Homeowners are paying more attention to their outdoor living spaces these days. In fact, they’ve become one of the leading home improvement investments. These spaces take on many forms from simple decks and grills to elaborate patios, outdoor kitchens, pools, and gardens. Of course, pergolas are common additions to people’s outdoor living areas as well. They can give people even more ways to enjoy their homes and properties, and some of them even have features that allow people to use them them all year long despite rain, wind, snow, and ice.
With pergolas being so popular at this point, many homeowners are left wondering just how much having one built might cost. There’s no straightforward answer here since there are so many designs and customization options available. Still, the following five factors can affect your pergola cost.
1) Square Footage
As is the case with any structure, the square footage that goes into a pergola will affect its overall cost. After all, the bigger it is, the more materials will be needed to build it, and the more labor will be involved in the process. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should go with a smaller pergola to cut costs, though. Building one that’s big enough to meet your needs and mesh with your outdoor lifestyle will ensure you get the most out of the investment.
2) Materials
Another factor that affects the cost of a pergola is the materials used to build it. Wood, vinyl, aluminum, steel, and composite lumber are popular choices for the frames themselves. Different types of flooring are available, ranging from wood and composite to tile and natural stone. Many people use a combination of materials in their pergolas to achieve different styles.
High end materials cost more, but they tend to add more value. Cheap materials require less of an upfront investment, but they don’t last as long. Keep in mind that you may need to choose materials that can hold up to the weather in your area and other hazards, and they’re often more expensive. For example, aluminum may cost more than some of the alternatives, but it’s also corrosion resistant and more durable.
3) Complexity
The complexity of your pergola will help determine the cost of the project as well. This is a completely different aspect than the size of the structure. You can have a vast, sprawling pergola with a simple design or a small one with a highly complicated setup. Complexity encompasses the overall design of the pergola as well as the features that go into it, such as fire pits, built-in seating, fans, infrared heaters, motorized louvers, and smart devices or systems. Each feature you add will ramp up the price a bit.
4) Where You Live
Where you live may impact the cost of having a pergola built as well. In short, materials and labor costs aren’t the same everywhere. On top of that, the permits and other prerequisites that might come into play will affect the cost of the project.
5) Maintenance
In addition to the initial price of a pergola, you need to think about the long-term costs of ownership. Maintenance is the main factor in this arena. Using cheap materials that require constant upkeep will increase your long-term costs. On the other hand, some high-end materials require little to no maintenance. Though they may be more expensive upfront, that cost will balance out over time.
Budgeting for Your New Pergola
Pergolas come in a wide range of prices from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands. The points listed here are the main deciding factors in how much a project like this will cost. If you’re working with a limited budget, you may want to consider sacrificing some luxury features to invest more money in high-quality materials or going with a simpler design to get extra square footage. Either way, your pergola is sure to give you plenty of enjoyment while also bolstering your property value.
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