A pergola costs $1,900 to $6,500 installed, with national averages of $4,253 to $4,500.13 DIY pergola kits run $700 to $4,000 for the kit alone (HomeGuide).2 Prices below are national averages* for 2026.
*National averages, not local quotes. Your price depends on size, material, site prep (leveling, footings), and whether it’s a prefab kit or a custom build.
$4,253
national average, Angi
$30 – $60
per sq ft, Angi
$1,450 – $5,750
kit installed, HomeGuide
$700 – $4,000
DIY kit, HomeGuide
Quick math: a typical 100-sq-ft pergola at Angi’s $30 to $60 per square foot = $3,000 to $6,000, exactly its published range, our arithmetic.1 Labor is only about 20% of the job (~$850 of a $4,253 average), so material choice drives the budget, our reading of Angi’s split.1
Cost by material (per square foot, Angi)
| Material | Cost per sq ft | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | $10 – $30 | Cheapest tier, weather-resistant, low upkeep |
| Vinyl | $10 – $30 | Fade-resistant, shorter lifespan than aluminum |
| Cedar | $25 – $35 | Insect- and rot-resistant, takes stain well |
| Pine | $25 – $40 | Budget wood, needs treatment |
| Redwood | $40 – $50 | Premium look, most upkeep |
Fixr’s extremes bracket the material spread: a $1,000 professionally assembled 10×10 aluminum kit at the low end, a $15,000 custom teak build at the top.3
Prefab kit vs custom build
| Route | Per sq ft | Total (typical) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prefab kit, pro-installed | $10 – $40 | $1,450 – $5,750 | HomeGuide |
| Custom build on site | $30 – $65 | $4,300 – $9,350 (12×12 wood) | HomeGuide |
| Prefab (all materials) | — | $1,100 – $8,000 | Fixr |
| Custom (all materials) | — | $1,700 – $15,000 | Fixr |
Custom is not always pricier: a vinyl prefab can cost more than a pressure-treated custom build (Fixr).3 A 12×12 custom at HomeGuide’s $30 to $65 per square foot = $4,320 to $9,360, matching its published $4,300 to $9,350, our arithmetic.2
Cost by size (installed, HomeGuide)
| Size | Prefab installed | Custom built |
|---|---|---|
| 8×8 | $650 – $2,550 | $1,900 – $4,150 |
| 10×10 | $1,000 – $4,000 | $3,000 – $6,500 |
| 12×12 | $1,450 – $5,750 | $4,300 – $9,350 |
| 12×20 | $2,400 – $9,600 | $7,200 – $15,600 |
| 16×20 | $3,200 – $12,800 | $9,600 – $20,800 |
| 20×20 | $4,000 – $16,000 | $12,000 – $26,000 |
Angi’s size table agrees on the mid-range: its 10×10 at $3,000 to $6,000 matches HomeGuide’s custom row within $500.12
Labor and extras
Labor runs $500 to $1,000 total (Angi) or $50 to $120 per hour (HomeGuide) — about 20% of the project, with materials the other 80%.12 Roof add-ons (sailcloth, shade panels, louvered tops) and site prep push above these bands (Fixr).3
Worked examples
Example 1 — 10×10 aluminum kit, DIY. $700 to $4,000 for the kit (HomeGuide); Fixr’s $1,000 low-end job adds professional assembly.23
Example 2 — 10×10 cedar, pro-installed. 100 sq ft x $25 to $35 cedar material = $2,500 to $3,500 materials, plus ~20% labor, our arithmetic from Angi’s split; Angi’s size table says $3,000 to $6,000 all-in.1
Example 3 — 12×12 custom hardwood. $4,300 to $9,350 (HomeGuide), toward the top with redwood at $40 to $50 per square foot (Angi).12
FAQ
Cheapest way to get a pergola? A DIY aluminum or vinyl kit: $700 to $4,000 (HomeGuide), with assembly a realistic weekend project for two people, our judgment.2
Which material lasts longest? Aluminum outlasts vinyl and needs the least upkeep (Angi); cedar and redwood resist rot and insects but need periodic staining.1
Is labor negotiable? It’s only ~20% of the cost (Angi), so material choice moves the total more than labor quotes, our judgment.1
Prefab or custom? Prefab for standard sizes and tight budgets; custom for odd footprints, specific wood species, or integrated features (Fixr).3
Pergola or covered patio? A pergola shades without sealing out weather; a true patio cover costs more but protects furniture. See our patio cost guide for the surface underneath.
DIY shopping: pergola kits (plain link, no affiliate relationship) — aluminum and cedar kits in the $700-$4,000 DIY band HomeGuide describes.
Sources
- Angi, How Much Does It Cost to Build a Pergola? (2026 data, 757 projects).
- HomeGuide, How Much Does a Pergola Cost? (2026).
- Fixr, Cost to Build a Pergola
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