Pergolas are the most common backyard embellishments in suburban homes. Homeowners love to accent their yards with beautifully designed pergolas regardless of the size of the outdoor space. While the popularity of pergolas makes them the go-to embellishment choice for yards, it also misleads people into believing that putting up a pergola is a piece of cake.
Although installing a pergola can seem pretty straightforward and uncomplicated, in reality, it isn’t. And that reality remains true whether you hire a professional or do the job yourself. More often than not, even hiring the most reputed pergola company to adorn your yard may not be enough to save you from ending up with a visually crooked outdoor space.
To avoid common pergola mistakes, homeowners need to do their pergola homework diligently; otherwise, the pergola contractors can cheat them and mess up the job. So now the question arises, what does ‘pergola homework’ mean, and how can one do it skillfully?
All the research and data gathering that a homeowner must do before contacting a contractor falls under the umbrella of pergola homework, which includes choosing the size and material, factoring in the necessary considerations such as the weather, the need for additional shade, etc.
The most common pergola mistakes come about when a house owner slacks off on their pergola homework duty. Therefore, you must play your part before a pergola installation to save your money after it.
So what happens when you don’t do your job?
Looking up pergola designs on the internet is a rite of passage for anyone considering getting one. However, what you see online might not work for your outdoor space. Therefore, you cannot just pick out the first design you see on Pinterest and ask the contractor to put it up in your yard. You need to first consider the space, the weather of your area, and the material before selecting a pergola design. Discuss all the aspects of your outdoor space with an expert before hiring deciding on a design.
Choosing a pergola design on impulse can lead you to either an extremely large or tiny structure that will look out of place in your yard. Secondly, one common misconception about pergolas is that they provide shade, which is why many people assume that they will have an awning of sorts in their yard no matter which pergola they get. But the fact is that most pergolas don’t offer shade, so you need to hash all the details out with your contractor in advance. And let them know if you want to have a covering over your pergola or if you want to have lattices.
Lastly, the internet can often trick homeowners into believing that they can DIY install a pergola. But as mentioned earlier, putting up a pergola is no easy feat. If you don’t have any construction work experience, then building a pergola yourself can lead to a disaster. Therefore, hire a professional team but have a detailed discussion with them about how everything will unroll before construction starts.
