Services
Pergolas & Pavilions
Custom pergolas and pavilions in cedar, douglas fir, or powder-coated steel — anchored to engineered footings and finished to take Texas sun. Tied into existing patios or built fresh on a new pad. Outdoor rooms that stay square for decades.
Pricing varies by site. Final scope, materials, and access influence the all-in number — we'll quote your specific project after a quick conversation.
About our pergolas & pavilions work
Custom pergolas and pavilions anchored to engineered footings and built to stay square through San Antonio's UV load and sudden Hill Country wind events. We frame in rough-sawn cedar, kiln-dried douglas fir, or powder-coated steel — picked for span, span-to-post ratio, and the look you're after. Posts land on Simpson ABU post bases set into 24-inch concrete piers (deeper where soil is sandy or expansive clay), never face-nailed to a slab. Beam-to-post connections use through-bolts or hidden steel knife plates, not toe-screws. Pavilion roofs get full structural framing — 2x rafters at code spacing, hurricane ties on every bearing, decking, underlayment, and either architectural shingle, standing-seam metal, or R-panel. Pergolas can stay open, run louvered (manual or motorized), or carry a polycarbonate rain panel. We tie new structures into existing flatwork with epoxy-set anchors or pour a new pad sized to the load. Stain, seal, and powder-coat selections are made up front so the finished structure matches the house and holds up to 90-degree summers and west sun.
What's included
- Engineered pier footings sized to soil and post load
- Simpson ABU or equivalent standoff post bases
- Cedar, KDAT douglas fir, or powder-coated steel framing
- Through-bolted or knife-plate beam-to-post connections
- Hurricane ties and code-compliant rafter spacing
- Roof underlayment, drip edge, and shingle or metal on pavilions
- Stain or sealer on wood; powder coat or galvanizing on steel
- Permit drawings and stamped engineering where required
Materials & techniques
Cedar is rough-sawn #2 or better — straight-grained stock pulled for posts and beams, knot-heavy pieces culled. Douglas fir is KDAT and pre-sealed end-grain before install. Steel is structural tube, hot-dip galvanized or shop-primed and powder-coated in a TGIC finish that holds up to UV. Fasteners are hot-dip galvanized or stainless — no zinc-plated hardware on exterior cedar (it bleeds black). Post bases stand off concrete on Simpson ABU brackets so end-grain never wicks. Roof framing on pavilions follows IRC tables for rafter span and snow/wind load, with H2.5A hurricane ties at every bearing. Stains are penetrating oil (Cabot, TWP, or Defy) — never film-forming products that peel in Texas sun.
How the project runs
- 1
Site walk and design
We measure the patio, check sun angles, note HOA constraints, and lock in dimensions, post locations, and roof style before pricing.
- 2
Engineering and permitting
Structures over jurisdictional thresholds get stamped drawings for wind load (115 mph baseline) and pier specs. We pull the permit.
- 3
Footings and post-base set
Piers are dug to bearing soil, rebar caged, and poured with anchor bolts placed to template — never wet-set by eye.
- 4
Frame, roof, and finish
Posts, beams, and rafters go up square and plumb. Roofing, trim, and stain or powder-coat finish wrap the build.
- 5
Final inspection and walkthrough
We close the permit, hand over stain/maintenance specs, and review warranty on structure and finish.
Frequently asked questions
Cedar or steel — which lasts longer in San Antonio?
Powder-coated structural steel will outlast cedar by decades if the coating is maintained. Cedar looks warmer and is easier to modify later, but it needs re-staining every 2–4 years on west-facing exposures. Both are valid — the call is aesthetic and budget, not durability in absolute terms.
Do I need a permit for a pergola or pavilion?
Most San Antonio jurisdictions require a permit for any structure with a roof, and many require permits for pergolas over a certain size or attached to the house. We handle the permit and pull stamped engineering where the AHJ requires it.
Can you attach to an existing patio slab?
Sometimes. We core the slab and check thickness, rebar, and edge distance. Thin or unreinforced slabs get a new isolated pier next to or through the slab — anchoring a post to 3 inches of unreinforced concrete is a wind-uplift failure waiting to happen.
What about HOA design review?
We provide elevation drawings, material samples, and roof pitch specs formatted for HOA submittal. Most reviews take 2–4 weeks; we won't start framing until approval is in writing.
Motorized louvered roof — worth it?
Yes if you want a pergola that flips between open-air and rain-tight. Quality systems (Struxure, Apollo) carry a real warranty and integrate with smart home. Budget systems leak and seize within 3–5 years — we won't install them.
Why hire us for pergolas & pavilions
In-house crew
Design, build, irrigation, and maintenance all run under one roof — no subbing out, no juggling vendors. You get one project manager from sketch through final walk-through.
San Antonio specialists
Built for South-Central Texas — heavy clay, caliche, long dry summers, and flash rain. Our designs and installs are tuned to what survives and looks good locally.
Clear pricing
No surprise line items. We size the work after a quick conversation or site visit and issue a written quote with materials and labor broken out so you can compare apples to apples.
