A covered patio built for fans, lights and cookouts needs four things decided before anyone pours concrete: whether it attaches to the house or stands free, what roof and ceiling it gets, where the power and the fan and light boxes go, and how far the grill sits from anything that can burn. Get those right and the rest is construction. On i30 Builders' published rates, an engineered 16 by 20 cedar cover over a sound existing slab comes to $40,280 for design, permits and the structure, plus $1,450 for a dedicated outdoor circuit; a new slab under it adds $6,080.
Attached or freestanding?
Attached covers tie into the house, so you walk out of the door straight into shade, and the roof can be matched to the house. They also bring the hardest details: the ledger or beam connection to the house, flashing where the new roof meets the old, and the roof pitch the existing eave allows. Freestanding covers stand on their own posts and piers, which gives you freedom on height and placement (over a pool deck, out by an outdoor kitchen) and keeps the new roof off the house entirely.
What roof and ceiling should it have?
- Standing seam metal: what our published structure rate prices; long-lived on a structure this exposed and it sheds no granules onto the furniture
- Shingles matched to the house: often the right call on an attached cover, quoted from the walk rather than at the metal rate
- Gable or shed: a gable adds height and a place for a fan to sit in the peak; a shed roof is simpler and suits a low eave
- Exposed rafters or a finished ceiling: tongue-and-groove gives a clean place to mount fans and lights and hide wiring; exposed rafters show the cedar
How do you plan the fans and lights?
Decide where every fan and light goes before the roof is framed, because that is when boxes and wiring paths are cheap. A ceiling fan hangs from a box rated to carry a fan, not a light box, and the framing has to give it something solid to bolt to. Fixtures and fans under a roof but open to the weather are typically in a damp or wet location under the electrical code, so they need to be listed for it; check the label before you buy. Outdoor receptacles need GFCI protection. If the power has to cross the yard, plan the conduit before the slab is poured; sleeving under new concrete costs little, and cutting it later costs a lot.
Our published electrical standard is a dedicated GFCI-protected circuit from the panel, trenched in conduit, to two weather-rated outlets, at $1,450. Fan and light wiring beyond that, switching, and any panel work are quoted on the plan, because they depend on how many fixtures you want and how far the panel is.
Can you grill under a covered patio?
Often, with clearances. Follow the grill manufacturer's instructions for distance to combustible walls and to the ceiling above, and give the heat and smoke a way out: height, an open side, and sometimes a vent hood. A cedar cover is combustible, so a built-in grill under one is planned as part of the cover, not added after it. If the cookout is the point, plan the outdoor kitchen and the cover together; outdoor kitchens covers the gas, power and water.
Engineering, permits and HOA review
A roofed structure is a load path, so cities want to see the post anchorage and roof framing, and most permit it as an accessory structure. Design, engineering and permitting is its own priced phase on our covers, $2,200, and it includes the city's fees. HOA approval comes separately and usually first. Patio cover and pergola permits, city by city covers Rockwall, Royse City, Rowlett, Forney, Fate, Heath and Wylie.
Written Scope
Planning this type of project?
Tell us your space, city, and timeline. We return a written scope with lump-sum pricing, no obligation.
What does a covered patio cost in the Dallas area?
| 16 by 20 cedar cover (320 SF) | Over a sound slab | With a new slab |
|---|---|---|
| Design, engineering and permits | $2,200 | $2,200 |
| Cedar structure at $119/SF | $38,080 | $38,080 |
| Reinforced concrete slab | None | $6,080 |
| Dedicated GFCI circuit, two outlets | $1,450 | $1,450 |
| Total at published rates | $41,730 | $47,810 |
Fan and light wiring beyond the two-outlet circuit, any panel work, and the fans and fixtures themselves are on top, quoted on the plan. The structure rate prices real cedar on engineered piers with a standing seam roof; a pressure-treated frame with shingles is a different product. The patio cover cost page works other sizes, and concrete patio cost prices the slab on its own.
How long does it take?
Engineering and permit review usually run several weeks and come first. Concrete is a day to pour and about a week to cure enough to build on. The structure itself is one to two weeks depending on size and roof, with the electrical rough-in before the ceiling closes and the trim at the end. Most of the calendar is review, not building.
Want shade without a roof? An open-top pergola costs less and keeps rain off nothing; what a cedar pergola costs breaks down a real one.
Plan the cover around how you use it
Tell us where the grill goes, how many fans you want and where the panel is. We design the cover, the wiring and the permit together and put the number in writing. See patio covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this topic from North Texas homeowners.
How much does a covered patio cost in the Dallas area?
At i30 Builders' published rates, an engineered 16 by 20 cedar cover over a sound slab is $41,730 with design, permits and a dedicated outdoor circuit, and $47,810 with a new slab. Fan and light wiring beyond the two-outlet circuit is quoted on the plan.
Can ceiling fans be added to a patio cover later?
Yes, but it is easier during the build: a fan needs a fan-rated box with solid framing above it and a wiring path, which are simple before the ceiling is finished and harder after. Plan the fan locations even if you buy the fans later.
Gable or flat roof for a patio cover?
A gable gives height and a natural spot for a fan and suits a freestanding cover; a low-slope shed roof suits an attached cover under a low eave. Our published rate prices a standing seam metal roof sloped for drainage either way.
Do I need a permit for a covered patio?
In the cities we work in, almost always: a roofed structure is a load path and is permitted as an accessory structure. The design, engineering and permit phase on our covers includes the application and the city's fees.
Will a patio cover make my living room darker?
It can, on the side of the house it covers. A higher roof, a gable, a lighter ceiling, or a freestanding cover set off the house all let more light reach the windows. We check the windows and sun on the walk.
Can I grill under a cedar patio cover?
Often, if the grill manufacturer's clearances to the walls and ceiling are met and heat and smoke have a way out. Plan the grill with the cover, not after it, because the cover is combustible.
About the author
Yelp
General contractor, Royse City, TX
Commercial tenant improvement, build-out and renovation, and residential outdoor living, fencing, additions and high-end kitchens and baths across Dallas-Fort Worth and East Texas.