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Patio Covers in Maricopa, CA

Maricopa sits 43 miles south-west of Bakersfield, in the extreme south-west corner of the valley where the ground rises into the Coast Ranges at 883 ft. About six inches of rain a year and roughly 275 frost-free days. Sun protection is the whole brief.

883 ft0 psf ground snowMaricopa city hall
Vine-covered pergola over a stone patio with a dining tableSolid roof over lounge seating
1,026Population
883 ftElevation
0 psfGround snow load
LocalPermit authority
The place

What shaped Maricopa

The smallest incorporated city on this list. Oil built it and the Midway-Sunset field, the third largest in the country, runs adjacent to the north and east.

About six inches of rain a year and roughly 275 frost-free days. Sun protection is the whole brief.

The permit

Who decides here

Maricopa 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.

Costs

Planning ranges that apply in Maricopa

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 Maricopa

Who issues a patio cover permit in Maricopa?

Maricopa 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 883 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 Maricopa?

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.