Modern Pergola Ideas

Three Reasons to Build a Pergola for your Home

As a homeowner, spending time in your garden can be one of the most relaxing ways to destress and spend time entertaining family and friends. Suppose you are brainstorming ways to make your garden/backyard all that more beautiful or a backyard enthusiast looking to give yours a fresh makeover. In that case, a Pergola is a fantastic option to consider! A pergola is an enhancement in your garden; that not only can look serene and stunning but also can add significant value to your home. In this blog post, continue reading to understand three reasons to build a pergola for your home today. We will also touch on potential pergola design ideas and other functions and value they can bring to your home and life! 

Suppose you would like to buy  the most eloquently designed pergolas that can be easily installed with our kit here at HB ELEMENTS. Our kits come with various design details, are engineered from the highest quality material, and meet the highest standard in environmentally conscious production! Contact us here to learn more about how we can help you today!

What is a Pergola

A Pergola is a backyard shade structure with an open-lattice roof supported by columns or posts. Think of it as a backyard getaway; a pergola is an outdoor structure that consists of columns supporting a roofing grid of beams and rafters.

Pergolas may be freestanding like the one in the photo above or attached to the house. To better grasp what a pergola is, it helps compare and contrast it to other backyard luxuries like a gazebo.

Pergola VS Gazebo

A very similar backyard oasis to the pergola is the gazebo. However, there are some stark differences. Gazeboes primarily have closed roofs which is not valid for pergolas. Another striking difference is in the engineering design. Gazebos can be distinguished from pergolas by these two design differences:

1. A raised floor
2. A rounded shape

Now that we have established a pergola as a gorgeous backyard/garden amenity, here are some reasons why it is the right choice for your home and what value it can bring!

Pergolas Add Home Value

One might pose the question: “How does a Pergola add value to your home?” Well, Pergolas make great additions to your home because they add more living space. However, the value a pergola may add is marginal, given its cost is ultimately determined by the size and material. Home Advisor research indicates that the average national cost of building a Pergola is approximately $3,508. While wood is the most commonly used material of choice, different types of wood will have other cost breakdowns. Cedar, for example, is around the national average, the material costing $3000. On the other hand, Teak or Ipe wood has a material cost of nearly $5000 plus. HB ELEMENTS Pergolas are made of PVC, a tougher, longer lasting material which requires significantly less maintenance.

With some costing knowledge in place, the final return on investment for your pergola is heavily dependent on location.  A report by Remodeling Magazine  states: “Outdoor home improvements tend to get more use in warmer climates, and therefore add more value to those homes.” 

Therefore areas with predominately warmer climates (Outdoor Home improvements are more likely to be prevalent and used) will add more value to your home. While there is no direct statistic for the same return on a Pergola, there is sufficient data in the report to assert the claim. For example, in Minnesota, a deck yields nearly a 46%  return and patios at 62%. In California, it’s an even larger jump at 53% and 69%. 

Lastly, states with “booming” housing markets will factor in the cost of all home improvements.  Steadily rising prices ensure that you can recoup the initial cost spent in building the pergola

Pergolas can Block Rain/Sun

A pergola can be an example of a louvered roof system. A louvered roof system acts both as an attractive centerpiece, and the roof can also be opened and closed to regulate the amount of shade/sun you would want. However, it is essential to note that not all pergolas are louvered roof systems; however, motorized pergolas, given both the aesthetic and functional value, are becoming a more popular attraction. If you have a motorized pergola, it’s relatively straightforward on how it is useful in keeping out sun/rain and setting the shade level. More often than not, non motorized pergolas have louvered slats that can be manually opened or closed to do the same. Once again, this is design-dependent; to generalize that pergolas are not useful is unfair in this regard. Of course, pergolas that are entirely opened out will be unable to keep sun or rain out. 

Pergolas can be innovatively designed not just to block rain but to harvest it instead. While it is considerably more expensive, one new design trend is to install a built-in gutter system to your pergola that will both channel and distribute rainwater.

Pergola Design Options

Foremostly, it would be best to consider a pergola for your home, given its beauty and aesthetic value. A pergola can turn your backyard into a sanctuary, and a thoughtfully designed pergola can give your garden or backyard character and add that magic touch you may have been missing! Pergolas incorporate beauty and function into your front or backyard. The cherry on top being, pergolas are not ‘one size fits all.’ Given the mood or space, you want to curate with your backyard to lead to some radically different pergola designs.

Bottom Line

In this blog post we covered three reasons why all homeowners should consider a pergola for their garden. Additionally, we also covered what a pergola was for and its differences to other outdoor home improvements like patios, decks, and gazebos for those unaware. All in all, pergolas are subjective; some individuals are not fans of the concept, and hence you may never be able to sell these people on the idea. However, given its potential to boost property value and be an incredibly gorgeous centerpiece to your garden, the argument still stands as a very viable home improvement to consider. Furthermore, maintenance costs are meager, provided the material is either rot averse or proper care is taken care of the wood at regular intervals. Regardless of maintenance, a wooden pergola has a significant lifespan of 12 years, and this figure will only go higher if you consider other materials for your design. 

At HB ELEMENTS, our unique PVC pergolas are easy-to-install and custom built to match the architectural style of your home.  The beauty is in the simplicity of design and installation. Our products are built to withstand the test of time, as we do not use traditional wood products to build our PVC Pergolas. PVC does not rot or produce mold and therefore requires significantly less maintenance. Consider us for your professionally designed pergola today!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW HB ELEMENTS, INC. CAN HELP YOU WITH A BEAUTIFUL AND LONG-LASTING SOFFIT SYSTEM, CALL US TODAY AT 954-784-8216 OR VISIT US AT WWW.HARDIEBOYSINC.COM. DO IT ONCE, AND DO IT RIGHT.