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Two tired wood patio covers on a 1960s North Clairemont ranch home were termite infested and gave little shade. Southwest Builders replaced both with custom Elitewood Alumawood insulated aluminum covers on engineered steel reinforced headers, with electrical and ceiling lighting.

The old aluminum awning had been there since the 1970s. Southwest Builders replaced it with an insulated Alumawood Elitewood Ultra patio cover on an open two post design, with LED ceiling lights, fans and receptacles built in.

The homeowners loved spending time outside with family and friends, but their existing pergola kit was falling short in both function and appearance. After only a few years, the structure had started leaning and no longer felt like a safe or inviting outdoor living space. Instead of creating comfort and connection, the patio area felt incomplete and underwhelming for a beautiful two story home in Allied Gardens.

The Sluys family loved spending time outdoors, but their aging wooden pergola had become more of a headache than a retreat. Years of exposure had left the structure worn, weathered, and rotting in places, creating ongoing maintenance concerns and constant repainting. They also wanted a safer, more insurance friendly solution that could stand up to the Southern California climate without the upkeep that comes with traditional wood.

The homeowners had been living with a worn-out aluminum patio cover from the 1960s, an aging structure that offered little comfort, minimal protection from the elements, and no real sense of usable living space. It wasn’t a place to relax, entertain, or enjoy their beautiful San Diego backyard, just an outdated add-on that no longer matched how they wanted to live.

Watch this attached Alumawood insulated patio cover and Pergola installation in Clairemont Mesa, San Diego, showcasing engineered attachment, clean integration, and long-lasting outdoor shade.

The homeowners loved their Poway home, but their outdoor spaces weren’t living up to their potential. With both a second-story deck and a ground-level patio exposed to the sun, there was little relief from the heat and no comfortable way to enjoy the space throughout the day. Without proper coverage, these areas felt more like pass-through zones than places to relax or entertain.

The backyard had great potential—a pool, space to gather, and the charm of a 1960s craftsman home—but the old aluminum awning was worn out and didn’t offer the comfort or style the family wanted. It left the space feeling dated and limited how often they could truly enjoy being outside, especially during hot days or unexpected rain.

Kevin and Cheryl loved spending time outside at their Jamul ranch, but their aging wood pergola had become more of a liability than a retreat. Years of exposure had led to fungus and termite damage, leaving the structure compromised and unsafe. Living in the high-fire-risk hills of San Diego County also meant they needed a non-combustible solution, something durable that could stand up to the elements while still complementing the beauty of their 10-acre property and orchard views.

Before this project, the homeowners were dealing with old, termite-damaged wooden pergolas that were unsafe and no longer functional. Their outdoor spaces felt unfinished, uncomfortable, and limited in use, while the southern-facing side of the house suffered from direct sun, making the interior hot and the walls exposed. The family wanted to preserve and enhance their childhood home, but the existing structures were holding them back.

Before this project, the backyard had one big problem. Zero shade. The patio was wide open to the San Diego sun, which meant no comfort, no place to gather, and no real way to move forward with the outdoor kitchen the homeowners were planning. The space looked unfinished and unusable, especially for a brand new Spanish style ranch home that deserved better.

Watch this attached Alumawood insualted patio cover and Pergola installation in Clairemont Mesa, San Diego, showcasing engineered attachment, clean integration, and long-lasting outdoor shade.

What began as a termite-infested wooden pergola had turned into more of a liability than a luxury for homeowners Randy and Judy. Their beautiful San Diego home sat along a scenic golf course, but the deteriorating structure limited how much they could enjoy their backyard views. The old wood required constant upkeep and offered little protection from the sun—far from the inviting outdoor retreat they envisioned.


Watch this attached Alumawood pergola installation in Clairmont Mesa, San Diego, showcasing engineered attachment, clean integration, and long-lasting outdoor shade.

What started as a worn, water-damaged patio cover had become an eyesore and a headache for this San Diego Airbnb host. The outdoor area, set beside a sparkling pool and relaxing spa, had all the potential to be a guest favorite, but the deteriorating structure and lack of proper rain protection made it hard to enjoy and even harder to maintain.

Blocks from the ocean in Pacific Beach, this couple’s patio had all sun and no shade. Southwest Builders designed and installed an Elitewood Ultra insulated patio cover with a custom post layout and integrated gutter in four days.

Jim and Blanca’s rotting wood pergola in Chula Vista came down and a color-matched Alumawood Elitewood Classic aluminum pergola went up on the existing column bases in five days, with a GFCI outlet on the post.

Southwest Builders replaced the rotting wood pergola in Riverwalk’s Santee common area with a 16 by 35 foot freestanding Alumawood Elitewood Classic pergola in brown, with integrated lighting, in five days.

Tom and Debra’s Lakeside patio had no shade. Southwest Builders installed a 12 by 40 foot Elitewood Classic insulated patio cover with LED lights, ceiling fans and roller shades in five days, as part of a full backyard transformation.

A rotted wood pergola came down and a Four Seasons Elitewood Solar Ready aluminum patio cover went up over this Rancho San Diego pool and hot tub area in five days, on a hidden-steel double beam ready for panels.

On a ranch bungalow in the hills of El Cajon, Southwest Builders replaced an aging wood pergola with a roof-mounted Elitewood aluminum patio cover built for height and an integrated ceiling fan, in four to five days.