Patio Covers in Tehachapi, CA
Tehachapi sits 35 miles south-east of Bakersfield, 41 by road on CA-58, in the Tehachapi Mountains, between the valley and the Mojave at 3,970 ft. This is a genuinely different build. Kern County applies a 20 psf ground snow load above 3,500 feet, and Tehachapi gets 15 to 20 inches of snow most winters with temperatures from 105 degrees down to below zero. Wind through the pass is severe.
Structure carrying snowWhat shaped Tehachapi
A Southern Pacific railroad junction from 1876, now surrounded by one of the largest wind developments in the state with several thousand turbines in the pass.
This is a genuinely different build. Kern County applies a 20 psf ground snow load above 3,500 feet, and Tehachapi gets 15 to 20 inches of snow most winters with temperatures from 105 degrees down to below zero. Wind through the pass is severe.
Who decides here
Tehachapi is an incorporated city with its own building department, so the permit is issued locally rather than by Kern County. Confirm submittal requirements with the city before assuming the county process applies.
Whichever department applies, the 120 square feet exemption does not cover an attached patio cover, and the openness threshold that separates a cover from an enclosure is a state rule that applies everywhere in California.
Planning ranges that apply in Tehachapi
| Structure | Installed range | Unit | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lattice patio cover | $22 - $40 | per sq ft | $30 |
| Alumawood patio cover | $28 - $48 | per sq ft | $38 |
| Solid patio cover | $30 - $52 | per sq ft | $40 |
| Insulated patio cover | $38 - $68 | per sq ft | $52 |
| Louvered or motorised pergola | $75 - $150 | per sq ft | $110 |
Planning ranges for the Bakersfield market, not quotes. They cover the structure as installed and exclude the permit, which is set by the authority having jurisdiction and is not published as a fixed figure here.
Patio covers in Tehachapi
Who issues a patio cover permit in Tehachapi?
Tehachapi is an incorporated city with its own building department, so the permit is issued locally rather than by Kern County. Confirm submittal requirements with the city before assuming the county process applies.
Is there a snow load to design for?
Yes. At 3,970 ft this is above the 3,500 foot threshold, so under Kern County Code of Building Regulations 17.06.140 Kern County applies a ground snow load of 20 psf. That is a structural requirement most valley patio cover systems are not supplied to meet.
What does a patio cover cost in Tehachapi?
The same planning ranges apply across the county: roughly $22 to $40 per square foot for lattice, $28 to $48 for Alumawood, $30 to $52 for solid, $38 to $68 insulated and $75 to $150 for a louvered system. Distance from Bakersfield and site access can move the labour component.
Does the 120 square foot exemption apply?
No more here than anywhere else in the county. The 120 square feet exemption is for detached accessory structures, and Kern County reads that as sheds and playhouses rather than patio covers.
Does a contractor need a licence for this work?
Yes. The $1,000 minor-work exemption does not apply where a permit is required, and a patio cover requires one. Licence status is checkable free on the CSLB website.
Nearby communities
The permit path changes across Kern County more than the work does. Check the one that matches your address.