Patios Box Hill, Outdoor Patios Covered for Rain and Winter Light

A patio roof turns the slab or deck at the back of a Box Hill home into an outdoor room that is used in July as well as January. Rain at Scoresby, the nearest long-record Bureau of Meteorology station, averages 851.9 mm a year over about 115 wet days, so the roof has to drain well, and June brings only about 3.9 hours of sun a day, so it also has to keep the kitchen light. Peak Pergolas designs and builds attached, fly-over and free standing patios across Box Hill, Blackburn, Forest Hill, Vermont South and the rest of Whitehorse, each one measured at the house, engineered for the block and lodged for a building permit.

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Pergola, patio and carport services

Box Hill and nearby suburbs covered

Free

Measure and written quote

3 steps

Measure, permit, build

Why Choose Peak Pergolas for Patios

Free on-site measure
Written, itemised quotes
Permits and engineering handled
Built for 115 wet days
Designs that keep rooms light

Peak Pergolas Box Hill

Patios Box Hill: Attached, Fly-Over and Free Standing Roofs

Patios in Box Hill are built in three layouts. Which one suits depends on the height of the eave, how the roof meets the house and where in the yard the covered space is wanted.

Attached patios fixed to the house

An attached patio is fixed to the fascia or the wall of the house on one side and stands on posts on the other. It is the most common layout and the most economical, because the house carries one edge of the roof. It works best where the eave is high enough for the patio roof to fall away from the house and still give comfortable headroom at the outer edge.

Fly-over patios raised above the gutter

A fly-over patio is lifted above the existing gutter on steel brackets fixed to the house roof framing. The patio roof clears the house roof, so a single-storey home with a low eave still gets a high ceiling over the alfresco, more light into the rooms behind and room for warm air to escape in summer. Fly-over brackets also leave the existing gutter in place to keep draining the house roof.

Free standing patios away from the house

A free standing patio stands on its own posts with no fixing to the house. It suits a covered area at the end of the garden, beside a pool, over an outdoor kitchen or on a home where the fascia cannot carry extra load. Because it is braced from every side rather than leaning on the house, the posts and beams are sized for that. See free standing pergolas for open-roof versions.

Peak Pergolas Box Hill

Patio Roofing: Colorbond, Clear, Insulated and Gable

The roof material decides how much rain, heat and light reaches the space below. Most Box Hill patios use one of four roof types, or a mix of them.

Colorbond patio roofs

Colorbond steel sheet is the standard patio roof: strong, light, quiet enough under a ceiling and available in colours that match the gutters, fascia and trim of the house. It gives full shade and full rain cover, which suits a west-facing yard or a space used mainly in summer.

Clear and opal roofing for darker yards

Where the patio sits over the main living room windows, or the yard faces south, a solid roof can leave the inside of the house dark through winter. Clear or opal polycarbonate sheets, used for the whole roof or as strips between Colorbond sheets, let daylight through while still keeping rain off. Opal sheets cut glare and some heat; clear sheets let in the most light. See polycarbonate pergolas.

Insulated patio roof panels

Insulated panels have a foam core between two steel skins. They block much more of the summer heat than a single sheet, soften the sound of rain on the roof and give a finished white ceiling underneath that can take downlights and a ceiling fan. They suit a patio that is used as an extra room. See insulated patios.

Gable patio roofs to match a pitched house

A gable roof rises to a ridge and suits the pitched tiled roofs common on Box Hill's interwar and post-war homes. Built to the same pitch, the patio looks part of the house and gains height in the centre. The gable end can stay open, be battened or be filled with clear sheet to let in the low winter sun. See gable roof pergolas.

Peak Pergolas Box Hill

How a Patio Is Built for Whitehorse Rain

A patio that leaks, sags or moves is almost always a patio built without allowing for the site. In Whitehorse that means water first, then ground and trees.

Roof fall and stormwater for 850 mm of rain

With about 850 mm of rain a year spread over roughly 115 days, the roof sees long spells of steady rain. It is set with a fall that clears water quickly, the gutter on the low side is sized for the full roof area and the downpipe is connected to the stormwater system, not left to spill onto the paving or against the house footings. Where the patio meets the house, flashing is fixed so the join cannot let water into the wall or behind the gutter.

Footings, posts and beams sized to the site

Each post sits on a concrete footing designed for the site class set by a soil test under AS 2870, so the footing suits the actual ground rather than an average. Beams are sized to the span, which is why a large patio can run long distances without posts in the middle of the table. Posts sit on galvanised stirrups or plates above the concrete so the bases stay dry.

Fitting around established trees

Many Whitehorse yards, particularly in Blackburn and Vermont, have large established trees. Footings are positioned to avoid main roots, the roof is set clear of overhanging branches and gutters are fitted with guards where leaf fall is heavy. Tree controls that may apply to the property are checked before the footings are set out, so the design does not need to change after approval.

Peak Pergolas Box Hill

Patio Builders in Box Hill: Measured, Drawn and Permitted

A patio is a long-lived part of the house, so the design and paperwork matter as much as the build. Peak Pergolas handles both, from the first measure to the final inspection.

Patio designs drawn to the house

The free measure records the real heights of the fascia and eave, the line of the gutter, the window and door heads, the slab or ground levels and the path for stormwater. The patio is then drawn to those numbers, with the roof shape, pitch, colours and post positions chosen to suit the house. Older homes rarely have a perfectly straight fascia or level slab, so packing and fixings are planned in the drawing rather than worked out on the day.

Building permit and overlay checks

Whitehorse City Council's rules require a building permit for any structure attached to the house and for any roof area over 10 square metres, which covers almost every patio. The property is checked on Whitehorse Maps for overlays such as heritage or neighbourhood character, which can mean a planning permit is needed first. Engineering is prepared with the drawings and the application is lodged as part of the job. See pergola permits.

Peak Pergolas Box Hill

What Sets the Price of a Patio in Box Hill

Every patio is priced from a free measure and a written, itemised quote, with each part of the job listed so the total can be checked line by line.

Floor area and roof type

The size of the roof drives most of the cost: more area means more sheets, purlins, beams and gutter. The roof type comes next. A flat Colorbond roof is the most economical, clear or opal sections add a little, a gable roof costs more for the ridge and extra framing, and insulated panels sit at the top of the range. Fly-over brackets are priced as their own line.

Removing an old pergola, access and slope

Many Box Hill backyards already have an ageing pergola or patio. Where it has to come down first, removal, disposal and any repairs to the fascia or gutter are shown separately. A sloping block needs taller posts at the low end and sometimes stepped footings, and a yard with no side access means materials are carried through, which takes longer. Permit, drawings and engineering are also listed separately.

Peak Pergolas Box Hill

Patio Ideas for Whitehorse Backyards

A covered patio is used differently from house to house. These are the most common ways Whitehorse families set one up, and what each one needs from the roof.

Alfresco dining and outdoor kitchens

For a table and barbecue, the roof needs enough height and fall for smoke and heat to clear, and enough span to keep posts away from the chairs. An outdoor kitchen benefits from a solid or insulated roof over the bench, with power and lighting run before the ceiling goes in.

Patio awnings or a full patio roof

A patio awning is a lighter cover, usually a fixed or retractable fabric or metal awning attached to the wall. It gives shade over a window or a small area but limited rain cover and less protection in wind. A full patio roof on posts covers a larger space, sheds rain to a gutter and stays up year round. In a climate with more than 100 wet days a year, most families who want to sit outside in winter choose the roof.

Adding blinds, lights and a ceiling fan

Outdoor blinds on the weather side turn a patio into a sheltered room for windy or wet days. Downlights and a ceiling fan are easiest under an insulated roof, where the wiring can be hidden, and power points can be added for heaters or the barbecue. Each extra is listed in the quote so it can be added now or later.

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What Our Patios Customers Say About Us

The Process

3 Step Process For Your Patios Needs

1. Free measure and written quote

A visit to measure the house and the yard, talk through materials, roofs and colours, and then a written, itemised quote.

2. Drawings, engineering and permit

Drawings and engineering are prepared for the site, overlays are checked and the building permit is lodged.

3. Build, inspect and hand over

Footings, frame and roof are built and inspected at each stage, the site is cleaned up and the finished structure is handed over.

Patios In Box Hill

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Everything you need to know about our Patios In Box Hill

How much does a patio cost in Box Hill?

The cost depends on the floor area, the roof type, the layout and the site. A flat Colorbond roof attached to the house is the most economical, while gable roofs, fly-over brackets and insulated panels cost more. Removing an old structure and a sloping block add to the price. A free measure gives a written, itemised quote.

Do I need a permit for a patio in Whitehorse?

Almost always. Whitehorse City Council's rules require a building permit for any structure attached to the house and any roof over 10 square metres. Some properties also have overlays that need a planning permit first. The drawings, engineering and application are prepared as part of the job.

Will a patio roof make the house darker?

A solid roof over the main windows can, especially in winter. Clear or opal polycarbonate sections, a fly-over roof that sits higher, or an open gable end let more daylight reach the rooms behind while still keeping rain off the patio.

What is a fly-over patio?

A fly-over patio is raised above the existing gutter on steel brackets fixed to the house roof framing. It gives a higher ceiling and more light than a patio fixed under the eave, and suits single-storey homes with a low eave.

Can a patio be built near a large tree?

Usually, yes. Footings are placed to avoid main roots, the roof is kept clear of overhanging branches and gutter guards are fitted where leaves drop. Any tree controls that apply to the property are checked before work starts.

What happens at the free measure?

The area is measured, along with the fascia height, the window and door heads, the slab levels and where stormwater can go. Layouts, roof types and colours are talked through, and a written, itemised quote follows.