Mobile Screened Porches - Patio Cover Installation
A patio cover is a roofed structure over your existing patio that provides shade and rain protection without enclosing the sides with screen or glass. It's a simpler and lower-cost project than a full screened porch - you're adding a roof and support posts, not building an enclosed room. For Mobile homeowners who want to be able to sit outside during afternoon rain showers or who want to cut direct sun exposure on a south-facing patio, a patio cover does that without the full investment of a screened porch.
If bugs are the primary issue, a patio cover alone won't solve it - you need screen for that. But we can add screen curtains to any patio cover design, giving you the flexibility to pull them down when mosquitoes are bad and roll them up when they're not.
Types of Patio Covers We Build
Solid Attached Patio Roof
The most common type - a solid insulated or corrugated aluminum roof panel system attached to your home's fascia or wall, supported by posts on the outer edge. It provides full rain protection and significant shade. Drainage has to slope correctly away from the house - Mobile's rainfall is heavy and fast, and a flat or back-pitched roof over a patio creates water problems quickly. We pitch every attached cover at a minimum 1/4 inch per foot, with gutters standard on the outer edge.
Freestanding Pergola or Cover
Freestanding structures work for patios that are set away from the house, or where the homeowner wants to avoid attaching to the existing structure. Posts are set in concrete footings at the patio perimeter. Can be built with a solid roof, a louvered system, or a lattice top (lattice provides minimal rain protection but significant shade from direct sun).
Louvered Patio Covers
Adjustable louvered roof systems let you dial in shade vs open sky depending on conditions. Open louvers let rain and breeze through; closed louvers shed water like a solid roof. These are higher cost but give you more flexibility. Popular in Fairhope and Daphne on waterfront properties where you want to watch the weather come in without getting wet.
Aluminum vs Wood for Mobile Patio Covers
Mobile's humidity and rainfall make material choice matter more than it would in a drier climate. The practical comparison:
- Aluminum framing with powder-coat finish - no rot, no painting required, holds up to salt air near Mobile Bay, typically 20-30 year finish life. Higher upfront cost, lower lifetime maintenance cost
- Pressure-treated wood - lower upfront cost, traditional look that works with older Midtown and Spring Hill homes, but requires repainting every 5-7 years and monitoring for rot at post bases and beam connections. Use ground-contact lumber at any post that contacts the slab or soil
- For roofing panels, aluminum corrugated or insulated panels are standard. They handle Mobile's rainfall volumes well, don't rust, and are lighter than steel
We carry both options and will recommend based on your home's architecture, your maintenance tolerance, and your budget.
Patio Cover Costs and Permits in Mobile
Patio cover costs in Mobile range from $4,000 to $12,000 depending on size, structure type (attached vs freestanding), roofing material, and whether screen curtains are added. A standard 12x16 attached aluminum patio cover runs $5,000-$7,500 installed. Louvered systems cost more - add $2,000-$4,000 over a standard solid roof for the adjustable mechanism.
Mobile requires a building permit for patio covers that are attached to the house or that exceed a certain square footage even if freestanding. The permit threshold and process are the same as for screened porches - filed with Mobile's Building Services Department, 2-3 week typical approval. We handle all permit work. Small freestanding shade structures may not require a permit, but we verify with the city before starting work.
If you're interested in adding screens to your patio cover to get bug protection, the total project cost for a patio cover with screen curtains typically runs $7,000-$14,000 - approaching screened porch territory. At that point, it may be worth comparing to a full porch enclosure, which we can discuss during the estimate visit.
Serving Mobile and Surrounding Areas
We install patio covers across Mobile, Saraland, Fairhope, Daphne, Spanish Fort, and the broader Mobile County and Eastern Shore area. Contact us for a free in-home estimate anywhere within 45 miles of downtown Mobile.