How much does a pergola cost in the UK?
A pergola costs £3,500 on average in the UK. Most jobs fall between £900 and £12,000 supplied and fitted. Pergola type: Timber pergola £900 to £3,000; Aluminium pergola £2,500 to £6,000; Louvered £5,000 to £12,000. Prices reviewed July 2026.
A garden pergola usually costs between £900 and £12,000 in the UK, with most homeowners paying around £3,500. The price depends mainly on the size and whether you choose timber, aluminium or a louvered roof that opens and closes.
Pergola cost calculator
Use the calculator to price your pergola in 2026. Adjust the options and area for a UK cost range. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Pergola cost breakdown
Typical pergola costs, by option:
| Pergola type | Typical UK cost |
|---|---|
| Timber pergola | £900 to £3,000 |
| Aluminium pergola | £2,500 to £6,000 |
| Louvered / bioclimatic roof | £5,000 to £12,000 |
What's included in the price?
Typical pergola prices include:
- A garden survey and a fixed quote
- Supply of the pergola frame, roof and fixings
- Setting the posts and any footings in concrete
- Assembly and fixing the structure
- Clearing away offcuts and packaging
What changes the price?
The things that move pergola prices most:
The size and footprint of the pergola
Timber, aluminium or a louvered roof
Whether it is free-standing or fixed to the house
Groundwork and whether you need a new base
Extras like lighting, blinds or heaters
Your region
These are why two quotes for the same job can differ, and the only way to know your price is to get prices from local firms (through Bark; we may earn a fee, at no extra cost to you).
How the price is built up
The price covers the frame and roof, the fixings and any base or footings, plus labour to set the posts and assemble the structure. Larger spans, a louvered roof, and extras like lighting or blinds each add to the total. Materials, meaning the frame, roof and fixings, are the bigger part of the cost, especially on aluminium and louvered systems. Labour for a two-person team is usually £400 to £900, depending on the groundwork and how long the build takes.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Choose timber over aluminium if budget matters most
- Fit the pergola over an existing patio or base to avoid new groundwork
- Buy a kit and pay a joiner to fit it rather than a full supply-and-fit package
- Get two or three quotes, as prices for the same structure vary a lot
Does where you live change the cost?
In London, a pergola typically costs around £4,200 supplied and fitted, about 20% above the UK average of £3,500. In the North, Scotland and Wales the guide figure is nearer £3,400.
| Region | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midlands / East (UK average) | £900 | £3,500 | £12,000 |
| London | £1,100 | £4,200 | £14,500 |
| South East / South West | £950 | £3,700 | £12,500 |
| North / Scotland / Wales | £870 | £3,400 | £11,500 |
Guide prices supplied and fitted, scaled with the same regional multipliers as the calculator. Not quotes.
Pergola cost in major UK cities
| City | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | £860 | £3,300 | £11,500 |
| Birmingham | £900 | £3,500 | £12,000 |
| Bristol | £950 | £3,700 | £12,500 |
| Cardiff | £870 | £3,400 | £11,500 |
| Edinburgh | £870 | £3,400 | £11,500 |
| Glasgow | £870 | £3,400 | £11,500 |
| Leeds | £870 | £3,400 | £11,500 |
| Liverpool | £870 | £3,400 | £11,500 |
| London | £1,100 | £4,200 | £14,500 |
| Manchester | £870 | £3,400 | £11,500 |
| Newcastle | £870 | £3,400 | £11,500 |
| Sheffield | £870 | £3,400 | £11,500 |
City guide estimates, scaled by local labour costs. Indicative averages for pergola, not quotes.
Installers in London and the South East charge the most; the North, Wales and Scotland are typically a little cheaper for the same structure.
Compare this with a real quote
The figures above are guide prices. Two or three quotes for your pergola tell you what it costs where you live.
Free and no obligation. You answer a few questions on Bark, local pros get in touch, and you decide who, if anyone, to hire. We may earn a fee, at no extra cost to you.Common questions
How much does a pergola cost in 2026?
Most homeowners pay between £900 and £12,000 for a supplied and fitted pergola. A basic timber one is around £900 to £3,000, a mid-range aluminium one £2,500 to £6,000, and a louvered or bioclimatic roof £5,000 to £12,000. About £3,500 is typical.
What changes the price of a pergola?
Size is the biggest factor, followed by the material and roof type. Timber is the cheapest, aluminium sits in the middle, and a louvered roof that opens and closes costs the most. Groundwork for a new base, plus extras like lighting, blinds or heaters, also push the price up.
Is a pergola worth it?
For most gardens, yes. A pergola adds usable outdoor space and shade for a good deal less than a garden room or conservatory. A louvered roof costs more, but it lets you use the space in most weather, which many people find worth the extra.
Can I build a pergola myself?
A simple timber kit can be a weekend DIY job and saves the labour cost, usually £400 to £900. Aluminium and louvered systems are heavier and need accurate fixing, so most people have those fitted by an installer.
How long does it take to install a pergola?
A timber or aluminium pergola is usually up in one to two days. A large louvered structure with wiring for lights or heaters can take three to four days.
What is a cheaper alternative to a pergola?
A simple timber pergola or a fabric awning gives you shade for less. A paved patio with a parasol, or decking with a canopy, can also cost less than a full aluminium or louvered pergola while still opening up the garden.
Do I need planning permission for a pergola?
Usually not. In England the Planning Portal classes a pergola as permitted development under the rules for outbuildings, provided it meets their limits. It must not stand in front of the house, any platform under it must not exceed 0.3 metres, and it must be no more than 2.5 metres high if any part is within two metres of a boundary. At 2.5 metres or less it is inside every height limit wherever it stands. A listed home needs planning permission, and the Planning Portal says listed building consent too. One fixed to the house falls under the rules for extensions instead.
Do lights or heaters on a pergola need a registered electrician?
Not necessarily, but a new circuit has to be signed off. In England, regulation 12(6A) of the Building Regulations 2010 makes a new circuit from the consumer unit notifiable, so a pergola wired on its own circuit needs an electrician registered with a competent person scheme, who can self-certify, or notice given to building control or a registered third-party certifier before work starts. Adding lights or a heater to an existing circuit is not notifiable in England, though it must still comply with the building regulations. In Wales, outdoors counts as a special location, so that work is notifiable too.
Official guidance and sources
The rules and schemes referenced on this page come from these official UK sources. The price figures are Costwise's own; see how we price.
- Do I need to apply for planning permission for a pergola? Planning Portal · Planning Portal treats a pergola as an outbuilding under permitted development, within the same height, position and platform limits.
- Permitted development rights for householders: technical guidance GOV.UK · The government's guidance on the outbuilding rules, including that incidental use excludes primary living accommodation such as a bedroom, bathroom or kitchen, and how eaves height is measured.
- Electrics: building regulations general information Planning Portal · Which electrical work in a home is notifiable, and the routes to getting it certified.
- Approved Document P: electrical safety, dwellings GOV.UK · The guidance on notifiable electrical work, including that a new circuit is notifiable wherever it runs.
Cite this data
These figures are free to use in articles, reports and research under a CC BY 4.0 licence. All we ask is a credit to Costwise, and online a link. Where your style allows, please make "Costwise" the linked word so readers can check the figure for their own region.
Costwise (2026): A pergola typically costs £3,500 in the UK, ranging from £900 to £12,000 supplied and fitted. Reviewed July 2026. costwiseuk.co.ukSource: Costwise (costwiseuk.co.uk)Costwise (2026). Pergola cost. Costwise UK cost data, version 2026-10-12. https://costwiseuk.co.uk/pergola-cost/2026-10-12 (158 jobs)Dataset DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21159943 · also on Kaggle, Hugging Face and Figshare. Method: how we price. Downloadable CSV.
These are independent guide prices based on typical UK jobs in 2026. Your actual cost depends on your property, spec, access and where you live. Always get at least three written quotes before committing.