow yourself plenty of time for the project – even consider making it last just a few hours per day for a few days rather than making it one long project. You’ll lose the interest of your helpers if you go too hard.
Once done for the day, have yourself a cookout at home. Grill up some burgers and brats. Or put a brisket on the smoker while you’re working to enjoy afterward.
5. Teach Your Children How to Problem Solve and Work Through Challenges
Simply put, having your children learn to work through building a carport kit is a great way to teach them important life lessons. Knowing how to work through challenges and complete tasks is something all kids need to become healthy well-adjusted adults.
When you put together a carport kit, even though they are relatively simple to install, you will run into issues that require some troubleshooting skill. It could be simple – like unexpectedly having to build or repair a caisson. Or maybe you find your ground is unlevel.
Even what seems like a simple skill of following directions – “Slide Tab A into Slot A” – isn’t going to be learned unless kids do it.
Make it Happen
Set a weekend as a target date, plan ahead for some snacks and beverages to see you through and get ready to get ‘er done. For now, why not investigate the possibilities for your new carport, take stock of your land, and figure out what your options are?
Get started with some budgeting and planning ideas, and field some interest from those around you, and who knows? Maybe you’ll have a new accomplishment to check off your list before the new year looms.
Are you sure you’re not overestimating what’s required of your dream project – or underestimating your abilities to pull it off?
“Family: A social unit where the father is concerned with parking space, the children with outer space, and the mother with closet space.” – Evan Esar
