I miss the nice cool porch at my old house. Since my one-story ranch house doesn't have a porch, I have been thinking about having an aluminum porch roof installed in the front of our house. Here is an example:

http://www.tricountyenclosuresystems.com/roof-pictures.htm

An awning guy came out to give me an estimate. I thought that he was going to use 'insulated" aluminum panels, such as these:

http://www.crestaluminum.com/Main/Insulated%20Panels/Roof%20Panels.htm

They are composed of 2 pieces of aluminum with styrofoam sandwiched inside, and this would block out heat & keep the porch cool. (Because otherwise I imagine it would be hot sitting underneath a metal roof.) Also the top of the roof would be flat and you could walk on it & sweep the snow off.

On further conversation, it turns out he was not going to install an insulated roof, but one that was composed of u-shaped single-layer aluminum panels like this one:

http://www.crestaluminum.com/Main/PatioCovers/Roof%20Panels.htm

When I questioned him, he said "you don't really need insulated panels unless you are going to enclose it & build a 3-season room."

Now I'm really confused! I don't want a 3-season enclosed porch, but I do want something that is shady and cool. Does anyone here know anything about aluminum porch roofs/patio covers?