Pergola or Gazebo: Which One Do You Want?
A pergola has a flat roof of open rafters or louvres on posts. A gazebo has a solid, pitched roof and is usually a closed shape: square, six or eight-sided. A pop-up gazebo is a tent and comes down in wind. For a permanent place to sit in Ireland, a louvred pergola does what people buy a gazebo for, and opens to the sun as well.
Side by side, then which to pick.
Free, no obligation. One local company prices it, not five.
- Flat or louvreda pergola roof
- Pitched and solida gazebo roof
- 3 mpergola height without planning
Side by side
| Pergola | Gazebo | |
|---|---|---|
| Roof | Flat: open rafters, louvres or glass | Pitched and solid: felt, shingles or tiles |
| Shape | A rectangle, any size | Square, hexagon or octagon |
| Against the house? | Yes, as a lean-to | No, it stands alone |
| Sun | Open or shut as you like | Always shaded |
| Rain | Dry with louvres shut | Dry |
| Planning height | 3 m | 4 m with a tiled or slated pitched roof |
Which to pick
- You want sun and shelter in the same spot: a louvred pergola.
- You want a dry, shaded summer house feel: a gazebo.
- You want climbers: an open timber pergola.
- You want it off the back wall: a pergola.
- You want it for one party: hire a marquee.
What a pergola costs
| Job | Typical cost | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Timber pergola kit, 2.4 m square to a 3.4 m corner | €428 to €733 | Size and timber. Fitting and a base are extra |
| Steel louvred pergola kit, 3 × 3 m to 3 × 6 m | €1,075 to €2,155 | Length. Side screens are extra |
| Aluminium louvred pergola kit, 3 × 3 m to 4 × 3 m | €1,886 to €2,998 | Size and maker |
| Motorised louvred or retractable roof, about 3 × 4 m | €3,395 to €7,420 | Motor, rain sensor, lights. Needs an electrician |
Gazebo prices aren't in our guide. A timber gazebo is usually built by a carpenter and priced on the job.
Every guide, calculator and county page
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More on pergolas
Types, kits, prices and ideas.
Pergola with a roofSix roofs, and which ones keep Irish rain out.
Wooden pergolasKits from €428. What timber, and how long it lasts.
Aluminium pergolasKits €1,886 to €2,998. Fitted from €2,500.
Pergola kitsWhat's in the box, and what isn't.
Pergola ideasTwelve that suit an Irish back garden.
Pergola pricesFrom a €428 timber kit to a €7,420 motorised roof.Pergolas in every county
- Carlow330 mm of rain, May to September
- Cavan402 mm of rain, May to September
- Clare450 mm of rain, May to September
- Cork384 mm of rain, May to September
- Donegal445 mm of rain, May to September
- Dublin306 mm of rain, May to September
- Galway475 mm of rain, May to September
- Kerry445 mm of rain, May to September
- Kildare345 mm of rain, May to September
- Kilkenny333 mm of rain, May to September
- Laois360 mm of rain, May to September
- Leitrim414 mm of rain, May to September
- Limerick387 mm of rain, May to September
- Longford389 mm of rain, May to September
- Louth333 mm of rain, May to September
- Mayo488 mm of rain, May to September
- Meath347 mm of rain, May to September
- Monaghan374 mm of rain, May to September
- Offaly354 mm of rain, May to September
- Roscommon401 mm of rain, May to September
- Sligo481 mm of rain, May to September
- Tipperary372 mm of rain, May to September
- Waterford374 mm of rain, May to September
- Westmeath357 mm of rain, May to September
- Wexford365 mm of rain, May to September
- Wicklow319 mm of rain, May to September
Pick your pergola
Four taps: the type, where it's going, the size and the help you want. You see our price guide for it. Your number is only asked for at the end, if you want one pergola company that covers your county to ring you.
Questions people ask
Is a gazebo cheaper than a pergola?
A pop-up gazebo is. A permanent timber gazebo with a tiled roof usually costs more than a timber pergola kit.
What's a pergola with a solid roof called?
Still a pergola, or a veranda when it's against the house with a glass or solid roof.
Do both need planning permission?
Neither, inside the limits: behind the house, 30 m² in total, 25 m² of garden left.
Get a price for a pergola in your garden
One pergola company that covers your county. Free, no obligation. Nothing is ordered until you accept a written price.