Quality First Patios builds solid aluminum patio covers in San Diego and across San Diego County. A solid roof gives you full shade on hot afternoons and keeps winter rain off the patio. We’re based in San Jacinto and come to you, and we handle the permit and HOA paperwork when your project needs them.
Send your details now, photos later. We reply within 24 hours.
We’ll only contact you about your project.
Reviews from customers who chose a solid roof patio cover.
A solid patio cover, also called a solid roof patio cover, is a patio cover with a fully closed aluminum roof on posts and beams, usually attached to the house. It blocks direct sun and sheds rain. A lattice cover, by comparison, has open slats that let light and rain through.
It solves three common problems: a patio that’s too hot to use in the afternoon, no dry spot for the table and grill in winter, and an old wood cover that’s sagging or rotting.
Quality First Patios builds every cover with Duralum Weatherwood® aluminum. It’s a wood-grain aluminum with a factory-baked finish. Since 2022 our crew has built more than 100 patio covers in Southern California, and we serve all of San Diego County, from Oceanside to Chula Vista and out to Alpine. For the full guide to solid roofs, see our solid patio covers page.
Written by Quality First Patios, licensed patio cover contractor. CA Lic #1138842, classification C-61/D-12 (verify on CSLB). Updated October 2026.
A solid roof is the right choice when you want full shade and rain cover, not filtered light. It helps most in the situations below.
Not sure a solid roof is right? For filtered light at a lower price, see lattice patio covers. For shade you can open and close, see louvered patio covers.
Real Quality First Patios projects. No stock photos.
White and black are our most popular picks. See every option on our material options page.
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.
San Diego County has two very different climates: mild, salty air on the coast and hot, dry summers inland. We build each cover for the conditions at your address.
Homes in Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar and Imperial Beach live with salt air and the gray marine layer of May and June. Wood stays damp and rots, and steel rusts.
Aluminum doesn’t rust, and the factory finish on Weatherwood never needs paint. Near the beach, rinse the cover with a hose more often to wash the salt off.
On the coast, July afternoons average in the mid 70s. Inland cities such as El Cajon, Santee, Escondido, Poway and Ramona run much hotter, and heat waves push past 100°F.
A solid roof gives full shade. An insulated roof adds a foam core that keeps far more of the heat off you, and a ceiling fan moves the air.
In fall and winter, Santa Ana winds push hot, dry gusts in from the east, strongest through East County canyons and foothills.
Our covers are engineered for wind codes up to 130 mph, with post footings and wall connections sized to the engineering, not guessed on site.
San Diego gets about 10 inches of rain a year, and about 85% of it falls from November through March, often in short, heavy storms.
The roof is pitched so water runs to the front edge, where a gutter carries it off the patio and away from the foundation. Every solid roof we build comes with gutters.
The Rose Canyon Fault runs through the city of San Diego, and the whole county is earthquake country. An attached cover has to move with the house without pulling away from it.
Every cover we build is engineered for seismic Design Category D, with connections that tie the cover to the house the way the engineering calls for.
Every aluminum solid patio cover we build in San Diego County has one of two roofs. Choose insulated for a hot inland patio or if rain noise bothers you; choose non-insulated if you mainly want full shade and rain cover at the lower price, which often suits the coast.
A single layer of 0.024-inch aluminum with 2¼-inch ribs underneath. Full shade and rain protection at the lower price; the rafters and ribs show from below.
Coastal patios that mainly need shade and rain cover; tighter budgets
A foam core between two aluminum skins (3, 4¼ or 6 inches). It blocks far more heat, quiets the rain and gives a flat, finished ceiling with recessed lights.
Hot inland patios and west-facing patios that take the afternoon sun
Single-layer solid roof
Foam-core solid roof
Roof panel
Single layer of 0.024″ aluminum
Foam core between two aluminum skins
Shade
Full
Full
Rain
Heat under the roof
Full shade; the panel itself warms
Much cooler; the foam blocks heat
Sound of rain
Ceiling
Rafters and 2¼” panel ribs
Flat, finished ceiling
Starting price
From $14.50/sq ft
From $20/sq ft
Best for
Coastal patios that mainly need shade and rain cover; tighter budgets
Hot inland patios, west-facing patios, outdoor living rooms, a room you may enclose later
The full guide to solid roofs
Foam-core roof, cooler and quieter
Filtered light, open feel
Slats you open and close
Every style we build
A solid patio cover in San Diego costs $2,800 for a 10×10 non-insulated cover and $8,000 for a 20×20 insulated cover with Quality First Patios. The price per square foot drops as the cover gets bigger, because setup, delivery and permit work cost about the same at any size.
A bistro table or two lounge chairs.
Non-insulated
$28.00/sq ft
Insulated
$38.00/sq ft
A table for four with room to pull the chairs out.
Non-insulated
$22.50/sq ft
Insulated
$30.00/sq ft
A table at one end, seating at the other.
Non-insulated
Price at your estimate
Insulated
$27.00/sq ft
A dining table plus a small seating area.
Non-insulated
$18.50/sq ft
Insulated
$25.00/sq ft
Dining, lounging and room to spare.
Non-insulated
$14.50/sq ft
Insulated
$20.00/sq ft
Size
Area
Non-insulated
Insulated (3″)
What fits
10×10
100 sq ft
A bistro table or two lounge chairs
12×12
144 sq ft
A table for four with room to pull the chairs out
10×20
200 sq ft
A table at one end, seating at the other
12×20
240 sq ft
A dining table plus a small seating area
20×20
400 sq ft
Dining, lounging and room to spare
Starting prices for a standard attached cover over an existing concrete slab, installed. Your final price comes in a written quote. Financing is available through Lyons Financial.
[FILL: confirm with the client that these prices apply in San Diego County, and whether there is a travel charge]
Permit (when your city requires one)
Your city or the County sets the fee. It is listed separately on your quote.
Freestanding cover
About 40% more than an attached non-insulated cover of the same size.
Thicker insulated panel
4¼ or 6 inches instead of the 3-inch panel in our listed prices.
Fascia gutters on roof-mounts
Lights, fans & wiring
Installed by our crew. You supply the fan.
Old cover removal
Its own line on your quote, including haul-away.
Most San Diego homes get an attached solid patio cover over the slab off the back door; it is the most common and the lower-priced choice. A freestanding cover stands on its own posts and suits a pool, a spa or the back of the yard.
Mounted to the wall, the fascia or the roof, with posts at the outer edge.
Base price
Stands on its own posts and beams, usually four or more, with no connection to the house.
About 40% more (non-insulated)
Two things decide whether you need a permit: where you live and how big the cover is. In the City of San Diego, a cover of up to 300 square feet on a single-family home or duplex may be exempt, but the Coastal Zone and a few other cases always need one. We check your address at the estimate and pull the permit when one is needed.
The City’s Information Bulletin 206 says a patio cover of up to 300 square feet of roof on a single-family home or duplex may be exempt from a building permit. Lights, ceiling fans and other wiring still need their own electrical permit.
Inside the City, a permit is required at any size if the property is in the Coastal Zone, on environmentally sensitive land, on a PRD or PIRD site, or in a historic district or a designated historic property, or if the cover reaches into a required side yard or setback.
Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad, El Cajon and the county’s other cities each have their own building department and rules. Unincorporated communities such as Spring Valley, Ramona, Alpine, Valley Center and Jamul go through San Diego County Planning & Development Services.
Many San Diego County neighborhoods have an HOA that reviews color and placement; we prepare the drawings, color samples and spec sheets. The City defines a patio cover as open on two or more sides, so an enclosed room needs its own engineering and permit. Tell us at the estimate if you might enclose it.
Fill in the form, then email a few photos of your patio and rough measurements to info@qualityfirstpatios.com. We’ll reply within 24 hours with an online estimate, then confirm it at a free home visit before you sign.
We’ll only contact you about your project.
The permit (when one is needed) and production take most of the time; the install itself takes 2 to 6 days.
Call or send the form, and a real person gets back to you within 24 hours. We measure, check the wall and roof, and go over size, roof type and color.
One price for the cover, with every add-on on its own line.
When your project needs a permit, we prepare the plans and submit them to your city, or to San Diego County for unincorporated addresses. Do I need one?
Your panels, beams and posts are made to size in about 2 weeks.
The install is usually scheduled about a week after production and takes 2 to 6 days on site.
The inspector signs off where a permit applies, and we walk you through care and the Duralum warranty.
Here is what you can check about us before you call.
Based in San Jacinto, we travel across San Diego County for the estimate and the install. A real person replies within 24 hours.
Built across Southern California by our own crew.
Duralum Weatherwood aluminum with a transferable lifetime finish warranty, plus our workmanship warranty.
Including the Coastal Zone rules in the City of San Diego, and the drawings your HOA asks for.
Starting prices for both solid roofs are listed above, before you call.
Through Lyons Financial. Ask about it at your estimate.
Send photos and rough measurements and get a price without waiting for a visit.
We build solid patio covers in 25 cities and communities across San Diego County, from the North County coast to the South Bay. We’re based in San Jacinto and come to your home for the estimate and the install. For other styles we build here, see patio covers in San Diego.
San Diego County cities
areas, coast to East County
reply time
Find your city in the area groups below, or send us your ZIP and we’ll confirm within 24 hours.
Escondido · San Marcos · Vista · Poway · Valley Center · Ramona
El Cajon · La Mesa · Lemon Grove · Santee · Spring Valley · Alpine · Jamul · Julian · Campo · Jacumba Hot Springs
Chula Vista · National City · Imperial Beach
North County, East County and the coast
Inland Empire, our home base
Inland Empire and foothills
San Gabriel Valley and southeast LA
North and central OC
Straight answers about cost, permits, the coast, the heat and the install.
With Quality First Patios, a solid patio cover in San Diego starts at $2,800 for a 10×10 non-insulated cover and $3,800 for a 10×10 insulated cover. A 20×20 costs $5,800 non-insulated or $8,000 insulated. Prices are for an attached cover, installed. Freestanding covers, thicker insulated panels, lights, fans, old-cover removal and the permit fee, when your city requires one, are quoted on separate lines.
A 20×20 solid patio cover costs $5,800 with a non-insulated roof ($14.50 per square foot) or $8,000 with an insulated roof ($20 per square foot), attached and installed.
A 12×20 solid patio cover costs $4,440 non-insulated ($18.50 per square foot) or $6,000 insulated ($25 per square foot), for a standard attached cover.
A 10×20 insulated solid patio cover costs $5,400. A 10×20 non-insulated cover is priced at your estimate.
For most homes, yes. It turns a patio you avoid on summer afternoons and rainy days into one you use most of the year, and it keeps sun off your furniture, sliding door and back wall. Inland homes with west- or south-facing patios get the most out of it.
They are if your patio takes strong afternoon sun, which is common inland. On a 20×20, an insulated roof costs $20 per square foot instead of $14.50. For that you get a roof that keeps far more heat off you, stays quiet in the rain and has a flat ceiling for recessed lights. Near the coast, a non-insulated roof is often enough.
Yes. We offer financing through Lyons Financial. Ask about it when we put together your estimate.
It depends on your city and the cover’s size. In the City of San Diego, a patio cover of up to 300 square feet on a single-family home or duplex may be exempt from a building permit. A permit is still required in the Coastal Zone, on environmentally sensitive land, on PRD or PIRD sites, on historic properties, or if the cover reaches into a setback. Wiring for lights or fans needs its own electrical permit. These rules apply to aluminum patio covers too. We check your address and pull the permit when one is needed. To know more about it
Yes. In the City of San Diego, a patio cover on a Coastal Zone property needs a building permit even if it is under 300 square feet. We confirm whether your address is in the Coastal Zone before we quote.
Each incorporated city, such as Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido or Carlsbad, has its own building department. Unincorporated communities such as Spring Valley, Ramona, Alpine and Valley Center go through San Diego County Planning & Development Services. We find the right office for your address.
Most HOAs approve aluminum patio covers when the color and roofline match the house. We give you the drawings, color samples and spec sheets your HOA committee asks for.
Yes. Aluminum doesn’t rust, and Duralum’s factory-baked finish never needs paint. Near the beach, rinse the cover with a hose more often to wash salt off.
Advantages: it won’t rot, rust or draw termites, needs no painting, and comes in wood-grain finishes. The main trade-off is heat: a non-insulated aluminum roof passes more heat than an insulated one, so choose insulated for a patio that takes strong afternoon sun.
It depends on what you want from the cover. A solid cover gives full shade and keeps rain off. A lattice cover gives filtered light and costs less, but doesn’t stop rain. Pick solid if you want to use the patio in all weather.
No. A solid roof blocks direct sun, so the slab, furniture and air under it stay cooler than in open sun. A single-layer aluminum panel does warm up in strong sun; an insulated foam-core roof blocks most of that heat. A ceiling fan helps move the air.
Yes, when it is built to the engineering. Our covers are engineered for wind codes up to 130 mph and seismic Category D, with footings and connections sized to match.
An attached cover is the most common choice and costs less; it mounts to your wall, fascia or roof. A freestanding cover stands on its own posts and suits a pool, a spa or the back of the yard. It costs about 40% more for a non-insulated cover.
We don’t put a solid roof on top of an existing lattice cover, because its beams and posts usually weren’t designed for a solid roof’s weight and wind load. We remove the old cover and build a new solid one.
Aluminum is the low-maintenance choice: it doesn’t rot, crack or attract termites, and the factory finish never needs painting. Wood needs regular sealing or paint. We build in aluminum only.
White, Pewter, Sandal Wood, Rose Wood, Drift Wood, Beach Wood, Maple Wood, Sienna Wood and Ebony/Black. White and black are our most popular picks.
Yes. Our crew runs the wiring during the build, so lights sit recessed and no cords run along the frame. You choose and buy an outdoor-rated fan, and we install it. Wiring needs its own electrical permit, which we handle.
An aluminum solid patio cover can last for decades because it won’t rot or attract termites. Duralum backs the finish with a lifetime warranty that transfers to the next owner, insulated panels carry a 20-year limited warranty, and we add our workmanship warranty.
Yes. We build across San Diego County, from Oceanside and Escondido to El Cajon and Chula Vista. We’re based in San Jacinto and come to you for the estimate and the install.
About 2 to 6 days on site. From signing, plan on the permit review (if one is needed), about 2 weeks of production and about 1 week to schedule the install.
Yes. Send photos of your patio and rough measurements through the form or to info@qualityfirstpatios.com, and we’ll reply with a free estimate within 24 hours. We confirm the details at a home visit before you sign.
Check three things before you sign. First, look up the contractor’s license on the CSLB website; ours is #1138842, classification C-61/D-12. Second, ask for a written quote that lists the cover, each add-on and the permit fee on separate lines. Third, confirm who pulls the permit and books the inspection. California also limits the down payment on a home improvement job to $1,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is less.
With Quality First Patios, a solid patio cover in San Diego starts at $2,800 for a 10×10 non-insulated cover and $3,800 for a 10×10 insulated cover. A 20×20 costs $5,800 non-insulated or $8,000 insulated. Prices are for an attached cover, installed. Freestanding covers, thicker insulated panels, lights, fans, old-cover removal and the permit fee, when your city requires one, are quoted on separate lines.
A 20×20 solid patio cover costs $5,800 with a non-insulated roof ($14.50 per square foot) or $8,000 with an insulated roof ($20 per square foot), attached and installed.
A 12×20 solid patio cover costs $4,440 non-insulated ($18.50 per square foot) or $6,000 insulated ($25 per square foot), for a standard attached cover.
A 10×20 insulated solid patio cover costs $5,400. A 10×20 non-insulated cover is priced at your estimate.
For most homes, yes. It turns a patio you avoid on summer afternoons and rainy days into one you use most of the year, and it keeps sun off your furniture, sliding door and back wall. Inland homes with west- or south-facing patios get the most out of it.
They are if your patio takes strong afternoon sun, which is common inland. On a 20×20, an insulated roof costs $20 per square foot instead of $14.50. For that you get a roof that keeps far more heat off you, stays quiet in the rain and has a flat ceiling for recessed lights. Near the coast, a non-insulated roof is often enough.
Yes. We offer financing through Lyons Financial. Ask about it when we put together your estimate.
It depends on your city and the cover's size. In the City of San Diego, a patio cover of up to 300 square feet on a single-family home or duplex may be exempt from a building permit. A permit is still required in the Coastal Zone, on environmentally sensitive land, on PRD or PIRD sites, on historic properties, or if the cover reaches into a setback. Wiring for lights or fans needs its own electrical permit. These rules apply to aluminum patio covers too. We check your address and pull the permit when one is needed.
Yes. In the City of San Diego, a patio cover on a Coastal Zone property needs a building permit even if it is under 300 square feet. We confirm whether your address is in the Coastal Zone before we quote.
Each incorporated city, such as Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido or Carlsbad, has its own building department. Unincorporated communities such as Spring Valley, Ramona, Alpine and Valley Center go through San Diego County Planning & Development Services. We find the right office for your address.
Most HOAs approve aluminum patio covers when the color and roofline match the house. We give you the drawings, color samples and spec sheets your HOA committee asks for.
Yes. Aluminum doesn't rust, and Duralum's factory-baked finish never needs paint. Near the beach, rinse the cover with a hose more often to wash salt off.
Advantages: it won't rot, rust or draw termites, needs no painting, and comes in wood-grain finishes. The main trade-off is heat: a non-insulated aluminum roof passes more heat than an insulated one, so choose insulated for a patio that takes strong afternoon sun.
It depends on what you want from the cover. A solid cover gives full shade and keeps rain off. A lattice cover gives filtered light and costs less, but doesn't stop rain. Pick solid if you want to use the patio in all weather.
No. A solid roof blocks direct sun, so the slab, furniture and air under it stay cooler than in open sun. A single-layer aluminum panel does warm up in strong sun; an insulated foam-core roof blocks most of that heat. A ceiling fan helps move the air.
Yes, when it is built to the engineering. Our covers are engineered for wind codes up to 130 mph and seismic Category D, with footings and connections sized to match.
An attached cover is the most common choice and costs less; it mounts to your wall, fascia or roof. A freestanding cover stands on its own posts and suits a pool, a spa or the back of the yard. It costs about 40% more for a non-insulated cover.
We don't put a solid roof on top of an existing lattice cover, because its beams and posts usually weren't designed for a solid roof's weight and wind load. We remove the old cover and build a new solid one.
Aluminum is the low-maintenance choice: it doesn't rot, crack or attract termites, and the factory finish never needs painting. Wood needs regular sealing or paint. We build in aluminum only.
White, Pewter, Sandal Wood, Rose Wood, Drift Wood, Beach Wood, Maple Wood, Sienna Wood and Ebony/Black. White and black are our most popular picks.
Yes. Our crew runs the wiring during the build, so lights sit recessed and no cords run along the frame. You choose and buy an outdoor-rated fan, and we install it. Wiring needs its own electrical permit, which we handle.
An aluminum solid patio cover can last for decades because it won't rot or attract termites. Duralum backs the finish with a lifetime warranty that transfers to the next owner, insulated panels carry a 20-year limited warranty, and we add our workmanship warranty.
Yes. We build across San Diego County, from Oceanside and Escondido to El Cajon and Chula Vista. We're based in San Jacinto and come to you for the estimate and the install.
About 2 to 6 days on site. From signing, plan on the permit review (if one is needed), about 2 weeks of production and about 1 week to schedule the install.
Yes. Send photos of your patio and rough measurements through the form or to info@qualityfirstpatios.com, and we'll reply with a free estimate within 24 hours. We confirm the details at a home visit before you sign.
Check three things before you sign. First, look up the contractor's license on the CSLB website; ours is #1138842, classification C-61/D-12. Second, ask for a written quote that lists the cover, each add-on and the permit fee on separate lines. Third, confirm who pulls the permit and books the inspection. California also limits the down payment on a home improvement job to $1,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is less.
Call (888) 341-6941 or send us photos of your patio.
Send a few photos of your patio and rough measurements, or book a free home visit. We’ll give you a written price and check the permit rules for your city.
