What a custom pergola construction job involves
A real pergola is timber framing. Posts sized for the load, joinery that carries it, and footings that hold the structure square through freeze-thaw.
Cedar and heavy timber weather well and look better with age, provided the joinery was cut properly and the end grain is protected.
Cedar and heavy timber weather well and look better with age, provided the joinery was cut properly and the end grain is protected.
Attachment to the house, where that is part of the design, is a flashing detail as much as a structural one.
Span and post spacing are not style choices. A pergola that sags in the middle after two summers was under-framed on day one, and there is no fixing it without taking it apart. We size the members for the actual span and the actual snow load.
If that sounds like the way you would want the work done, the next step is a conversation and a walkthrough. We will look at what is there, talk through what you are trying to get to, and tell you honestly whether we are the right company for it.
There is no cost to that conversation and no obligation after it. We would rather spend an hour finding out a project is not a fit than take it on and do a mediocre job.
How this job runs
Walkthrough
We look at the property and the existing conditions before anything else.
Drawings
Plans and a written scope, so everyone is building the same thing.
Build
Our crew runs the work, with Samuel on site through it.
Walk it together
We close the job by walking it with you, not by sending a final bill.
What actually decides the outcome
Outdoor construction in Ohio has to survive freeze-thaw, and that is a harder requirement than most people expect. Water gets into everything, then expands. The structures that last are the ones built with that in mind from the base up.
That starts below grade. Footings below the frost line. A base that drains rather than holds water. Posts set so they carry load without wicking moisture up into the timber.
That starts below grade. Footings below the frost line.
Above grade it is about material and detail. Composite decking over properly spanned and flashed framing. Masonry with the right mortar and expansion allowance. Timber joinery sized for the span it is actually carrying.
We also think about how the space connects to the house. An outdoor kitchen that is a long walk from the real one does not get used. A deck with no shade does not get used in August. Those are design decisions, not afterthoughts.
Work like this
Truth, trust and transparency. That is the standard, and it shows up in the schedule.Samuel Hand
Related work
Outdoor Kitchen Construction
Cooking space that survives winter
Masonry, counters and utilities built for freeze-thaw, not patio furniture with a grill in it.
Read more
Custom Pool Construction
Pools set into the grade
Excavation, structure and the deck around it handled by one crew, so the site drains correctly.
Read more
Patio Construction
Patios laid on a base that lasts
The base under a patio decides whether it is still flat in ten years.
Read moreWhat we put in writing
Roofing warranty terms are forty years for standing seam metal and thirty for dimensional shingles, both conditional on specification-correct installation.
Alongside the product warranties, our workmanship is guaranteed. If it is our mistake, it is our repair.
Alongside the product warranties, our workmanship is guaranteed.
Montgomery, Greene, Warren, Butler, Preble and Miami counties make up our service area, all within a seventy-mile drive of the shop.
Practically that covers Dayton, Kettering, Centerville, Beavercreek, Springboro, Lebanon, Mason, Hamilton, Fairfield, West Chester, Troy, Piqua, Eaton and the towns between them. Near the edge of that, call and ask.
Custom Pergola Construction questions
What warranty comes with a standing seam metal roof?
The standing seam metal we install carries a forty-year warranty. Dimensional shingles carry a thirty-year warranty.
Who is actually on site during my build?
Our own crew handles the core work. Samuel is on site through the build, not just at the start and the end.
How do you handle changes once we have started?
Changes get written down, priced and approved before they happen. Nothing gets built off a hallway conversation.
Can you remodel an older home, or only build new?
Both. A good share of our work is remodeling houses that were built well and are worth keeping.
Do you give a written scope before work starts?
Always. It states what is included, what is excluded, what we expect to find once things are opened up, and how a change gets priced and approved. A one-page quote is how disputes start.
Who pulls the permits?
We do, and we deal with inspection scheduling as part of the job. You are not calling a building department.
What happens if you find something unexpected?
We stop, document it, price the options and talk to you before proceeding. On older houses that is a normal part of the process, not an emergency.
Ready to talk about your project?
We build across Montgomery, Greene, Warren, Butler, Preble and Miami counties.