Postwar tracts, CSUN and a name every Californian knows

Patio Covers in Northridge, CA

Attached and freestanding covers for Northridge ranch houses, built with solid connections and permitted through the City of Los Angeles.

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Free on-site estimates
Written, itemized quotes before any work
Setbacks, height and fire zone rules checked before design

Shade Built for Northridge Ranch Houses

Patio Covers in Northridge often go onto tract homes built after World War II, when farm lots were split into housing for veterans and their families. Many of those homes may still have an older slab out back and, in some cases, an aging cover added decades later. Whether you own the house you live in or one of the many rentals near campus, a new cover is a chance to fix the shade, the drainage and the attachment to the house in one job.

The quake that carries the name

The January 17, 1994 earthquake was a magnitude 6.7 blind thrust event, and it produced some of the strongest ground motion recorded in North America. Most casualties and damage were in multi-story wood-frame buildings, and the vast majority of homes in the area were relatively unaffected, yet the event is a good reminder that anything attached to a house has to be fastened like it means it. When we attach a cover we check the ledger location, fasten into framing rather than fascia trim alone, and size posts and footings for the span. An older cover fastened only to rafter tails or trim is a reason to consider replacement.

Owners and landlords both

Northridge has an unusual mix. In the figures Wikipedia reports, 53.6% of homes are owner-occupied and 46.4% are rented, a high rental share driven in part by California State University, Northridge, which opened in 1956 and enrolled almost 40,000 students by fall 2016. The two groups ask for different things:

Owners usually want a cover that adds living space: insulated aluminum, a louvered roof, or a wood frame with fans and lights roughed in
Landlords usually want low upkeep: powder-coated aluminum or a simple lattice cover with no wood to repaint between tenants

We can quote both versions side by side so you can compare.

Covers and pergolas we install

Aluminum patio covers in solid, insulated or lattice styles. Wood patio covers with painted or stained beams. Pergolas, freestanding or attached, for open shade over a seating area. Louvered roof systems with adjustable blades. Lattice and shade covers for partial sun. Patio cover repair and replacement, including taking down a failing cover and building a new one on proper footings.

Summer in the middle of the Valley

Northridge sits on the flat floor of the San Fernando Valley, and summer afternoons are hot. In 1962 Nobel Junior High here became the first air-conditioned school in LAUSD, which says something about Valley summers. For a patio that faces south or west, a solid or insulated roof makes the biggest difference. Light-colored roof panels reflect more heat, and an insulated panel keeps the underside from radiating warmth onto the people below.

Permits and paperwork

Northridge is a City of Los Angeles neighborhood. Patio cover permits go through the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, and the rules there are different from those in Santa Clarita. We check setbacks, height and lot coverage for your parcel, confirm the current LADBS requirements, and include permit and inspection steps in the written quote. If you rent the house out, we can schedule work around a tenant's move-out.

Start with a visit

Call (661) 605-3157 or request an estimate online. We measure the patio, look at how the existing roof edge is framed, and leave you with a written quote that lists size, materials and timeline. Estimates are free.

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Northridge Background

Postwar tract development. Rapid development began after World War II, when agricultural lots were subdivided into single-family housing tracts for veterans and their families. Commercial development followed in the 1950s.
A high rental share. Owners occupy 53.6% of Northridge housing and renters 46.4%. CSUN, opened in 1956 as the San Fernando Valley Campus, had almost 40,000 students by fall 2016.
The 1994 earthquake. The magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck at 4:30 a.m. on January 17, 1994. Most casualties and damage were in multi-story wood-frame buildings, while most homes in the area were relatively unaffected.
Two strong quakes in 23 years. Before 1994, Northridge was also hit by the February 9, 1971 San Fernando (Sylmar) earthquake, magnitude 6.5, so solid connections on anything attached to a house matter here.
Low-density neighborhood. Northridge covers 9.47 square miles, and its 2000 density of 6,080 people per square mile was among the lowest in the city, which means many homes still have real backyards.

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Northridge Questions

Should I replace the old patio cover that came with my Northridge house?

If posts are rotted at the base, the roof sags, or the cover is fastened only to fascia or rafter tails, replacement is usually the better choice. We inspect the attachment and footings first and tell you whether a repair will hold.

I own a rental near CSUN. Which cover needs the least upkeep?

Powder-coated aluminum, either solid or lattice, needs no painting and handles heavy use. Wood looks warmer but needs repainting or restaining over time.

Does a patio cover in Northridge need a City of Los Angeles permit?

Northridge is inside the City of Los Angeles, so LADBS handles permits. We confirm current requirements for your parcel and include the permit steps and inspections in your written quote.

How do you attach a cover so it stays put in an earthquake?

We fasten the ledger into the house framing, not just trim, use hardware rated for the connection, and set posts on footings sized for the span. The goal is a cover that moves with the house instead of pulling away from it.

Free Estimates in Northridge, CA

Free estimates for Northridge homeowners and rental owners.

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