13 Must-Know Pros And Cons Of A Custom Pergola Vs. A Pre-Built One

If you're in the market for a stylish and affordable backyard upgrade, then there's much to be said for a pergola. Architecturally, a pergola lends distinct visual interest to your seating area, turning a mere patio or decking into a considered and intentional part of your yard. It also provides shelter during periods of inclement weather, especially if you have a shade or roof panels installed as part of your build. You can add speakers, lighting, a TV, and you could even fit it with the outlets required to house your outdoor kitchen. Train some climbing plants to fill your garden area with heavenly scents, and honestly, it's hard to find a reason not to install a pergola.

Before you start planning one, though, there are a few things worth bearing in mind. One of the most important is whether you should buy a prefabricated pergola kit or have a custom pergola built from scratch. Both have their pros and cons; kits tend to be cheaper, at least in the short term, and it's entirely possible to build them yourself. Custom pergolas, however, while often more expensive to start, can be designed to match your needs, including both size and the inclusion of various accessories.

Other factors you need to consider with both types include material durability, the time they'll take to build, and the potential requirement for planning with more custom installations. Don't worry, though. To help you plan the perfect pergola for your garden and ensure you spend your hard-earned dollars as wisely as possible, we've covered all of the pros and cons you need to know about pre-built vs. custom pergolas.

If you're working to a tight budget, then a prefabricated pergola is likely to be much more cost effective than having one built from the ground up. This is for a few reasons. First, since such kits are made in factories — in bulk — manufacturers are able to keep costs down by making multiple kits with the same materials. Second, since they're designed to be built without professional assistance, a pergola negates the need to hire a contractor.

Meanwhile, bespoke pergolas require materials to be purchased in smaller quantities, which is likely to cost more. Bespoke builds that exceed your local authority's scope for permitted developments may also require assistance from an architect — both in designing the structure and securing permission to build it. Your contractor's time will also need to be paid for in order to build it, and if you don't already have foundations in place for a larger structure, then you'll need to budget for those, too.

While pergola kits could well be the most cost-effective solution, it's important to know that they're likely to come with some limitations. Prefabricated kits are produced en-masse, and are designed to suit as wide a demographic of buyers as possible. In other words, they're not bespoke to you. This may not be a problem, especially if you only need a basic framework under which to place your chosen furniture. However, if you want custom features, like chased electrical wiring, integrated lighting, entertainment systems, and outlets to power your outdoor kitchen, then you may struggle to find a pergola kit that ticks all of the boxes. 

Having said that, it is possible to buy pre-built pergolas that come with pre-installed accessories like lighting, electrical cabling, and even retractable awnings. However, these often cost much more than basic pergola kits. And don't forget that some jobs should only really be handled by a professional, such as dealing with electrical components, which will add to your overall cost.

Generally speaking, pergola kits are designed for easy assembly — even by those who only occasionally dabble in DIY. It's one of the greatest perks of buying a kit. Provided that you're equipped with the right tools and have experience in assembling other structures, like a shed, then you should, theoretically, be up to the task of building a pergola.

Now, in relation to the point about cost efficiency, it's important to weigh the value of your time. What we mean is that, depending on the complexity of the assembly instructions, a pre-built pergola could take a substantial amount of time to put together. In other words, while the prospect of building it yourself is attractive, since it foregoes the need to pay a contractor, it could quickly become costly if you have to sacrifice paid working hours in order to build your new structure.

If you're unsure whether your DIY skills are up to the job of assembling a pergola, or if you don't have the right equipment to put one together, then it could well become a challenging task. Unfortunately, even with the most intuitive instructions, it's possible to get it wrong. What's more, if you execute the build of your prefabricated pergola poorly, you could find yourself struggling with structural issues.

This is even more likely if the supplied instructions are hard to follow — even for the most experienced DIYer. Unfortunately, contrary to the claims of manufacturers who say their pergolas are "easy to assemble," some are surprisingly tricky to put together. With this in mind, look for products that have been reviewed by other customers. A quick dip into any one-star ratings will quickly tell you whether a product is hard to assemble. It'll also highlight any other potential issues with the kit, knowledge of which is key to making an informed purchase decision.

There are a few factors that contribute to a pergola's durability. Perhaps the most important is the materials, and unfortunately, when it comes to pergola kits, you're at the mercy of the manufacturer and the materials they decide to use. With bespoke structures, on the other hand, you can specify the right pergola material for your yard and local climate. More than that, you can hire a highly-rated professional who can build it to a standard that matches that of your materials.

Of course, since you'll only need a relatively small quantity of materials to build a single pergola, they're sure to be more expensive than those bought in bulk. And, a contractor isn't likely to be cheap. In the long-term, however, the investment in both could help your pergola last much longer. This isn't to say that a pre-built pergola won't last. It's just that, as we've mentioned, you have no control over the quality of the materials used to make it.

As an example, let's look at the Yardistry Wood Pergola over at Costco. It's very highly rated, with about 78% of buyers giving it the full 5 stars. However, there are several reviews that cite issues with cracked pieces, including one who says that cracks appeared on all of their pergola's posts within just a few months of construction. Now, these issues don't appear to affect every user, and you should conduct your own research before deciding whether it's worth buying a pergola from Costco. But if your decision between custom and pre-built hinges on longevity and your budget allows for one, then a custom pergola is likely to be the safest option.

How many hidden costs you'll have to pay for a pergola kit depends on a number of factors, and it's entirely possible that you may not have to pay any at all. However, it's worth knowing, for example, that if you don't already have the essential DIY tools and supplies to erect your pergola kit, then you may need to hire or buy them. What's more, if you don't trust your own DIY skills, or you're unable to enlist the help of friends and family, then you may also need to pay to hire a contractor.

Freight charges could easily sneak up on you, too, so it's worth checking the small print of your purchase to ensure that everything's covered by the budget you've set aside for it. And even if you're confident in taking on the project by yourself, it's important to consider the value of your own time and how much of it you'll need to build your pergola kit. If you're sacrificing paid working hours in order to put it together, then the amount you'll actually save when you factor in your loss of earnings could be equal to, or even less than, the amount you'd pay for a custom build.

The perks of buying a pergola kit are many, including lower up-front costs and a faster time to build, versus the higher expense and longer lead-time of a custom-built structure. However, with pergola kits, buyers are ever at the mercy of suppliers, not only when it comes to delivering the set with all of the correct parts, but also with parts that are free of damage. Now, such issues are unlikely to affect every buyer — far from it. However, you need only read the reviews of several pre-built pergola kits to see that they arise surprisingly often.

Take, for example, the Sorara Mirador Pergola at Costco. As a whole, this pre-built pergola is impressively well rated. It's widely praised by customers for its easy assembly (a big tick in its favor), as well as its overall high quality. And while 1-star reviews are admittedly in the minority, they reveal a pattern of issues including both flawed and missing components, with one customer explaining that they waited more than 30 days for delivery of their purchase. Again, these issues are unlikely to affect all buyers, but as with any large expense, it's worth knowing the risks when buying a pre-built pergola.

One of the most obvious perks of having a custom-built pergola is that you can have it tailor-made to suit your space. Perhaps you have a quirky garden, or a small, awkward patio that won't pair well with standard pre-built pergola sizes. If so, a kit is unlikely to be the best solution, and even if you do manage to squeeze one in, it may look out of place and actually spoil your yard's aesthetic, as opposed to improving it.

With a bespoke build, you can have your professional design a pergola from scratch that matches your seating area perfectly. It won't feel retrofitted; instead, it'll feel like a seamless and considered extension of your living space. And while it may cost more overall than a pre-built version, there's no point in trying to save money now if you're only going to replace your purchase in a few years' time for something that fits more comfortably.

As well as ensuring that your custom pergola is built to fit your space, you can also have it tailored to match the way you want to use it. This could include built-in, retractable shades, seamlessly-integrated electrical wiring, and electronics to help you entertain, such as outdoor kitchen appliances to speakers, and even a television. You could have your contractor install bi-fold doors that allow you to shut out the weather when required. And if you love the idea of turning your outdoor space into a fairytale oasis with climbing plants, you could request the installation of a trellis between the beams.

With pergola kits, not all of these are possible. Some kits will come with tempting features, such as in-built lighting, shades, and even entertainment systems. However, once you start adding these into the cost of the basic pergola frame, the cost can quickly go up — potentially past the point of a kit being worth it versus something more bespoke.

If time is of the essence and you need a pergola in place in order to accommodate friends and family, then a pergola kit could be a good option. Now, as we've mentioned, the time it takes to install one depends on the instructions and how complicated your pergola is to assemble. Generally speaking, however, it's faster than hiring a professional contractor.

Firstly, you may need to wait for an available slot in your chosen contractor's calendar — especially if they're highly-rated and, therefore, busy. Even once they get started, they'll need to draw up plans, source the materials, and cut everything to size, and that's before they even start building. Depending on the size of your bespoke pergola, you may also need to secure building permits, which can add to both your time and the cost of your project.

In all, you could be looking at a lead time of two to three weeks to build a custom pergola. With a prefabricated kit, it's likely to take much less time. Most are designed to be built in a few days, without the need to hire a professional. And if you can enlist the help of friends and family, then the process is likely to be even quicker.

We've touched on this already, but one of the key differences between pergola kits and custom-built structures is that there is far more freedom of choice with the latter. If you're hiring a contractor to build a custom pergola, you can specify precisely the kind of materials that you'd like. This has aesthetic advantages, as you can choose a color that matches your wider garden. But the main benefit is structural; by specifying high-quality materials, you can rest assured that your pergola will last in the long term.

Whether a custom pergola is the most cost-effective solution depends on how long you intend to use it. For example, if you're thinking of moving in the next few years, then a kit may be the way to go. Similarly, if you're planning a more permanent extension to your house — one that would eat into your patio's footprint — then there's no point in shelling out on a custom pergola. However, if you're not planning to move, and you want to cover that patio with something that provides years, even decades of enjoyment, then a custom pergola is one of those backyard upgrades that are almost always worth the cost.

Assuming that it'll fit in your car, picking up a pergola kit from your local store requires very little time at all. The process is even quicker when you order one online, as all you really need to do is wait for it to arrive. Compare this with a custom-built pergola, for which you'll need to meet with your contractor, finalize your design, specify the features you want, and maybe even repeat the process as you look to source the cheapest quote.

If time, for you, is at a premium, then on the face of it, a pre-built structure is sure to seem like the best solution. The thing is, much like flat-pack furniture, prefabricated pergolas can take a surprisingly long time to put together. This isn't necessarily a reason not to buy one, but it's certainly worth bearing in mind. If it took you three hours to assemble some drawers from IKEA, then imagine how long it might take to build a pergola! The reality is that assembling a pre-built pergola could soak up an entire weekend, and that's assuming that you have help. If you're doing it by yourself, or you and your friends are inexperienced when it comes to DIY, then it could easily take much longer.

Any pergola — pre-built or custom — is likely to add value to your home. Especially if it's built with high-quality materials, designed by an architect, and fitted with custom features to make time outdoors more comfortable — then these can all be mentioned in your property listing. Such structures are perhaps nowhere more sought-after than in warmer climates, where potential house buyers will likely be looking for places that allow them to spend time in the garden.

Now, according to Supermoney, a pergola itself is unlikely to match the return on investment of other upgrades, like an outdoor kitchen or a patio. It should also be said that the value added by any outdoor upgrade can vary wildly, depending on where you live and the overall state of the market. However, it's hard to deny that a beautiful pergola will add to your home's marketability. While you should avoid building a custom pergola with the sole intent of turning a profit, it's at least reassuring to know that it could help you to sell your house for more should you ever decide to move.