Custom covered porches, pergolas, and screened enclosures designed and built for Raleigh homeowners who want outdoor living space they can actually use through the summer heat and Carolina rain. Our licensed crew builds attached and freestanding structures across Wake County and the Triangle with full permits, inspections, and a written workmanship warranty on every build.
Raleigh summers are hot. A covered porch or deck gives you a shaded outdoor space you can actually sit in when it is 95 degrees outside. It keeps you dry when afternoon storms roll through in July and August. It extends your outdoor season into spring and fall when an open deck gets too wet or too cold to be comfortable. A well-built covered porch also adds significant value to your home. Real estate data consistently shows that covered outdoor living spaces are one of the highest-return additions a Raleigh homeowner can make. We design and build every covered porch to fit your home’s architecture, your yard’s layout, and how your family actually wants to spend time outside.
An attached covered porch connects directly to your home and shares the roofline or ties into the existing structure. This is the most popular option in Raleigh because it gives you covered outdoor space that flows naturally from the inside of the house. It feels like a natural extension of your living space and adds the most functional value to your home.
A pergola or freestanding shade structure is built independently from the house and placed wherever your yard layout makes sense. Great for covering a patio, a pool area, an outdoor kitchen, or a spot away from the house where you want a shaded retreat. Pergola kits and custom-built timber frames are both options. We help you pick the right approach for your space and budget.
Not sure whether an attached porch or a freestanding pergola is the right fit for your yard? We will walk through both options at your free design consultation and help you figure out what makes the most sense for your home.
The most common build we do in Raleigh. A covered porch off the back of the house with a full roof, ceiling fan rough-in, and composite or pressure-treated decking underfoot. Turns an ordinary back yard into a comfortable outdoor room you can use ten months out of the year in the Triangle.
If you already have a deck, adding a pergola structure on top of it gives you shade and visual definition without rebuilding the whole thing. We assess the existing deck framing to confirm it can carry the pergola load before we quote. Most pergola-over-deck projects are completed in two to three days.
An open pergola without a solid roof lets light and air through while still defining the space and providing partial shade. Popular over patios, outdoor dining areas, and pool decks. Can be paired with shade sails, climbing plants, or a retractable canopy for more coverage when you want it.
A screened porch takes a covered porch structure and adds screen panels around the perimeter to keep bugs out while keeping the space open and airy. One of the most requested upgrades in Raleigh because it solves the mosquito problem that makes outdoor sitting hard in NC summers.
Covered porches and pergolas are structural additions to your home. Every build is engineered correctly and inspected to code.
Concrete poured footings sized to NC residential structural code. Post bases and post caps at every connection. Post size and footing depth are confirmed to carry the specific roof or pergola load being built.
Attached covered porches tie into the existing roofline or use a shed roof design depending on your home’s architecture. Rafter sizing and spacing are engineered to NC load requirements including snow load and wind uplift for our region.
Pressure-treated wood or composite decking on the porch floor. Composite is popular for covered porches because it stays cleaner and does not need sealing even in a covered environment with low airflow.
Tongue-and-groove pine or beadboard ceiling is standard on covered porches. We rough in a ceiling fan junction box at the time of framing on every covered porch so you can add a fan at any time without opening the ceiling.
Railings are required on any porch surface more than 30 inches above grade. We install code-compliant railing systems with maximum 4-inch baluster spacing. Porch steps are included and sized correctly for the finished floor height of the porch.
Covered porches require a building permit in Wake County and most Triangle cities. Permits typically require structural drawings showing the roof design and footing sizes. We handle all of this on every build at no extra charge.
No surprise costs. No missing line items. Everything on your written quote is in the finished build.
We come to your home, look at your existing roofline and exterior, measure the space, and talk through every option that fits your home and your budget. We discuss roof pitch, ceiling style, decking material, railing options, and whether a screened enclosure makes sense for your situation.
Detailed written quote within 48 hours. Every structural component, every material, every permit fee is listed clearly. For covered porch permits we prepare basic structural drawings showing footing sizes and rafter spans. No vague estimates.
We submit the permit application and structural drawings to Wake County or your city. We schedule and attend the framing inspection mid-build and the final inspection when the porch is complete. You do not have to deal with any of this.
Our crew builds your covered porch from footings to ridge cap. Most single-story covered porch additions take five to eight days to complete. We walk the finished porch with you at the end and do not call it done until you are satisfied.
Most covered porch and pergola builds in the Raleigh area fall into these installed ranges:
Attached Covered Porch (with roof)
$180 to $350 per sq ft
Pergola or Open Shade Structure
$80 to $160 per sq ft
Add-ons
Screened enclosure panels, ceiling fan, lighting, composite decking, outdoor fireplace rough-in
Final pricing depends on porch size, roof design, ceiling finish, decking material, and whether screening is included. The number on your written quote is the number you pay. We have never adjusted a price after a build started.
Covered porch builds are bigger projects and bigger quotes. We have never changed that number on a homeowner after the work started. Not once in 20 years of building in Raleigh.
“Best home improvement we have ever done. We use the porch every single day.”
Recent Wake Forest, NC homeowner
We design and build covered porches and pergolas for homeowners across Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Durham, and the entire Triangle. Same licensed crew, same written warranty, and no extra travel fees in any city we serve.
Yes. Any covered porch addition in Wake County requires a building permit. The permit process requires structural drawings showing the footing sizes, rafter spans, and how the new structure connects to the house. Some cities like Raleigh and Cary have additional requirements for structures attached to the main dwelling. We prepare all drawings, pull the permit, and handle both the framing and final inspections on every covered porch we build.
Most single-story attached covered porches take five to eight days from the first post to the final walkthrough. Larger porches, two-story structures, and builds that include screening or a more complex roof design can take ten to fourteen days. Permit approval typically takes one to two weeks in Wake County before we can begin. We give you a clear project timeline in your written quote that includes the permit wait and the build days.
A covered porch has a solid roof that keeps rain out completely. You can use a covered porch in the rain and it stays fully dry. A pergola has an open or slatted roof structure that provides partial shade but does not keep rain out. Pergolas are better suited for patios and pool areas where you want shade and structure but do not need full weather protection. We build both and will help you decide which fits your needs at the estimate.
Yes. Screening can be added to a covered porch at any time. If you think you might want screening in the future, tell us at the design consultation and we will frame the porch with screening in mind. That means proper header heights, correct post spacing, and a door rough-in so adding screens later is straightforward and does not require major modifications to the structure.
Composite decking is the top choice for covered porch floors in Raleigh. It holds up better than pressure-treated wood in a covered low-airflow environment because it does not need sealing and resists moisture without any treatment. Pressure-treated wood is also a good option at a lower upfront cost. We bring physical samples of both to your design consultation so you can compare them in person at your home.
Yes. Multiple studies of North Carolina real estate data show that covered outdoor living spaces are one of the highest-return additions a Raleigh homeowner can make. Buyers in the Triangle actively look for covered porch space because everyone who has lived through a Raleigh summer knows how much it matters. A well-built covered porch typically returns 70 to 90 percent of its build cost at resale according to regional data.
Yes. Adding a covered porch structure over an existing deck is one of the most common projects we do. The first step is assessing whether the existing deck framing is strong enough to carry the additional roof load. If the footings and posts are undersized we will upgrade them before adding the roof. If the existing structure is solid we can often build the covered porch without rebuilding the deck at all. We assess this at your free estimate before quoting any options.
Free design consultation. Honest written pricing. A real Raleigh crew that designs your porch around your home, pulls every permit, passes every inspection, and builds a space your family will use every single day.
Or call us at (919) 555-0142 Monday through Saturday, 7:30am to 6pm.
Low-maintenance composite decking that never warps or splinters.
Solid wood decking at a lower upfront cost, built for NC weather.
Fully enclosed screened porch builds that keep the bugs out all summer.
Custom pool surround decks in composite and pressure-treated wood.
RALEIGH, NC
Free design consultation from a real Raleigh crew. We will come to your home, look at your roofline and yard, and give you a written quote with no obligation to move forward.
