Step 01
Sun study on your site
We look at where the sun actually lands at the times you want to use the space. It's the difference between a structure that works and one that shades the lawn.
Custom Pergolas, Pavilions & Patio Covers in DFW
Shade that is actually shade, in a Texas July. A pergola, a pavilion and a patio cover are three different structures, and picking the wrong one is the most common regret we hear. Here's how to choose before you spend.
- Licensed & insured
- Engineered for Blackland clay
- Dates you get in writing
- Mineral Wells to DFW & the lakes
Pergola, Pavilion or Patio Cover: Which Do You Need?
This is the decision that determines whether you use the space or just look at it, and most quotes skip past it in a sentence.
A pergola has an open slatted roof. It filters light, defines a room, grows beautiful with vines and looks superb. In July, at two in the afternoon, it is not full shade and it does not keep rain off.
A pavilion is freestanding with a solid pitched roof, standing out in the yard rather than against the house. Full shade, full rain cover, and it becomes a destination, which is exactly right when the thing you're building around is the pool, the fire pit or the view rather than the back door. It is also the structure most people actually picture when they say “pergola”.
A patio cover is attached to the house with a solid roof, built to match your roofline so it looks original. Full shade and rain protection right off the back door. It also darkens whatever windows sit behind it, which is worth thinking about before you frame it.
A louvered roof has adjustable blades — open them for light, close them for shade and rain. It is the most expensive option and, for a lot of Texas backyards, the only one that gets used year-round.
We'll ask which hours of the day you actually want to be out there, and how far from the house you want to be. Those two answers usually decide it.
Types of Pergolas, Pavilions and Patio Covers We Build
Gable Roof Pavilions
A pitched gable gives the most headroom and the most presence, and the vaulted ceiling underneath can be finished in stained tongue-and-groove. Our most requested structure for pool and fire-pit areas.
Hip Roof Pavilions
Four sloped planes meeting at a ridge. A lower, calmer profile than a gable, and it sheds North Texas hail and wind well. Suits ranch and traditional elevations.
Attached Patio Covers
Tied into your existing roof structure and shingle line, with proper flashing where it meets the wall, so it reads as original rather than bolted on. A shed-style slope or a matched gable, depending on your roofline.
Cedar Pergolas and Arbors
Open slat roofs with the joinery detailed properly, sized so the proportions look right rather than just meeting a span table. Rafter spacing and orientation set how much sun gets through.
Louvered Pergolas
Motorized aluminum louvers with rain sensors, set into a cedar frame so the structure still reads as woodwork. Open them in October, close them in July.
Cabanas and Poolside Structures
Shaded destinations away from the house, with changing space, storage or a bar built in.
Lighting, Fans and Motorized Screens
Designed in at framing stage. Wiring chases, fan bracing and screen tracks go in before the ceiling closes up, rather than surface-mounted afterwards.
Recent pergolas and pavilions
Real North Texas projects. Replace these with the client’s own photography.
Pergola and Pavilion Frame Materials
Cedar is the default here for good reason, but it is not always the right answer.
| Material | What to know | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|
| Western red cedar | Warm, workable, naturally rot resistant and it can be stained to match the house. It is the classic look and our usual recommendation, and it wants refinishing on a cycle. | Mid |
| Douglas fir and heavy timber | Big spans and real structural presence. The right choice for a large pavilion. Needs a solid roof over it to protect the timber. | High |
| Cedar with a metal roof | A cedar frame carrying a standing-seam roof. Excellent lifespan, very little maintenance overhead, and it suits both modern and ranch elevations. | Mid–High |
| Louvered aluminum roof system | Zero maintenance and adjustable, set into a timber frame so the structure still reads as woodwork rather than a kit. | High |
Relative cost compares options against each other, not against a fixed price. Your quote gives real numbers for your project, with each option priced side by side.
Our Design and Build Process
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Why DFW Homeowners Choose Us
We are a licensed and insured pergolas and pavilions contractor working across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Every crew is in-house rather than subcontracted, so the people who quote your project are the people who build it.
What separates the work is what happens before the pretty part: footings sized for the soil on your lot, permits pulled by us rather than handed back to you, and a fixed price that does not move once the job starts.
- Licensed and insured, certificates provided on request
- In-house crews, no subcontracted labor
- City permits and HOA architectural submissions handled for you
- Written workmanship warranty alongside the manufacturer warranty
- Fixed written quote, with start and finish dates in writing
Our Service Area
We work out of Mineral Wells and cover the corridor east through Weatherford and Fort Worth into the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, plus the lakes across North Texas.
Palo Pinto & Parker County
- Mineral Wells, TX
- Weatherford, TX
- Willow Park, TX
- Hudson Oaks, TX
- Aledo, TX
- Annetta, TX
- Brock, TX
- Millsap, TX
- Santo, TX
- Graford, TX
- Palo Pinto, TX
- Perrin, TX
- Poolville, TX
- Peaster, TX
- Springtown, TX
- Azle, TX
- Boyd, TX
- Bridgeport, TX
- Decatur, TX
- Granbury, TX
- Benbrook, TX
Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex
- Dallas, TX
- Fort Worth, TX
- Plano, TX
- Frisco, TX
- McKinney, TX
- Allen, TX
- Southlake, TX
- Colleyville, TX
- Grapevine, TX
- Flower Mound, TX
- Highland Park, TX
- University Park, TX
- Rockwall, TX
- Prosper, TX
- Celina, TX
- Argyle, TX
- Denton, TX
- Keller, TX
- Trophy Club, TX
- Coppell, TX
Lakes We Work
- Possum Kingdom Lake
- Lake Mineral Wells
- Lake Palo Pinto
- Lake Weatherford
- Lake Granbury
- Lake Bridgeport
- Eagle Mountain Lake
- Lake Lewisville
- Lake Grapevine
- Lake Ray Hubbard
- Cedar Creek Lake
- Richland Chambers
Pergolas and Pavilions FAQs
What is the difference between a pergola and a pavilion?
A pergola has an open slatted roof that filters light but does not stop rain or give full shade. A pavilion is freestanding with a solid pitched roof, so it gives complete shade and rain cover and works as a destination in the yard. Most people who describe wanting a pergola are actually describing a pavilion, which is why we ask what hours you want to use the space before quoting anything.
Does a pergola give real shade?
Partial. An open-slat pergola filters sunlight and takes the edge off, and slat spacing and orientation change how much. But at two in the afternoon in a Texas July it is not full shade. If full shade is what you want, you want a pavilion, a solid patio cover or a louvered roof — we'd rather tell you that before you buy than after.
Do I need a permit for a pavilion or patio cover in DFW?
Usually yes for a solid roofed structure, and rules vary by city. Dallas exempts patio covers under 200 square feet on single-family lots, but not if they encroach into a front or side yard setback. Attached structures more often require permits than freestanding ones because they change the building's structure. We confirm for your address and pull whatever's needed.
Is a louvered roof worth the extra cost?
If you want to use the space across the whole year, usually yes — being able to open the roof in October and close it in July or in rain is what makes people actually use these structures. If it's shading a specific seating area for summer evenings only, a fixed pavilion is a better use of the budget.
Can you attach a structure to my house?
In most cases, yes, and it's a good option for creating a shaded room right off the back door. It needs correct flashing where it meets the wall and a proper structural connection — done poorly this is a water-intrusion problem waiting to happen, which is why we detail it carefully and inspect it.
Is a deposit required to start?
A deposit reserves your build slot and covers material ordering. The amount is set out in your written quote before you sign anything, and we never ask for the full amount up front. The balance is tied to progress on the job.
Do you subcontract your work?
Our carpentry crews are in-house. Where a trade licence is legally required, such as electrical or gas for an outdoor kitchen or a dock, that work goes to a licensed specialist we coordinate and stand behind.
Do you match the structure to my existing roofline?
Yes, and on an attached cover it matters more than most people expect. We match roof pitch and shingle or metal to the house, and detail the flashing where the new roof meets the wall. Done poorly that junction is a water-intrusion problem; done properly the structure reads as original.
Will it stand up to Texas wind?
It will if it's engineered to. Roof structures catch wind, and uplift is the governing force, not weight. Footing size, post embedment and connection hardware are all sized for it on our builds, and larger pavilions get engineered connection details.
Talk to us about your pergolas and pavilions
Tell us what you're picturing. We'll come measure, talk through materials, and put a real number on it. No charge, no pressure.
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A site visit, a scaled drawing and a fixed quote, at no cost and with nobody chasing you afterwards.