The cheapest way to get shade for car parking at home is a shade net structure — a shadeport — from R10 500 installed for one car and R13 500 for two. If you want the car dry as well as shaded, the solid-roof version is called a carport, and starts at R22 500 for a single steel one. Both are open structures on posts that go up over an existing driveway in one to three days.
What are the options for covering parking at home?
If you searched for car parking shade, a sun cover for your car, or covered parking, these are the four things you are actually choosing between:
- Shade net structure (shadeport) — tensioned shade cloth on a steel frame. Cheapest, blocks sun and most rain.
- Solid-roof carport — IBR steel, polycarbonate or timber roof on posts. Keeps off all rain and hail as well as sun.
- Cantilever version of either — no posts on one side, so you can open doors and reverse in freely. Costs more.
- A garage — the only option that locks, but it is a building with approved plans and a much larger budget.
How much does car parking shade cost?
| Covered parking option | Cars | Price installed |
|---|---|---|
| Shade net shadeport | 1 | R10 500 |
| Shade net shadeport | 2 | R13 500 |
| Steel carport (solid roof) | 1 | R22 500 |
| Steel carport (solid roof) | 2 | R34 800 |
Full pricing for every size and material is on our carport price list.
Why parked cars need shade in South Africa
South African sun is hard on a car left outside. Ultraviolet light gradually breaks down paint and clear coat, fades and cracks dashboard plastics and upholstery, and perishes rubber seals and wiper blades. A closed car parked in full sun also gets far hotter inside than the outside air, which is what makes the cabin uncomfortable and ages the interior.
Shade removes the direct sun load, which is most of the problem. A solid roof additionally keeps off rain, hail, tree sap and bird droppings — the things that actually mark paint.
Shade net or a solid roof?
Take shade net if the goal is sun protection at the lowest price and you accept that heavy driven rain still reaches the car. Take a solid roof if you want the vehicle properly dry, want less maintenance, and plan to stay in the house long enough for the extra cost to be worth it. There is a full comparison on carport vs shadeport vs garage.
Common questions
What is the cheapest way to cover parking at home?
A shade net shadeport, from R10 500 installed for a single and R13 500 for a double.
What is a shadeport called?
A shadeport is also called a shade net carport, shade cloth carport or shadecloth carport — they all mean the same structure.
Does car parking shade stop paint fading?
It removes the direct UV load, which is the main driver of paint and interior fade on a car parked outside. A solid roof also keeps off rain, hail and tree debris.
How long does installation take?
Usually one day for a shadeport and one to three days for a solid-roof carport, on an existing driveway.
Get covered parking quoted
Send your address and driveway measurements and we will measure on site and quote. See shade net carports or steel carports for the detail on each.
KB Carports designs, manufactures and installs carports in Cape Town and across the Northern Suburbs, Southern Suburbs, West Coast, Atlantic Seaboard and Winelands.