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Patio Covers in Buttonwillow, CA

Buttonwillow sits about 26 miles west of Bakersfield, in the valley floor at 269 ft. The lowest elevation on this list, and a cold desert climate with about six inches of rain a year.

269 ft0 psf ground snowKern County Public Works, Building Inspection Division
Two-storey house with a front porch and covered entrySolid roof over lounge seating
1,337Population
269 ftElevation
0 psfGround snow load
CountyPermit authority
The place

What shaped Buttonwillow

Cotton country, with the Elk Hills oil field to the south and a raceway that brings traffic through. It is named for a buttonbush that served as a Yokuts landmark.

The lowest elevation on this list, and a cold desert climate with about six inches of rain a year.

The permit

Who decides here

Kern County Public Works, Building Inspection Division issues building permits here. The counter is at 2700 M Street, Suite 150 in Bakersfield, on (661) 862-8650, open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

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.

Costs

Planning ranges that apply in Buttonwillow

StructureInstalled rangeUnitTypical
Lattice patio cover$22 - $40per sq ft$30
Alumawood patio cover$28 - $48per sq ft$38
Solid patio cover$30 - $52per sq ft$40
Insulated patio cover$38 - $68per sq ft$52
Louvered or motorised pergola$75 - $150per 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.

Questions

Patio covers in Buttonwillow

Who issues a patio cover permit in Buttonwillow?

Kern County Public Works, Building Inspection Division issues building permits here. The counter is at 2700 M Street, Suite 150 in Bakersfield, on (661) 862-8650, open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

Is there a snow load to design for?

No. At 269 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 Buttonwillow?

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.