Shade is the cheapest cooling there is, and where the afternoon sun lands is usually the single biggest factor in whether a patio gets used all July or sits empty. A cover or a pergola is frequently the highest value single addition to a valley backyard for exactly that reason.
Because we pour our own concrete, the slab under a cover is already thickened and sized for where the posts land, rather than a structure bolted onto a patio that was never designed to carry it.
Patio covers and California rooms
A solid patio cover blocks sun and rain entirely and can carry ceiling fans, lighting and a fully finished underside. An open lattice cover filters light rather than blocking it, which suits a spot you want shaded but not dark. A patio enclosure, sometimes called a California room, closes the space with screens or glass to add a usable room without a full addition's cost or permitting.
Footings are sized for the actual roof load and for this valley's wind, and gas or electrical runs for a fan, lighting or a heater are sleeved into the slab during the pour rather than surface mounted afterward.
Pergolas
A pergola filters rather than blocks the sun, and works over a seating area, a spa or a walkway where full shade is not the goal. Louvered pergola systems add an adjustable roof that opens the space up on a mild evening and closes it during peak afternoon heat, without the cost of a fully enclosed room.
Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces
Fire extends the season on the other end of the year, and a fire pit, fire table or full outdoor fireplace is usually planned alongside the cover so the seating, the shade and the fire all sit together rather than getting added piecemeal. Gas lines are sleeved into the slab during the pour, the same way kitchen utility runs are.
Patio Covers & Pergolas questions, answered
What it costs, how long it takes, and what we need from you before we start.
Solid cover or pergola, which do we need?
It depends on whether you want full shade or filtered light. A solid cover blocks sun and rain completely and can carry a fan and lighting. A pergola filters light and suits a spot you do not want fully dark, such as over a spa or a walkway.
Do you pour the slab and build the structure, or only one?
Both, on the same schedule. The slab is poured knowing the posts are coming, thickened and reinforced where the footings land, instead of a structure added to a patio that was never designed to carry it.
Can a fire feature be added to an existing patio?
Yes, though gas line placement is easier and cheaper to plan before the patio is poured. If the patio already exists, we will tell you honestly what it takes to retrofit a line to the fire feature location you want.
What is a California room?
A patio enclosure that closes an existing covered space with screens or glass, adding a usable room without the cost or permitting of a full home addition.
