Pergola & Patio Builders Sydney

Pergolas, patios and covered outdoor areas we build

The right structure depends on how you want to use the space and how much weather protection you need.

• Open timber pergolas in treated pine or hardwood, oiled or painted
• Roofed pergolas with Colorbond, insulated panel or polycarbonate sheeting
• Attached patios that extend the roofline over a slab or deck
• Freestanding pergolas and gazebos away from the house
• Covered outdoor entertaining and alfresco areas with lighting and fans
• Pergolas built over new or existing decks

Design and construction considerations

Attachment is the first decision. A patio fixed to the house needs a sound fascia, rafters or wall to fix to, and on many homes we add a beam on separate posts rather than load an old eave.

Roof pitch and drainage come next. Flat sheet roofs still need fall to a gutter, and the downpipe needs somewhere legal to discharge. Height affects headroom, how much light reaches the rooms behind, and whether the structure stays exempt from approval.

Footings are sized to the span and soil. Posts sit on concrete pads or piers, with stirrups that keep timber off the ground.

Materials and options

Treated pine is cost effective and takes paint well. Hardwood such as spotted gum costs more but suits exposed, oiled finishes. Steel posts and beams allow longer spans with slimmer sections.

Roofing ranges from Colorbond corrugated or Trimdek, to insulated sandwich panels that keep the area cooler and give a clean ceiling underneath, to polycarbonate where you want light through. Louvred roofs are another option for adjustable shade.

Council approval for pergolas and patios

Smaller pergolas and patios can be exempt development in NSW if they meet every size, height, setback and site condition. Larger, roofed or attached structures often need complying development through a certifier, and some sites need a development application.

We check the likely pathway at the site visit and organise the documents when approval is needed.

What affects the price

• Size and roof type, which drive most of the material cost
• Attached versus freestanding, and the condition of the existing house where we fix to it
• Timber species or steel, and the finish
• Footings, site access and any slab or deck work underneath
• Lighting, fans, gutters and stormwater connection
• Approval and engineering where required