Home / Patio Covers / Solid Patio Covers
Aluminum solid patio covers that give you full shade and keep the rain off, built for homes across Southern California.
Tell us where you are. We reply within 24 hours.
We’ll only contact you about your project.
Reviews from customers who chose a solid roof patio cover.
★★★★★
“Paste real review #1 here.”
Customer name, City via Google
★★★★★
“Paste real review #2 here.”
Customer name, City via Google
★★★★★
“Paste real review #3 here.”
Customer name, City via Google
A solid roof patio cover, usually just called a solid patio cover, is a patio cover with a fully closed roof made of aluminum panels, held up by posts and beams and usually attached to the house. Unlike a lattice cover, which has open slats, a solid roof blocks direct sun and sheds rain.
It turns an open slab into outdoor space you can use in July and in January. The roof is closed from edge to edge, so you get shade at noon and stay dry when it rains. Most are built from aluminum because it does not rot, rust through or attract termites.
Quality First Patios builds solid roof covers with Duralum aluminum from our base in San Jacinto, and since 2022 our crew has built more than 100 patio covers across Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. We handle the permit, and every estimate starts with a free visit to your home.
Written by Quality First Patios, licensed patio cover contractor, CA Lic #1138842 (verify on CSLB). Reviewed by [CONFIRM: owner name]. Updated October 2026.
Heat, storms, wind and paperwork are the reasons most of our customers call. Here is how a solid roof deals with each one.
Inland Empire and Coachella Valley patios sit in direct sun all afternoon.
How a solid cover helpsAn insulated solid roof blocks far more heat than a single panel, and a ceiling fan moves the air.
Southern California rain often comes in short, heavy bursts that flood a bare patio.
How a solid cover helpsA solid roof slopes to the front, and gutters on every cover carry the water away.
Dry, gusty winds hit many SoCal neighborhoods every fall and winter.
How a solid cover helpsOur covers are engineered for wind codes up to 130 mph, with posts and footings sized for your site.
Older wood patio covers crack, warp and draw termites.
How a solid cover helpsAluminum doesn’t rot or attract termites, and the factory finish never needs paint.
Strong UV fades cushions, decking and the flooring inside your sliding door.
How a solid cover helpsA solid roof keeps direct sun off the patio and the back of the house all day.
Most SoCal cities require a permit for an attached cover, and many HOAs require approval.
How a solid cover helpsWe pull the permit and prepare the drawings your HOA asks for, so you don’t deal with the paperwork.
Same frame, two roofs. The right one depends mostly on how hot your backyard gets.
Weatherwood® Californian
from $14.50/sq ft
Best forCoastal areas, shaded yards, tighter budgets
Weatherwood® Monterey
from $20/sq ft
Best forInland cities like Hemet, Menifee and Riverside
CoastSan Diego, Irvine, Newport Beach
InlandRiverside, Hemet, Palm Springs
Southern California backyards are not all the same. In Hemet, Menifee, Riverside, Palm Springs or anywhere in the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley with triple-digit summers, an insulated solid roof usually does the most for comfort: the foam core blocks far more heat than a single panel, and it is quieter in the rain.
Near the coast, where the concern is glare and the odd winter storm rather than raw heat, a non-insulated solid roof often gives you everything you need for less. Either way, every solid roof comes with gutters to carry rain away from the patio.
A solid patio cover is better if you want full shade and rain protection. A lattice patio cover is better if you want filtered light and a brighter house, and you don’t mind getting wet when it rains. A louvered cover sits in between, because you open and close the slats.
Swipe to compare all three →
Full shade, stays dry
Open slats, filtered sun
Slats that open and close
Shade
Full
Partial, filtered
Adjustable
Keeps rain off
✓ Yes
✕ No
✓ Yes, when closed
Light into the house
Least
Most
Adjustable
Price
$$$Mid
$$$Lowest
$$$Highest
You’re here
Can’t decide? Many homeowners mix the two: a solid roof over the dining table and lattice over the grill or garden. See custom patio covers.
How much does a patio cover cost in California? Our solid roof patio covers start at $14.50 per square foot for a non-insulated roof and $20 per square foot for an insulated roof, on a 20×20 cover. Smaller covers cost more per square foot because some costs stay the same at any size.
A small table and chairs.
Non-insulated
$28/sq ft
Insulated
$38/sq ft
A small table and chairs, with room to walk around.
Non-insulated
$22.50/sq ft
Insulated
$30/sq ft
A dining set plus a seating area.
Non-insulated
$18.50/sq ft
Insulated
$25/sq ft
A dining set, a seating area and room to spare.
Non-insulated
$14.50/sq ft
Insulated
$20/sq ft
The best size is one that fits how you’ll use it. Measure your patio furniture and add room to walk around it. A small table and chairs fit under a 10×10 or 12×12 cover. A dining set plus a seating area usually needs something closer to 12×20 or larger. During the home visit we lay out the cover around your furniture and doors before quoting.
Size
Non-insulated
Insulated
10×10100 sq ft
$2,800$28/sq ft
$3,800$38/sq ft
12×12144 sq ft
$3,240$22.50/sq ft
$4,320$30/sq ft
12×20240 sq ft
$4,440$18.50/sq ft
$6,000$25/sq ft
20×20400 sq ft
$5,800$14.50/sq ft
$8,000$20/sq ft
Starting prices for a standard attached cover on an existing concrete slab. Lights, fans, new footings and permit fees are quoted separately. Your final price comes in a written quote after the free home visit.
Size
Bigger covers cost more in total, but less per square foot.
Roof
Insulated or non-insulated. Insulated panels cost more.
Attachment
A wall attachment is simpler than a roof-mount or freestanding cover.
Footings
Posts on an existing slab cost less than new concrete footings.
Electrical
Each light, fan and switch adds to the price.
Permit and HOA
Fees vary by city.
Tell us where you are. We reply within 24 hours, visit your home, help you choose a roof, and give you a written quote. No pressure.
We’ll only contact you about your project.
Real Quality First Patios projects. No stock photos.
The same patio from the same spot, before and after we built the cover. Swap in your real photos when they arrive.
From first call to final inspection.
Call or send the form. A real person gets back to you within 24 hours.
We measure, check where the cover can attach, and talk through roof type, color, lights and fans.
A written quote for the exact cover. Permit fee listed separately if you’d like.
We pull the building permit with your city or county, plus HOA paperwork when needed. Do I need one?
Posts, new footings if needed, roof panels, gutters and wiring. Smaller covers: 1–2 days. Before we arrive, clear the patio and make sure the crew can reach the backyard.
We go over the cover with you and the city inspector signs off.
A short look at our crew building a solid roof patio cover, from the first post to the final walkthrough.
Every cover is sized and designed for your house. Choose the rafter ends, the color and the posts, and add lights and fans so the patio works after dark too.
The cut on the end of each rafter. Keep a straight look, or pick one of four cut ends.
Duralum wood-grain colors with a factory DuraTough Coating™ finish, so there is nothing to paint. Also available in Ebony/Black.
Lights, fans and power under the cover, installed by our crew. Each item is quoted separately.
What holds the cover up. All three are engineered for the same wind and seismic codes.
Want light in one spot? A solid roof can have a lattice section where you want it. See custom patio covers.
A solid roof isn’t the right fit for every backyard. These are the questions homeowners ask us most, with honest answers.
Yes, a solid roof lets less daylight reach the rooms behind it, especially if the cover is deep and low.
What helpsMounting the cover higher where the house allows, a lighter roof color, or a lattice section in front of your windows with a custom combo design. We’ll show you the options during the home visit.
A non-insulated solid roof gives shade but can warm up in strong afternoon sun.
What helpsAn insulated solid roof blocks much more heat, and a ceiling fan under the cover moves the air. In inland cities we usually point homeowners toward an insulated roof.
Rain is louder on a single-layer aluminum roof.
What helpsInsulated panels are much quieter because the foam core softens the sound of rain hitting the roof.
An attached solid patio cover connects to your house on one side, usually to the wall, the fascia or the roof, and sits on posts on the other side. It is the most common choice because it covers the area right outside your back door. A freestanding solid patio cover stands on its own posts, so it works by the pool, at the back of the yard, or where the house wall can’t take the load.
Where the cover meets the house is the part that matters most. The connection has to be fastened into the house framing and flashed so water can’t get behind it. This is one of the main differences between a professionally installed cover and a kit put up in a weekend.
We install all four types: wall-mounted, fascia-mounted, roof-mounted and freestanding. Gutters come with every solid roof. On roof-mounted covers we recommend adding fascia gutters as well, so rain from the house roof doesn’t spill onto the cover.
We don’t add solid roofs to existing lattice covers. A solid roof is heavier and catches much more wind than lattice, so it needs posts, beams and footings designed for it from the start. If you have a lattice cover and want full shade, we’ll quote a new solid roof cover built and engineered as one system.
People searching for solid patio covers in Southern California often compare aluminum and wood. Here is the short version:
| Aluminum | Wood | |
|---|---|---|
| Rot & termites | Won’t rot, no termites | Can rot and attract termites |
| Upkeep | Rinse with a hose | Regular sealing or painting |
| Sun | Won’t warp | Can warp and crack |
| Look | Wood-grain or smooth finish | Natural wood |
| Price | Usually lower | Usually higher |
From our base in San Jacinto, our crew builds across 132 cities in five Southern California counties.
cities
counties
local crew
Start typing to check your city.
City page with local info
Straight answers to the questions Southern California homeowners ask us most.
A covering over a patio is usually called a patio cover. Other common names are covered patio, patio roof, pergola (when the top is open) and, in Southern California, a “California room” when the area has a solid roof and is used like an extra room.
A 12×20 solid patio cover starts at $4,440 with a non-insulated roof ($18.50 per square foot) and $6,000 with an insulated roof ($25 per square foot), for a standard attached cover on an existing slab.
In most Southern California cities, an attached patio cover needs a building permit. Some cities let small detached covers skip the permit, but setback, height and HOA rules still apply. Building without a required permit can cause problems with inspections, insurance and when you sell the house. Rules vary by city, so we check yours at the home visit, and we pull the permit for every solid roof patio cover we build.
For most Southern California homes, yes. A solid patio cover gives you shade and rain protection, so the patio becomes usable most of the year instead of only in the evening. It also keeps sun off your furniture, doors and the back wall of the house.
For most Southern California homes, an aluminum patio cover is one of the most durable choices. Aluminum doesn’t rot, rust through or attract termites, and a factory-baked finish doesn’t need painting. Duralum engineers its covers to meet building codes for winds up to 130 mph and seismic Category D.
You can buy aluminum patio cover kits, but you still need a permit, engineering that matches your site, a properly fastened and flashed connection to the house, and posts or footings sized for local wind. A licensed contractor handles all of this and stands behind the work.
Smaller solid roof covers are usually installed in 1 to 2 days, and larger projects take longer. The permit is often the longer part, and its timing depends on your city or county.
An aluminum solid roof patio cover can last for decades because aluminum doesn’t rot or attract termites. Duralum warranties the finish for the life of the product, and the warranty transfers to the next owner if you sell your home. Insulated roof panels carry a 20-year limited warranty.
Very little. Rinse the roof and gutters with a hose a few times a year, clear leaves out of the gutters, and wash the posts with mild soap and water. The factory-baked finish doesn’t need painting, staining or sealing.
Not without a new permit, and often not on the same structure. A patio cover must stay mostly open on its sides. Once you close it in, the city treats it as a room addition with different rules for foundations, insulation and windows.
Duralum warranties its patio covers against defects in material, workmanship and finish, and the finish won’t peel, flake, blister or chip under ordinary weather for the life of the product. Insulated (laminated) roof panels have a 20-year limited warranty. The warranty transfers to future owners of the home. It applies when the cover is installed with proper engineering and permits, and it asks owners to keep the cover reasonably clean.
We build with Duralum, a manufacturer that has made aluminum patio covers in the USA since 1962. Our solid roofs use the Weatherwood® Californian (non-insulated) and Weatherwood® Monterey (insulated) lines.
Most HOAs approve aluminum patio covers when the color and style match the house and the plans follow their guidelines. We prepare the drawings and details your HOA asks for and match the cover color to their rules.
The roof is built with a slight slope so water runs to the front edge, where a gutter carries it away from your patio. Every solid roof we build comes with gutters.
It depends on your house. An attached cover is mounted where it clears your doors and windows and still leaves comfortable headroom under the front beam. We set the height at the home visit, and the roof slopes slightly toward the front so rain runs into the gutter.
Yes. If you have an old wood or aluminum patio cover, we can take it down and haul it away before we build the new one. Removal is listed in your written quote.
Our crew installs the recessed lights, ceiling fans, switches and outlets as part of the patio cover job, and the electrical work is inspected along with the building permit.
California law limits the down payment on a home improvement contract to $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less. We follow that rule, and the payment schedule is written into your contract before any work starts.
Yes, financing is available. Ask about the options during your free estimate.
A 12×20 solid patio cover starts at $4,440 with a non-insulated roof ($18.50 per square foot) and $6,000 with an insulated roof ($25 per square foot), for a standard attached cover on an existing slab.
For most Southern California homes, yes. A solid patio cover gives you shade and rain protection, so the patio becomes usable most of the year instead of only in the evening. It also keeps sun off your furniture, doors and the back wall of the house.
California law limits the down payment on a home improvement contract to $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less. We follow that rule, and the payment schedule is written into your contract before any work starts.
Yes, financing is available. Ask about the options during your free estimate.
In most Southern California cities, an attached patio cover needs a building permit. Some cities let small detached covers skip the permit, but setback, height and HOA rules still apply. Building without a required permit can cause problems with inspections, insurance and when you sell the house. Rules vary by city, so we check yours at the home visit, and we pull the permit for every solid roof patio cover we build.
You can buy aluminum patio cover kits, but you still need a permit, engineering that matches your site, a properly fastened and flashed connection to the house, and posts or footings sized for local wind. A licensed contractor handles all of this and stands behind the work.
Not without a new permit, and often not on the same structure. A patio cover must stay mostly open on its sides. Once you close it in, the city treats it as a room addition with different rules for foundations, insulation and windows.
Most HOAs approve aluminum patio covers when the color and style match the house and the plans follow their guidelines. We prepare the drawings and details your HOA asks for and match the cover color to their rules.
A covering over a patio is usually called a patio cover. Other common names are covered patio, patio roof, pergola (when the top is open) and, in Southern California, a “California room” when the area has a solid roof and is used like an extra room.
For most Southern California homes, an aluminum patio cover is one of the most durable choices. Aluminum doesn’t rot, rust through or attract termites, and a factory-baked finish doesn’t need painting. Duralum engineers its covers to meet building codes for winds up to 130 mph and seismic Category D.
An aluminum solid roof patio cover can last for decades because aluminum doesn’t rot or attract termites. Duralum warranties the finish for the life of the product, and the warranty transfers to the next owner if you sell your home. Insulated roof panels carry a 20-year limited warranty.
Very little. Rinse the roof and gutters with a hose a few times a year, clear leaves out of the gutters, and wash the posts with mild soap and water. The factory-baked finish doesn’t need painting, staining or sealing.
Duralum warranties its patio covers against defects in material, workmanship and finish, and the finish won’t peel, flake, blister or chip under ordinary weather for the life of the product. Insulated (laminated) roof panels have a 20-year limited warranty. The warranty transfers to future owners of the home. It applies when the cover is installed with proper engineering and permits, and it asks owners to keep the cover reasonably clean.
We build with Duralum, a manufacturer that has made aluminum patio covers in the USA since 1962. Our solid roofs use the Weatherwood® Californian (non-insulated) and Weatherwood® Monterey (insulated) lines.
The roof is built with a slight slope so water runs to the front edge, where a gutter carries it away from your patio. Every solid roof we build comes with gutters.
Smaller solid roof covers are usually installed in 1 to 2 days, and larger projects take longer. The permit is often the longer part, and its timing depends on your city or county.
It depends on your house. An attached cover is mounted where it clears your doors and windows and still leaves comfortable headroom under the front beam. We set the height at the home visit, and the roof slopes slightly toward the front so rain runs into the gutter.
Yes. If you have an old wood or aluminum patio cover, we can take it down and haul it away before we build the new one. Removal is listed in your written quote.
Our crew installs the recessed lights, ceiling fans, switches and outlets as part of the patio cover job, and the electrical work is inspected along with the building permit.
Call us at (888) 341-6941 or ask during your free home visit.
Tell us your city and the size of your patio. We’ll schedule a free home visit, help you choose between an insulated and non-insulated roof, and give you a written quote.
Quality First Patios1677 Constant Trails, San Jacinto, CA 92582
