All articles
Pergolas & shade
DIY Pergola: When to Build It Yourself and When to Call a Pro
· 2 min read · Deck Builders LLC
A simple four-post pergola is within reach of a capable homeowner with the right tools and a helper. Whether it is worth doing yourself depends on the design, the ground and your weekends.
Before you buy a single board
- Permit: Small freestanding pergolas are sometimes exempt. Attached or larger ones usually are not. Check with your city, and your HOA.
- Position: Watch where the sun falls through the afternoon before you choose the spot.
- What is underground: Have utilities marked through Arizona 811 before digging. It is free.
- The ground: Caliche can turn digging four post holes into a day of work and a rented breaker.
- Material: Wood looks best and needs upkeep. Aluminum and vinyl kits need little but give you fewer choices.
Where it gets hard
- Tools: A miter saw, drill, long level, post-hole digger and ladders at minimum.
- Lifting: Beams are long and heavy. This is not a one-person job.
- Accuracy: Posts must be plumb and beams level and square. Small errors at the base become large ones at the top.
- Fixings: Use exterior-rated hardware. Cheap screws rust and let go.
- Footings: They have to resist monsoon wind lifting the structure, not just hold its weight.
When to call a professional
- The pergola attaches to the house: The connection has to be made into the structure and flashed properly.
- It is large, curved or unusual: Engineering and heavy lifting increase quickly.
- You want power: For fans or lighting.
- You do not have several free weekends: A crew will finish in days.
- You are not confident working at height: That alone is reason enough.
After it is built
Check the fixings each year, wash off dust after storms, and keep a wood pergola sealed. A little attention keeps it standing straight for a long time.
