Posted by Mike Kluba on Tue, Jun 08, 2010 @ 06:22 PM
Patio enclosures and sunrooms continue to be an excellent way to quickly add living space and at a very low cost when compared to conventional construction. New features include:
1.) THICKER INSULATED WALLS - Wall systems now are up to 4" thick with EPS foam for an R factor of R-15 or Polyiso Foam for an R factor of R-28. No more honeycomb cores that can delaminate. Today's walls are solid, that is, the insulation is injected between the wall panels. No gaps or air pockets.
2.) EXTRUDED ALUMINUM FRAMING MEMBERS - Factory finished with lifetime warranties, these extrusions come in colors and will last a lifetime.
3.) WINDOW SELECTIONS - Windows are sliding with removeable screens and locks. The standard window is tempered glass but there are many options. Dual-Pane glass for insulation from noise and weather conditions. Energy saving Low E glass is available as well as Solex tinted. A vinyl window system with dual-pane glass and Argon gas is also available.
You can also dress up your sunroom or patio enclosure with dual-pane glass windows with grids for a french window and door look. Transom glass can be added above or below your widows. This look provides more light and "opens" the room for a more spacious feel.
Posted by Mike Kluba on Wed, May 26, 2010 @ 05:43 PM
While lattice patio covers are our most popular style many times homeowners want more protection from direct sun and rain. A solid or full shade patio cover is the best solution.
Until recently this style of patio cover came only in the old style corrugated aluminum or wood frame & shingle structures. In the last few years the insulated aluminum patio cover has emerged as our most popular style. Here is why:
- Insulated Laminated Roof Panels (LRP) are manufactured with high density expanded polystyrene cores (EPS)that are uniformly bonded between two heavy guage textured aluminum skins. The resulting one-piece insulated panel system creates a patio cover with superior strength.
- The panels are flat on top and bottom giving a very pleasing appearance even when viewed from above as in a two story home.
- The insulated roof panels create a thermal barrier system that will not radiate heat like single-skin, non-insulated patio covers.
- The panels are walkable. This enables the homeowner the ability to walk on the surface in order to gain access to the house for painting or other chores.
- Internal electrical channels are embedded into the insulated roof panels allowing for safe and easy wiring of ceiling fans or other light fixtures.
- The gutter system comes with lead guards to reduce the need to clean the gutters.
Posted by Mike Kluba on Fri, May 07, 2010 @ 05:45 PM
One of the most common questions we receive on a patio cover bid is "do I need a permit?" The answer is simply "yes". This also applies to replacing an old patio cover that was built with a permit. A new permit is required even if you are only replacing an existing structure. In fact, any structure over 4' high requires a permit including sunrooms, metal canopies, lattice and full shade patio covers.
Here are a few things to remember when working with your contractor:
- Your contractor should pull the permit using his license. If they ask you to pull a "owner/builder permit" this is a signal that the contractor does not have a valid license or they do not have the required insurance. This also means that you accept financial responsibility if there is an injury to a worker or damage to your property during the construction of the project.
- Permit fees charged by the city vary wildly from city to city. There are no guidelines. A city can charge what they want and these days many cities are using permit fees to extract money from the citizens to support their spending habits. If you want to know what the permit fees for your project will be call your local Department of Building & Safety. Tell them the type of project and the cost and they should help.
- The city will usually require a set of engineered plans drawn up by a licensed structural engineer. These plans will show how the patio cover or sunroom is going to be built and will meet local building codes. Some cities have "standard plans" that can be used but these are becoming rare. The plans have to be "wet stamped" by the structural engineer. These means they must be originals and not photocopies. Your contractor will provide these plans. The cost can be built into his bid or billed separately.
- The city will also require a plot plan. This is a bird's eye view of your property showing the entire lot with existing structures on it. It should be drawn to scale. Once again, your contractor will drawn one up or perhaps you have a plot plan used to pull a permit on another project.
- When the building inspector signs off on the permit you should keep the documents yourself. Frequently I have homeowners tell me that a contractor pulled a permit on work performed but they do not have a copy. This means the contractor actually did not pull the permit.
- If you have work done without a permit or decide later you want a permit on some type of structure or work done on your home you can still get a permit. This is called an "as built" permit. In order to get this type of permit you need to follow the guidelines described above and the work must meet current building codes.
Posted by Mike Kluba on Tue, Apr 20, 2010 @ 05:37 PM
One of the most common calls we get for a patio cover is to cover a leaking deck or balcony. Usually the homeowner has tried several methods to fix the leak. Usually all the methods fail. "Water always wins." A leak on a deck or balcony is almost impossible to fix. 
A solid patio cover, either flat pan or insulated, will usually do the job. The cover is installed with a one to two foot overhand and always comes with a gutter and downspout. The overhand is to prevent rain from dripping into the balcony.
The additional benefit is that the windows and doors will also be protected and the rooms adjacent to the balcony will be much cooler. If you are concerned about the loss of light coming into the room look at our polycarbonate covers.
Posted by Mike Kluba on Mon, Apr 19, 2010 @ 12:05 PM
Recently I received plans to bid on a small overhead hanger rod canopy over a loading dock. The canopy was only about 90 sq.ft. The engineer specified using Verco steel roof decking with puddle and button punch welds, structural steel framing and custom hanger rods. These are the type of specifications to be used on very, very large canopies but not this job. The canopy has to be fabricated by a structural steel contractor, the steel has to be primed and painted, there is on site welding, and installation would take several days.
By using a pre-engineered and pre-fabricated canopy the cost of this job could have been reduced by at least 50%. Aluminum hanger rod canopies can span up to 16'. They include gutters, factory applied finish and can usually be installed in one or two days. They are custom engineered to meet local building codes.
These benefits are also available with freestanding or attached metal canopies. It seems that the challenge is to get engineers who design these jobs to recognize the benefits of pre-engineered and pre-fabricated canopies. The benefits are lower cost and faster installation.
Posted by Mike Kluba on Wed, Apr 07, 2010 @ 05:49 PM
EXAMPLE 1. If you are having interlocking pavers installed and you intend to add a patio cover, you will need to have concrete footings installed below the pavers. Why not select your patio cover contractor before you start the project? He can meet with your landscape contractor and spot the location and size of the footings. You will save money and avoid the cost and mess of pulling up the new pavers so the footings can be dug out and poured.
EXAMPLE 2. Frequently we come to a home with a new concrete slab and the contractor has embedded steel straps for wood patio cover posts. The new aluminum patio covers can be surface mounted on a slab. This type of installation meets and exceeds all building codes. You will save the expense of the installation of the steel straps and the expense of having them removed
EXAMPLE 3. This is the most common mistake, creates the most problems and is the easiest to avoid. The mistake is waiting until the landscape project is completed or nearly completed before bringing in your patio cover contractor. Not only do you need to learn about the new maintenance free materials but you need to incorporate your patio cover design into your landscape design. Before any work begins select your contractor and the style of patio cover you want and make sure your landscape contractor is in the loop.
Posted by Mike Kluba on Fri, Apr 02, 2010 @ 05:39 PM
Lights can be added to your aluminum patio cover with a minimum of unslightly conduit. Wiring can be pulled inside the components. Lights, speakers, outdoor TV's and ceiling fans complete an outdoor project.
Posted by Mike Kluba on Fri, Mar 26, 2010 @ 05:26 PM
Frequently I get plans for a steel canopy to cover a small to medium area. The plans usually call for wide flange steel beams, purlins and steel roof decking. When I see these plans I wonder if the architect or engineer was aware of the benefits of aluminum.
Aluminum roof decking can span up to 18' without purlins. Post spacing is 18' - 20'. The footings are also much smaller. This, of course, means the canopy can be built at a much lower cost. This type of canopy is ideal for loading dock covers, lunch shelters, smoking shelters, material and equipment covers, etc.
If you need to cover a very large area and keep it clear of columns or posts than steel may be better. Steel wide flange beams come is much larger sizes and can be engineered to span large areas without posts or columns.
Posted by Mike Kluba on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 @ 11:44 AM
A new patio cover is going to cost thousands of dollars. It will add value to your home and provide years of service. Therefore, you want to be sure you plan the project carefully. Here are some suggestions we have learned from years of working with hundreds of homeowners.
SIZE MATTERS! There are no standard sizes. You should buy the largest cover your area and budget will allow. The area you cover will be the area you use. Next time you attend an outdoor function notice where everybody gathers. Usually they will find some type of shade or protection from the sun.
WHERE'S THE LIGHT? Lattice or shade bar is our most popular style. Usually because it provides 60-70% shade but still allows light to come through. Full shade or solid patio covers will protect your doors, windows and furnishings from the weather and direct sun. However, they will reduce light from coming in your home. You will need to take this into consideration when deciding on what style to choose. If your covered area faces the West or South then solid may be best. Either way you will save money on your home cooling energy bills.
MATERIALS - You can choose from wood, vinyl, aluminum or polycarbonate. My earlier blogs can help you understand the features and benefits of each except for wood. I cannot imagine why anyone would choose wood when they are so many quality alternatives. Wood will give you years of expensive maintenance until it is eaten by termites or rots from the elements.
PERMITS - Yes, your local city will require a permit even if you are replacing an old patio cover. Your contractor will take care of the plans and applications and pull it for you. The cost can vary dramatically from city to city. You can call the Department of Building and Safety in your city and ask for an estimate of the permit fees. A dirty little secret is that many cities are raising their permit fees as a silent method of extracting money from their citizens.
COST - Many things effect the cost such as demo of old cover, footings (if required), permits, style, size, etc. You can call a contractor and discuss budgets and it is always good to get multiple bids.
PLAN AHEAD - If you are planning a backyard remodeling project, be sure to include your patio cover in the overall plans. One of the biggest mistakes we see people make is to call us in when the landscaping is completed. You can usually save money by bringing your landscape contractor and patio cover contractor together before work begins.
Posted by Mike Kluba on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 @ 03:50 PM
The major drawback to a full shade or solid patio cover is the loss of light coming through the doors and windows covered. Maybe that is why lattice is our most popular style. But there are some possible solutions. Polycarbonate....If it is good enough for the windshield of an aircraft it will work on a patio cover roof. stronger than glass, polycarbonate is our most popular material to meet this challenge.
Skyvue Patio Covers (www.aluminumrailing.com) offer a very well built patio cover. The frame is powder coated extruded aluminum and is available in eight colors. The polycarbonate comes tinted with 50% or 75% shading. It will filter 98% of the harmful UV rays. This patio cover will provide the most protection while allowing the most light than any other patio cover on the market.
Metals USA offers the Illumaview Natural Light System as an option to their Elitewood Insulated patio cover. The insulated patio cover is 3" thick, walkable and comes with their exclusive Kynar finish. The Illumaview system consists of polycarbonate panels 16" wide that run the length of the patio cover. They can be placed every 4' or according to the width of your patio cover. This system is perfect when you need maximum protection but want to allow some light over doors or windows.
Another option is to build a lattice patio cover and install polycarbonate panels either over the entire cover or just areas where you want some protection. The polycarbonate comes in 4' wide sheets in either clear or bronze tint. They are connected at the seams to prevent leaking. This system is the least expensive and is very flexible. You can protect a small area such as a doorway or window or a large area such as your outdoor furniture. This type of installation has the benefit of being very flexible and allows you to create and
design your project as you like it.