Insulated aluminum patio cover, or a roof addition?
Two ways to get shade over the patio. One is a factory panel bolted together on site; the other is carpentry that becomes part of your house. Here's the honest difference.
Side by side
| Insulated aluminum cover | Framed roof addition | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Insulated aluminum roof panels, about 3 in. thick, on aluminum posts and beams, tied to your house. | A wood-framed roof built like part of the house, with sheathing and shingles or metal to match. |
| Underneath | A smooth white panel ceiling. | Whatever ceiling you finish it with. |
| Who builds the roof | One crew sets the panels, posts and beams. | A framing crew, then a licensed roofer for the roof covering. |
| Permit and inspections | A building permit with the panel connection details; footings and final inspections. | A building permit with a sealed framing plan and roofing product approvals; footings, framing, roof dry-in and final. |
| Matches the house roof | No. It reads as an aluminum cover. | It can, which is most of the reason to choose it. |
| From us, today | Yes. Prices below. | Not offered yet. We'll give you the names of two or more companies we know. |
Our prices for the aluminum cover
| Cover size | Our price |
|---|---|
| 10 × 12 ft (120 sq ft) | $5,000 – $5,500 |
| 12 × 16 ft (192 sq ft) | $8,050 – $8,850 |
| 12 × 20 ft (240 sq ft) | $10,050 – $11,050 |
| 14 × 24 ft (336 sq ft) | $14,050 – $15,450 |
Insulated aluminum panels, white underneath, attached to the house. The permit fee is extra, at the city or county's actual cost. Need a slab under it? That's added to the same job.
How to choose
If you want shade and a dry place to sit, soon, the aluminum cover is the plain answer: fewer trades, fewer inspections, a price you can see today.
If you want the new roof to look like it was always part of the house, that's a framed addition, and it's a bigger project with a roofer involved. We don't build those yet, but we'll point you to people who do.
Either way, the first thing that matters is the attachment to your house. What the permit asks for.
Questions people ask
How much is an insulated aluminum patio cover?
On our rate card, about $41.80 per square foot of cover before permit fees. A 12 × 20 ft cover is $10,050 – $11,050.
Do both need a permit?
Yes, plan on it. Both are roofs attached to your house. The framed addition usually means more drawings and more inspections, because it is framed and roofed like the house.
Can I add lights or a fan?
Yes, as a separate electrical permit done by a licensed electrician. We coordinate it.
Ready to see your number?
Type the address, answer a few questions, and see the price, or exactly how we'll price it, before we ask your name.
General information, not legal advice or a permit determination: your building department decides. Prices are our own, from today's rate card, and are confirmed in writing after we see the site.