A pergola is simple: posts, beams, rafters, sky. That simplicity is why bad ones are so easy to spot: a sagging beam or a leaning post has nowhere to hide. Ours stay square because the parts you can't see are done right.
Built like a structure, not furniture
Big-box pergola kits are furniture: bolted corners, surface-mounted post bases, lumber sized to ship cheap. We build pergolas like small buildings:
- Posts set in concrete below grade (or anchored to existing concrete with rated standoff bases), plumb and braced until cured.
- Beams sized for the span. A beam that's technically strong enough can still sag visibly over ten feet; we size for stiffness so the lines stay straight.
- Joinery that works with wood movement. Notched and through-bolted connections where it matters, not just angle brackets and lag screws into end grain.
- Rafter tops cut clean. The shaped rafter tail is the signature of a custom pergola, and we cut them to your pick of profile.
Design choices that matter
- Attached to the house over a patio or deck, or freestanding over a seating area, hot tub, or garden path.
- Top density: rafters only for a light filter, added purlins for real shade, or a louvered section over the seating zone.
- Cedar or treated pine, stained or painted to match your trim.
- Extras: privacy screens on one side, a bar rail, hooks for string lights and shade cloth (planned into the framing, not screwed in later).
If what you actually want is a solid roof against rain, that's a pavilion; our pavilions page covers roof styles, fans, and outdoor kitchens, and we'll quote whichever the yard really wants.
What drives the price
Footprint and lumber, mainly. A 10x12 attached pergola in treated pine is the approachable end; a freestanding 16x20 in cedar with a louvered center is a serious structure with a price to match. Site conditions matter too: anchoring to an existing slab is quicker than digging four footings. As always, the quote is itemized and free, and usually back to you the same day.