Building a pergola: tips for an inexpensive, green place to sit

Author: Bernhard Bircher-Suits, FundCom AG

What is a pergola?

The word “pergola” comes from the Latin word “pergula”, which means “porch” or “annex”. In antiquity, this referred to colonnades between buildings, which served to keep at bay the strong Mediterranean sun.

Nowadays, pergolas with fixed roofs provide protection from direct sunlight and rain. They can be installed in a garden, on a terrace or on a balcony and extend your living space by serving as a dining, sitting and lounging area during the summer. A pergola is also an ideal place to grow vines, roses and other climbing plants.

Pergolas should withstand storms

At least that’s what Jan, a 49-year-old architect from Zurich, thought. He lives with his family in a rented terraced house with a pergola in the garden. But on a stormy summer night, the wind completely blew away the rotten Eternit corrugated roof. Looking back, Jan says, “The old roof was no longer strong enough for such a violent summer storm.”

But on the positive side, the four granite columns firmly anchored in the ground and the roof-supporting structure, consisting of parallel and transverse wooden beams, withstood the storm. The vines surrounding the granite columns also remained intact. As Jan explains, “An aluminium roof with air-permeable slats would have provided less surface for the wind.”

Awning fabric as an inexpensive alternative to Eternit roofs

But if you choose a solid roofing solution made of aluminium, you can easily spend several thousand francs. The advantage of aluminium roofs with movable slats or air vents is that, when open, they let the sun through, and when closed, they provide shade and protection from rain. Hobby craftsman Jan decided on a cheaper solution: he covered the seating area with a textile roof at his own expense.

“I wanted a roof structure that primarily protected against the sun.” The solution: Jan used a water-repellent, UV-resistant awning fabric. The new roof is impressive both visually and in terms of price – Jan ordered the fabric from an online hardware store for just a few hundred francs.

How to make your pergola stable and weatherproof

To make your future seating area weatherproof, consider the following:

• Stability: Observe static principles when planning and building. Make sure the pergola columns are firmly anchored in the ground. As a rule, a pergola should stand on four concrete foundations with screw-on ground sleeves or, on other substrates, on post brackets. The roof should be able to support the weight of snow. In case you are uncertain, you should involve experienced building professionals in the design and construction.

• Weather resistance: Use waterproof materials with UV protection that are suitable for outdoor use and weather-resistant.

• Optional roof or canopy: A firm roof or canopy can provide additional protection from rain.

Choosing the right materials for your new pergola

But which building materials should you use? Michael Hügli is the managing director at the Swiss trades network Buildigo. It can help you find the best tradespeople in your area.

Michael Hügli says: “The choice of materials depends on personal taste, overall aesthetic appearance, budget and functional requirements. Wood is often used for a natural look and warmth, but is slightly less weather-resistant. Stone, aluminium and steel are weather-resistant and low-maintenance.”

The following options are available when choosing the material:

If you want to avoid a complex building project, you can also use prefabricated pergola kits from a DIY store. For such finished products, all the necessary wood cross-sections and dimensions are already calculated. There is also no risk of selecting the “wrong” material. But even if you opt for a prefabricated kit, the pergola must be approved and must not impact your neighbours.

Permit requirements for pergolas in Switzerland

What you should also consider when planning is that in Switzerland, all buildings that are fixed to the ground require building permission. If you want a pergola that is firmly anchored to the ground, you usually have to obtain a building permit from your local authority.

Cantonal building laws also specify which buildings do not require a permit. For example, the Canton of Zurich stipulates in its Building Ordinance: “In construction zones, buildings and installations with a total height of no more than 2.5 m and a surface area of no more than 6 m² do not require a building permit. They shall, however, require a permit in core zones, in the area covered by another protection order or by an inventory of sites or monuments, and in the area of transport lines.”

Pergolas built temporarily or without a fixed roof can be erected without a permit in many cantons. To avoid surprises, you should check with the relevant building authority about the rules that apply to your project.

Observe boundary and building distances

It’s worth bearing in mind that your future pergola must also comply with the boundary and building distances applicable in your residential area. In addition, your new pergola must not obstruct your neighbours’ views or privacy. Depending on your particular initial situation, your construction project will then be examined under either the “simplified notification procedure” without a public tender or the ordinary building permit procedure.

Depending on the size of the project, it makes sense to talk to your neighbours at an early stage and to allow for sufficient distance when choosing a location in your garden or on your terrace. In the best case, they might give you permission to build close to or on the property line. Make sure that you only start your construction project once the building permit is legally valid.

Building a pergola: these are the costs you should expect

How much will your pergola cost? Costs vary depending on the size, foundation and materials chosen as well as the planting. A simple wooden pergola from a DIY store costs between CHF 500 and CHF 3,000 depending on its size and design.

According to Michael Hügli of Buildigo.ch, a non-weatherproof pergola made of granite from Ticino with four granite posts and wooden beams that can be covered with plants costs “between CHF 1,500 and CHF 2,200. In addition, there are costs for transport and assembly.” 

In summary

A pergola not only provides you with a functional benefit, but also adds aesthetic value. And it improves your quality of life outdoors. Tenants should agree with the owner on who will bear the cost of a newly built pergola, and whether the owner will offer compensation for a pergola constructed at the tenant’s expense when the tenant moves out.