Guide
What a cedar pergola costs in Texas
What a Western Red Cedar pergola costs in Dallas-Fort Worth and East Texas, from a signed nine-post job, and what moves the price up or down.
Pergolas
Cedar pergolas built to stay square
Western Red Cedar, 6x6 posts on engineered piers, knee braces at every header. Designed, permitted, built and stained by one contractor.
What you get
A pergola is shade and structure. Not a roof.
Two layers of cedar over your patio. Beams, then rafters, then purlins on top. It breaks up the sun, holds fans and lights, and gives the yard a room. Rain comes through. If you want dry, read the patio cover page.
How we build them
- 6x6 Western Red Cedar posts on decorative steel bases
- Posts on engineered piers, not wedge anchors in a slab
- 2x10 beams with profiled end cuts
- Knee braces at every post-to-header joint
- Demo and haul-off of the old structure if there is one
Pergola work
What it costs
Open-top cedar pergola. This is what a real nine-post job cost. A smaller one costs less.
| What | Includes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar pergola, open top, 9 posts | Freestanding two-layer open-top pergola in Western Red Cedar with no roof covering. Nine 6x6 posts on decorative steel bases, 2x10 beams with profiled end cuts, a rafter layer and 2x2 top purlins, knee braces at every post-to-header connection, decorative connectors, and demo of the old structure.
| $15,900 |
Want a roof instead? See patio covers or run the cost calculator.
Not in any number on this site
- HOA architectural approval fees
- Moving sprinkler heads or lines under the new footprint
- Tree removal
- Gas lines for a grill or fire feature
- Outdoor kitchen appliances
- Ceiling fans and light fixtures you supply after rough-in
- Repair of hidden damage found once the old structure comes down
Is this a fit
We're probably not your builder if
- You want a kit dropped off and nothing else.
- You need a repair on a structure someone else built.
- The budget is under $20,000 for a roofed cover.
We're a fit if
- You want a cedar pergola or a roofed patio cover built right the first time.
- You want one contractor to handle design, permit, build and stain.
- You live in Dallas-Fort Worth or East Texas.
Questions
How much does a cedar pergola cost in Texas?
Our reference job is a freestanding two-layer Western Red Cedar pergola with nine 6x6 posts. It came in at $15,900 for the structure, $500 for permitting and $600 for stain, $17,000 all in. A smaller pergola costs less. We don't publish a per-SF pergola rate because nobody measured that job's footprint, and we won't make one up.
Does a pergola keep the rain off?
No. A pergola is open slats. It cuts the sun and gives you structure for fans, lights and climbing plants. If you want to stay dry, you want a patio cover with a real roof.
Can you add a roof to a pergola later?
Only if it was framed for one. A roof adds weight and wind load that an open pergola wasn't sized for. If there's a chance you'll want a roof, build the cover now. A roofed cedar cover runs $119 per SF.
Cedar or pressure-treated pine?
Cedar. It moves less, resists rot and insects without chemicals, and takes stain evenly. Treated pine checks and twists in Texas heat. The price gap is real, and so is the gap in how it looks in year three.
Do I need a permit for a pergola?
Inside most city limits, yes. Rules vary by city, and your HOA usually wants to approve it first. We handle the permit and give you the drawings for the HOA.
How long does it take to build?
Our nine-post job was built in about three working days. The permit and HOA approval usually take longer than the build.
Attached to the house or freestanding?
Freestanding avoids any tie-in to your roof and gutters. Attached saves a row of posts. We'll tell you which one fits your roofline at the visit.
Read before you buy
Guide
Pergola or patio cover: which one you actually need
The real difference between an open cedar pergola and a roofed patio cover in Texas. Shade, rain, heat, permits and what each one costs.
Guide
Patio cover permits, HOA approval and engineering in Texas
What a patio cover or pergola permit takes in DFW and East Texas. City permits, HOA approval, engineering, inspections, and why Blackland clay sets pier depth.
Pergolas by city
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