Patio Covers in Highland Park West, Austin, TX

Why did this Austin home need a patio cover?

The back patio sat wide open with no protection from the sun. In Highland Park West, that means an unusable slab from June through September when temps hit triple digits.

The homeowner wanted real shade without the upkeep a wood structure demands. So we sized a Renaissance Patio section to match the patio footprint exactly.

• Coverage area: 11 feet deep by 20 feet wide
• Finish selected: bronze, to match the home's trim
• Goal: usable outdoor space in summer heat and light winter rain

Why aluminum instead of wood or a wood-look cover?

Wood covers look great on day one, but Central Texas is hard on them. Our summers push past 100 degrees, spring brings hail, and cedar pollen coats everything from December to February. A wood frame in that mix warps, splits, and needs staining every few years. The homeowner would end up on a ladder every season just to keep it looking decent.

Aluminum solves all of that. The Renaissance Patio system uses a baked-on bronze finish that won't rust, rot, or fade under UV. Hail bounces off it. Pollen rinses off with a hose. That's why we steered this project toward the aluminum line instead of a framed wood build — less work for the homeowner, more years out of the structure.

What did the install involve?

We completed the full build in a single day on December 15, 2023. The winter timing worked in our favor — cooler temps and dry ground made for a clean, fast set.

• Anchored the support posts to the existing patio slab
• Set the 11Px20W cover section level across the span
• Sealed connection points against wind-driven rain
• Verified drainage pitch so water sheds away from the home

How does the finished cover hold up in Austin weather?

The bronze aluminum shell is built for exactly this climate. It shrugs off UV, sudden hailstorms, and the pollen season without a single coat of paint or sealer.

• No annual staining or sealing needed
• Rust-free finish rated for high-heat exposure
• Smooth surface that rinses clean after cedar season
• Sized to shade the entire patio, not just part of it

If you're weighing other exterior upgrades, aluminum covers pair well with new gutters to route runoff cleanly, or fresh exterior painting to tie the whole back elevation together.

What was the timeline from first call to finish?

The lead came in through Renaissance in October, and we moved steadily from there. The homeowner approved the scope, we scheduled the build, and the cover went up before the holidays.

• Lead received: Oct 10, 2023
• Scope approved: Nov 1, 2023
• Built and invoiced: Dec 15, 2023
• Project closed: Jan 4, 2024