Patio Covers are our specialty. We build covered patios throughout the greater Houston area so if you are ready then we can help you too. Create the perfect outdoor patio space for your home or lifestyle by letting us bring your design ideas to life. We will offer suggestions and feedback to make sure your completed backyard shade project is perfect.
The Most Popular Options
- Outdoor Ceiling Fans.
- Custom Lighting.
- Outdoor Speakers.
- Aluminum Roof Panels.
- Screen Walls.
- Outdoor Televisions.
- Custom Posts or Column styles.
- Decorative Stamped Concrete.
Lone Star has built hundreds of patio covers all over Houston, Austin & San Antonio in many different styles and using many different types of materials. If you are just starting to consider building a shade cover for your backyard you will most likely have many questions. Some of the most common questions are listed below.
Most Common Patio Cover Questions
A patio cover is an outdoor shade structure designed to provide 100% shade coverage with complete rain protection to any backyard area. Most covers are built attached to an existing home because they are more functional but detached covers are also possible.
A backyard shade cover can have different names but most often they are called covered patios or even awnings. Each term is correct although awning generally refers a shade structure that is small in size or may be retractable.
Patio construction costs can vary depending on the type of material that is used. Aluminum patio covers for example can cost as little as $20.00 per square foot while a wooden frame cover can cost as much as $120.00 a square foot or more.
Most often you will need a building permit. Depending on where your home is located will determined whether a city or county permit is required. We also suggest getting approval from your Homeowner’s Association prior to construction.
The best material for patio cover construction depends on the budget and style choices used. Aluminum materials are the most popular because the cost of construction is so much less. Aluminum materials are more durable with a lifetime warranty.
Wood is the most expensive porch cover construction option. An average wood-frame structure can range from $80.00 per foot to $120.00 per foot. Since construction costs decrease as size increases, this type of construction is not the best choice for smaller projects.
To get a free quote on any of our Alumawood covers, screened porches or pergolas just call 281-773-1255 or fill out the contact information on this page.
The answer depends on the type of cover that is built. Our roof panels only require 1/4″-1/2″ of sope in order to shed water. The reason for this is because our roof panels interlock with one another to form a waterproof seal. Having too much slope on a patio roof needlessly decreases the ceiling elevation under the cover and there really isn’t a good reason to do that.
Our aluminum structures are increadibly lightweight. A minumum concrete thickness of 4″ is perfectly fine.
The most common concrete finish is a standard broom finish. This provides the best traction for foot traffic in wet conditions. The most decorative option is stamped / stained concrete. When considering decorative concrete there are many pattern and color options from which to choose but the most popular pattern is Flagstone.
There are 8 color choices. Desert Sand, Graphite, Spanish Brown, Mojave Tan, White, Sonora Beige, Adobe or Latte are the color names.
Yes, we do install gutters on everything we build. Having new gutters will prevent rain water from cascading off the end of a new cover like a waterfall. We will place the downspouts where it makes the most sense to prevent any future drainage issues.
Steel post bases will be set on top of an existing slab. Concrete anchor bolts secure the new post base to the concrete. New 3″x3″ steel posts will then be bolted to the steel post base. After all of this is finished, the new posts will be trimmed out so they are pretty and none of the attachment points will be visible.
Roofing shingles are always an option but are not necessary if insulated roof panels are installed. This type of roofing application differs from the way shingles are typically installed on a house. The difference is that a glue down application must be used. Basically, a roofing mastic is applied directly on top of each roof panel with a trowel. Each course of roofing shingle is then placed so that when finished, it exactly matches the home to which it is attached.
Post sizes range from 3″ all the way to 12″. The most popular post is a Sante Fe style column. Sante Fe posts are decorative and look really nice on a new patio cover or pergola.
None. To clean a new cover just pressure wash it every few years at the same time that you would normally pressure wash your home.
Our structures come with a limited lifetime warranty that protects against peeling, fading and structural defects.
Screen walls can always be added at the time of patio construction or at any point in the future. If added later there is no modification of a patio cover necessary to add new screen walls.
In most cases the answer is yes. We can actually help make geting Homeowner Association approval easy and painless.
Don’t see the exact covered patio you are looking for? Don’t worry because:
We design each roof porch extension, awning, screen enclosure or carport to meet your style, taste, and budget. Our professional estimators will design your project to meet your outdoor living needs. We are an active member of the Better Business Bureau and we look forward to earning your business.
See our photo gallery for additional ideas.
Call us today at 281-773-1255.