2026 price ranges at a glance
| Project | Typical installed price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Wood pergola (open slat) | $5,000 to $15,000 | San Diego, 2026 |
| Aluminum patio cover (solid) | $45 to $60 per sq ft | San Diego, 2026 |
| Attached solid patio cover | $12,000 to $25,000 | San Diego, 2026 |
| Wood patio cover (solid) | $60 to $120 per sq ft | National, 2026 |
| Louvered pergola | $16,000 to $55,000+ | San Diego, 2026 |
| Screens added to an existing cover | $10 to $25 per sq ft | National, 2026 |
| Three-season room | $7,000 to $55,000 | National, 2026 |
| Sunroom | About $180 per sq ft average | San Diego, 2026 |
Ranges come from the sources listed at the bottom of this page. National figures are a floor for San Diego, where labor, engineering and permits typically cost more.
Patio covers
Aluminum is the most common choice in San Diego. Local contractors publish solid aluminum cover pricing of about $45 to $60 per square foot installed, and attached solid covers commonly total $12,000 to $25,000. Lattice covers cost less than solid, and insulated covers cost more. Wood covers offer the most design freedom but cost the most up front and need ongoing maintenance.
Pergolas
An open-slat wood pergola typically runs $5,000 to $15,000 installed in San Diego. Louvered pergolas, with blades that open and close, cost much more: about $16,000 to $28,000 for premium kit systems and $35,000 to $70,000 or more for dealer-installed custom systems.
Patio enclosures
If you already have a solid patio cover, adding screens is the most affordable way to enclose it, at roughly $10 to $25 per square foot nationally. Building a new screened patio from scratch runs about $10,000 to $35,000. Three-season rooms with vinyl or glass windows range widely, from about $7,000 to $55,000, depending on size and materials.
Sunrooms
Sunrooms are the biggest investment on this list. Current San Diego estimates average about $180 per square foot, or roughly $25,000 to $50,000 for a 200 square foot room. Four-season rooms with full insulation, energy-efficient glass and heating and cooling sit at the top of that range and beyond. Nationally, four-season rooms run about $16,000 to $70,000.
Common add-ons
| Add-on | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Motorized drop screens | $2,500 to $5,500 per opening |
| Infrared patio heaters | $800 to $1,800 each, plus circuit |
| Ductless mini-split (single zone) | $2,500 to $6,000 |
| New flooring in an enclosure | $4 to $15 per sq ft |
What drives cost
- Size: the single biggest factor on every project.
- Materials: aluminum, wood, vinyl, glass and insulated panels all price differently.
- Structure: freestanding designs need more posts and footings than attached ones.
- Site: slopes, soil and existing concrete affect footings.
- Electrical and HVAC: lights, fans, heaters and cooling add cost and permits.
- Engineering and permits: solid roofs and sunrooms usually need engineered plans.
Permits
In the City of San Diego, patio covers with 300 square feet of roof area or less on single-family homes and duplexes may be exempt from a building permit. That exemption does not apply in the Coastal Zone, on environmentally sensitive lands, in historic districts, in certain planned developments or where the structure encroaches into a setback. Electrical work needs its own permit, and sunrooms are usually reviewed as additions. Other cities in the county set their own rules, so ask your contractor what your project needs and whether permits are included in the price.
Sources
Prices checked October 2026. San Diego pergola, patio cover, louvered and add-on pricing: Install It Direct (updated March 2026). San Diego solid aluminum cover pricing: Soltech Patio Covers (updated October 2026). San Diego sunroom estimate: ContractorPlus (updated October 2026). National cover, enclosure and add-on ranges: HomeGuide (updated February 2026). Three- and four-season room ranges: HomeAdvisor (updated June 2026). Permit rules: City of San Diego Information Bulletin 206 (March 2026).