Pergola installation prices mean different things: kit assembly is labor on a product you've already bought, while a complete installed quote includes the structure and the agreed site work. For a published reference, Home Depot lists custom wood pergolas at $6,994 for 10 × 12 feet, $7,539 for 12 × 12, and $8,848 for 12 × 16, including labor and materials. Those are its advertised examples, not quotes for every property. Home Depot cost guide
If you already own a kit, start with its exact model and installation manual. A price to assemble the frame may leave out foundations, moving boxes into the backyard, electrical work, and repairing the patio afterward.
Published pergola prices: compare the scope first
These US dollar prices were checked November 1, 2026. They show the difference between buying assembly and buying a finished structure; they aren't a national price survey.
| Published example | Price | What the number describes |
|---|---|---|
| ArmenHammer, Burbank area, 10 × 10 to 12 × 16 kit | $450–$1,100 | Customer-supplied kit assembly; verify foundation and anchoring scope for the site |
| Home Depot, 12 × 12 custom wood pergola | $7,539 | Published labor-and-materials installation example |
| Home Depot, 12 × 16 custom wood pergola | $8,848 | Larger custom wood installation example |
| Home Depot, custom wooden pavilion | $15,198 | A different structure with a solid roof, not an open pergola |
A motorized louvered pergola is another distinct package. Ask for the exact model, controls, screens, drainage provisions, and installation scope rather than applying an open-wood-pergola rate to it.
For the material decision, see aluminum vs wood pergolas. This guide focuses on what must be included in the installed price.
Example: what a $3,000 kit can cost once installed
Consider a hypothetical 12 × 12-foot freestanding, open-roof kit, with ordinary backyard access and new foundations. The following inputs are illustrative USD amounts, not supplier quotes, engineered footing quantities, or recommended crew production rates.
| Direct-cost item | Assumption | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Pergola kit | Frame and above-base hardware | $3,000 |
| Freight and backyard handling | One allowance | $250 |
| Foundations and anchors | Installed allowance for the approved design | $1,200 |
| Frame assembly | 16 person-hours × $55 | $880 |
| Equipment and consumables | Excludes items in the foundation allowance | $170 |
| Direct cost | Sum of the five lines | $5,500 |
| 30% markup | $5,500 × 0.30 | $1,650 |
| Customer price before tax | $5,500 × 1.30 | $7,150 |
The kit is only $3,000 of a $7,150 selling price in this example. The rest covers installation costs and the contractor's markup. The foundation allowance already includes its labor; the 16 person-hours cover frame assembly only.
Two people working eight hours each use 16 person-hours. If restricted access adds another eight person-hours, direct cost rises by $440 and the selling price rises by $572, to $7,722, at the same markup. Actual access costs could also include different equipment or delivery arrangements.
This example excludes taxes, permit and design fees, electrical work, screens, staining, demolition, and new patio construction. Add applicable costs before setting a final price. A 30% markup produces approximately 23.1% gross margin on these direct costs, not 30% net profit. Our markup vs margin guide explains the calculation.
The extras that change a quote
| Item | Question to settle before agreeing on a price |
|---|---|
| Foundations | Does the quote include excavation, specified supports, anchors, spoil removal, and restoration? |
| Existing patio or deck | Has its suitability been checked, or is the quote assuming a ready-to-use base? |
| Delivery | Is the kit left at the curb, driveway, or actual assembly location? |
| Finish | Is stain, paint, or touch-up included? Which product and how many applications? |
| Roof and drainage | Is this open shade, adjustable louvers, or a solid roof? Where does water go? |
| Accessories | Are screens, lights, heaters, controls, and wiring priced separately? |
| Approvals | Who handles local approval, drawings, fees, and any inspections that apply? |
| Cleanup | Who removes packaging and repairs disturbed lawn or paving? |
Mirador's support guidance specifically says pavers alone generally aren't a suitable structural anchoring base without a solid foundation below. It also distinguishes ordinary front-of-home delivery from optional backyard handling. Those details explain why a flat assembly price can miss real work. Follow the exact model manual and site requirements. Mirador installation guidance
For a combined patio and pergola project, coordinate the supports before the finish surface is laid. Keep the patio price separate so the customer can compare it using the pavers vs stamped concrete guide.
Kit assembly vs a custom build
A kit gives the installer a defined product, parts list, and sequence. It can reduce fabrication work, but missing parts, awkward access, an unsuitable base, or electrical accessories still affect the job.
A custom build starts with a design and material takeoff. Price cutting, connections, waste, finishing, and any design work explicitly. A custom size may solve a layout problem that a standard kit can't, so compare usable space between the posts as well as outside roof dimensions.
Neither option makes foundations optional. Don't promise a footing size from a cost table or assume an existing slab is suitable because it looks sound. Resolve the design and local approval requirements before fixing that portion of the quote.
A short scope you can adapt
Supply and assemble [manufacturer/model] at [location], with nominal roof dimensions [size] and post layout per attached drawing. Include [delivery location], [specified foundation scope], [assembly], and [cleanup]. Finish: [product or factory finish]. Accessories: [included items]. Exclude [specific remaining work]. Price assumes [access and site conditions]. Changes require written approval before additional work.
Attach the layout and list any open decisions. For a customer-supplied kit, record who checks delivered parts and how missing or damaged components affect the schedule. Use our scope-of-work guide if the project needs a fuller proposal.
Contractors can keep the measured scope, supplier price, foundation quote, and assembly allowance together in Dave estimates, with accessories offered as separate options. The software organizes the quote; the installer still verifies the design and quantities.
Common questions
How much does labor alone cost to assemble a pergola?
The Burbank installer cited above publishes $450–$1,100 for specified kit sizes. That's one local assembly reference, not a nationwide range. Send the model, base details, access photos, and accessory list to installers for comparable quotes.
Does the kit price include installation?
Only if the seller explicitly includes it. Check assembly, anchoring, foundations, delivery location, and electrical work separately. A box containing the frame and hardware isn't the same scope as an installed structure.
Is a pavilion price a useful pergola comparison?
Only when the customer is considering both functions. A solid roof changes the materials, connections, drainage, and design. Present it as a separate option rather than treating the extra cost as a more expensive version of identical work.