Building Your Own Pergola: Savings & Styles

Whether you use it to accessorize your deck or to add dimension to your yard, a new pergola makes a huge impact on your yard décor and how you’ll use the space. While there are plenty of great contractors that offer pergola installation (after all, we supply them), the vast majority of homeowners build it themselves. In fact, if you have a well put together pergola kit, building your own pergola is a great DIY project to start with.

At Garbrella Pergolas, we craft ultra high-quality vinyl pergola kits for homeowners across the country. All of our kits come with easy-to-follow instructions and all of the materials you need to get started building as soon as you open the box. Keep reading today’s blog to learn about the savings of building your own pergola — or place your order right here:

Is It Cheaper to Buy or Build a Pergola?

The main benefit to building your own pergola as opposed to buying it is just how much money you can expect to save. When homeowners ask us, “Is it cheaper to buy or build a pergola?”, we always tell them that it is cheapest to buy it from a kit. With just a basic set of tools, you can put together your brand-new pergola in an afternoon.

The reason that it’s cheaper to build a pergola rather than paying for installation is two-fold. Firstly, by taking the DIY approach, you don’t pay for the labor time to build your pergola. That alone can easily save you hundreds if not over a thousand dollars! On top of that, because you’re buying directly from the manufacturer, you skip the markup your contractor needs to add to the materials — see what a vinyl pergola kit should cost.

These are the two big reasons we can confidently answer, “Is it cheaper to buy or build a pergola?” whenever someone asks. By cutting out the middleman and putting in the work yourself, you can get a much larger and higher quality pergola — or you just pocket the savings for your next backyard upgrade.

Compared to larger outdoor structures — like gazebos, cabanas, or pavilions — building your own pergola is achievable for the vast majority of homeowners. Those more in-depth outdoor structures require more advanced construction work that can prove to be too much for the average homeowner. However, the elegantly simple frame of a pergola is a different story.

All you really need is to buy the right pre-assembled pergola kit that includes all of the parts you need and the plans to put it all together.

See the traits of the best pergola kits on the market.

Pergola Project Inspiration

A gorgeous pergola can truly be the finishing touch on many different outdoor spaces. For years homeowners have built our pergolas to transform their spaces — and we’re so often inspired by their creativity!

These are a few of our favorite uses for pergolas:

• Covering a table to create a formal outdoor dining area
• Placed in the middle of the lawn for a gorgeous mid-yard retreat
• Highlighting your grill and outdoor kitchen
• Adding extra luxury to a backyard pool
• Providing shade on an exposed sundeck (especially when equipped with a sunshade)
• Sitting over a driveway to serve as a carport

See our pergola project gallery for even more ideas!

Building Your Own Pergola Starts Here

We can answer your question, “Is it cheaper to buy or build a pergola?” with 100% certainty — you will save serious money on your dream-come-true pergola when you do this DIY project! If you’re ready to get started building your own pergola, you’re in the right place. Our team is standing by to answer any questions you may have about the installation or process, and we can help you pick your perfect size, style, and color. And if you’re ready to shop, we sell everything online for maximum convenience.

Reach out today to talk to our team — or place your order today!