Choose an open lattice cover if you want filtered shade, airflow and a brighter house at a lower cost, typically $5,000 to $10,000. Choose a solid roof if you want full shade, rain protection and a better place for fans and lights, typically $10,000 to $20,000. Mixed designs combine both.
An open lattice or rafter top breaks up the sun while keeping the patio bright and leaving nearby windows unshaded. It uses less material, so it is the most affordable style, and air moves freely through it on hot inland afternoons. It does not stop rain, so furniture stays exposed. The top surfaces also take the most UV, which means they need regular re-coating. Closer rafter spacing gives more shade, but it adds material to the job.
A solid roof blocks both sun and rain, which makes it the better choice if you want an outdoor living room with upholstered furniture, fans and lights. It adds sheathing, roofing, slope and drainage so water runs off away from the patio, and it has to be framed to carry its own weight and the wind. Placement needs some thought, because a solid roof close to the house can darken the rooms behind nearby windows, even when the cover itself is freestanding.
A mixed design puts a solid section over the seating or dining area and open rafters around it. You get shade where you sit and daylight elsewhere, though the point where the two sections meet takes extra design detail. All of our covers are freestanding and sized to stay under your city's permit-exempt limit, with plug-in or low-voltage lighting and fans that run off an existing exterior outlet. Most builds take 1 to 2 weeks once the design and any HOA approval are set.
Answered by Legacy Construction & Design · CA License #790442 · October 2026