DFW's patio cover builders.

Most permanent patio covers run $20 to $60 per square foot installed, depending on material and how the roof ties into the house. A 10x10 cover typically lands between $5,000 and $15,000, and a 10x20 between $10,000 and $22,500. The biggest price drivers are size, material, and whether the cover attaches to your roofline. See our full patio cover cost guide for a complete breakdown.

Aluminum runs about $20 to $50 per square foot and needs almost no maintenance, which makes it the practical pick for most Texas backyards. Solid wood runs $60 to $120 per square foot with a premium, custom look, but it needs periodic sealing to hold up to sun and rain. Insulated panels run $30 to $60, keep the space under the cover noticeably cooler, and come ready for fans and lights.

Attached patio covers almost always need a permit. Cities across Dallas and Fort Worth each have their own requirements for setbacks, engineering, and inspections, so the answer depends on where you live. A professional builder handles the engineering drawings and the permit as part of the project, so you do not have to navigate city hall yourself.

A pergola gives you partial shade at a lower cost, with prefab models typically running $1,450 to $5,750. A solid cover blocks sun and rain completely, so the patio stays usable year round, even in a downpour or the July heat. If you want an outdoor room you can count on in any weather, a solid cover is worth the step up.

Yes. Shading glass doors and west-facing windows cuts the heat load on the rooms behind them, so the adjacent living space stays noticeably cooler on summer afternoons. The patio itself also becomes usable in the heat instead of baking in direct sun.

Once the permit is in hand, most patio covers take 1 to 2 weeks of build time, weather permitting. Permitting time varies by city, so we build that into the schedule up front and keep you posted at every step.