Patio Covers in Ridgecrest, CA
Ridgecrest sits about 110 miles north-east of Bakersfield, in the Indian Wells Valley in the high Mojave, ringed by the Sierra Nevada, Coso, Argus and El Paso ranges at 2,290 ft. No snow load, but wind is the design driver: gusts to 75 mph are documented here, and the area is seismically very active, with a magnitude 7.1 event in 2019.
Attached patio coverWhat shaped Ridgecrest
The third-largest city in Kern County and the most isolated. Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake is the economy, accounting for thousands of jobs.
No snow load, but wind is the design driver: gusts to 75 mph are documented here, and the area is seismically very active, with a magnitude 7.1 event in 2019.
Who decides here
Ridgecrest 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 Ridgecrest
| 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 Ridgecrest
Who issues a patio cover permit in Ridgecrest?
Ridgecrest 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?
No. At 2,290 ft this sits below the 3,500 foot threshold in Kern County Code of Building Regulations 17.06.140, so the ground snow load is 0 psf. The design case here is heat, sun and wind rather than weight on the roof.
What does a patio cover cost in Ridgecrest?
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.