Last updated: November 2026

Pavilions with a real roof, near Charlotte

A pavilion is a solid roof on posts. You get full shade at noon and a dry seat when it rains. Gable or single slope, shingles or metal, built on footings.

Pavilions: Quoted after we see photos free written quote, no visit needed to quote

Send photos for a quote Start in 3 taps

Prefer a form? Get a free written quote from your photos and rough sizes.

Price: Quoted after we see photos
Quote: Free, in writing from your photos
Roof shape: Gable or single slope
Roof cover: Shingles or metal

A pavilion or a pergola?

The roof is the difference. A pergola is an open frame, and it gives partial shade. A pavilion has a solid roof, so it gives full shade and keeps the rain off.

That roof makes a pavilion heavier than a pergola. It is built on footings, and it usually needs a building permit.

Our guide pergola vs pavilion vs gazebo puts them side by side.

Swipe the drawing sideways to see all of it.

A pergola has open rafters and gives partial shade. A pavilion has a solid roof, so it gives full shade and rain cover. A gazebo has its own roof and often a floor. An arbor is a small arch over a path or a gate.

A pavilion fits when

You want to sit outside while it rains.
You want full shade at noon in the summer.
You are ready for a building permit and the time it takes.

A pergola is enough when

Partial shade is fine and you like an open sky. Look at a wood or an aluminum pergola.
You only need a little more shade. There are cheaper steps, listed below.
You want the lighter structure.

Two roof shapes and two roof covers

You make two choices: the shape of the roof and what covers it.

Gable roof

Two slopes that meet at a ridge in the middle, like the roof of a house. Rain runs off both sides.

Single slope roof

One plane that tilts one way. Rain runs off the low side.

Shingles or metal

The cover on top of either shape. Tell us which one you want, and check it with your HOA. The written quote prices the one you pick.

Why it is built heavier than a pergola

An open frame lets the wind pass through. A solid roof catches it. So a pavilion needs stronger connections and stronger footings than a pergola.

Every post stands on a concrete footing, dug below the frost depth the local code sets. A patio of loose pavers cannot hold a post.

We build the footings, the posts, the frame and the roof. If you want a new patio under it, a concrete or paver company does that part.

A pergola and a pavilion compared
	Pergola	Pavilion
Shade	Partial, and it moves with the sun	Full
Rain	Comes through	Stays off
Top	Open rafters	Solid roof, shingles or metal
Stands on	A sound slab or footings	Footings
Permit	Depends on the size and the place	Usually a building permit

Swipe the drawing sideways to see all of it.

From left to right, each step blocks more sun: open rafters, top slats, a fabric canopy, a clear cover, and a solid roof. Full shade takes a solid roof, which is a pavilion.

More shade without a full roof

A pavilion is the last step, and it costs the most. If the rain does not matter to you, look at the steps before it. They are listed from the least cost to the most.

Closer rafters
Top slats across the rafters
A fabric shade canopy or shade cloth
Climbing plants, which take seasons to grow
A clear or tinted polycarbonate cover
A pavilion roof

Our guide how much shade a pergola gives has the numbers behind the first steps.

What we need to price a pavilion

Photos of the spot, and two choices about the roof.

The spot, from two corners: Wide enough that we see the house, the yard and how close the lot line is.
The ground, up close: Grass, concrete or pavers. Every post gets a footing in the ground.
What is overhead: Tree limbs and utility lines above the spot.
The rough width and depth: In feet. Tell us what has to fit under the roof.
The roof you want: Gable or single slope. Shingles or metal.

A pavilion is a bigger job

We still start with your photos and your rough sizes, and the written quote is still free.

If your project needs a visit before we can price it, we'll tell you up front, before anyone drives out.

The exact sizes are confirmed on site after you accept, as part of the job. We order nothing before that.

Send photos Start in 3 taps

How a pavilion is priced

Every pavilion is quoted after we see photos. The roof is most of the number, and the written quote is free.

Size: A bigger roof needs more posts, more framing and bigger footings.
Roof shape: A gable has a ridge and two slopes. A single slope is one plane.
Roof cover: Shingles or metal.
Footings: Every post gets one, and the count follows the size.
Permit and drawings: What the town or the county asks for, and the drawings that go with it.
Access: How we get the lumber and the roofing to the spot.

Large pavilions go through a licensed partner

A large pavilion can be a big number. North Carolina projects of $40,000 or more are contracted through our licensed general contractor partner. South Carolina projects over $5,000 go through our licensed partner too.

Our workmanship warranty terms are being finalized. The written quote states the warranty that applies to that job. More on what moves a price is on the pergola cost page.

What comes with a roof, and what we leave to others

A pavilion is the biggest structure on our list. Know these six things first.

It usually needs a building permit: A solid roof makes it a building. The permit can add weeks, and the town or the county decides, not us.
It always needs footings: Each post stands on its own concrete footing in the ground. Loose pavers cannot hold a post.
No wiring: If you plan a fan, lights or outlets under the roof, hire a licensed electrician. That work often needs its own permit. We do none of it.
No kitchen and no fire: We build the roof over the space. An outdoor kitchen under it, or a gas or fire feature, is work for other trades.
Not a porch: A pavilion is its own roof on its own posts. Screened porches, sunrooms and roofing on a house are not our trade.
No slab and no pavers: Concrete slabs and paver patios belong to a concrete or paver company. We build the pavilion and its footings.

The permit, the HOA and where to ask

If your project needs a building or zoning permit, the written quote says so, and who files it is agreed in writing before any work starts.

This is not legal advice, and no one can promise you an approval. Your town, your county and your HOA decide.

Start with our permit guide and our HOA guide.

A roof changes the category: A roofed structure is a building, and it usually needs a building permit.
Each place has its own office: In Weddington, the town gives the zoning permit and Union County gives the building permit. In South Carolina, first find out if your lot is inside the town, such as Fort Mill, Tega Cay or Rock Hill, or in unincorporated York or Lancaster County. The office is different.
The HOA looks at five things: Size, height, material, color and the place on the lot. Many HOAs must say yes to an outdoor structure before work starts, and that can take a few weeks. You get a drawing from us, with the sizes and the materials, to send in.

Three steps to a roof in the yard

Send photos of the spot

Send photos of the spot from two corners, the ground up close and what is overhead, plus the rough width and depth. Tell us gable or single slope, shingles or metal. We send a free written quote. If your project needs a visit before we can price it, we'll tell you up front, before anyone drives out.
Permit, HOA and the final measure

A pavilion usually needs a building permit, and your HOA may have to approve it. After your yes, we confirm the exact sizes on site as part of the job, and only then do we order materials. The build date goes in the written quote.
Footings, frame, then the roof

We dig and pour the footings, stand the posts and build the frame. Then the roof goes on, in the shingles or the metal you picked.

Common questions

What is the difference between a pavilion and a pergola?

The roof. A pergola is an open frame that gives partial shade. A pavilion has a solid roof on posts, so it gives full shade and keeps the rain off. A pavilion is heavier, it is built on footings, and it usually needs a building permit. Read pergola vs pavilion vs gazebo.

Does a pavilion need a permit?

Usually, yes. A roofed structure is a building, and it usually needs a building permit. If your project needs a building or zoning permit, the written quote says so, and who files it is agreed in writing before any work starts. Your town or county has the final word.

How much does a pavilion cost?

Every pavilion is quoted after we see photos. The price moves with the size of the roof, gable or single slope, shingles or metal, the footings and the permit. The written quote is free. If your project needs a visit before we can price it, we'll tell you up front, before anyone drives out.

Gable or single slope: which roof should I pick?

A gable has two slopes and a ridge in the middle, so it is tallest in the center. A single slope is one plane that sends the rain to one side. Tell us where you want the rain to go, and check the shape with your HOA.

Can you add a fan, lights or outlets?

No. We do no electrical work. A fan, lights and outlets need a licensed electrician, and often their own permit. Plug-in string lights need no wiring.

Can a pavilion go on my patio?

The posts stand on concrete footings in the ground, not on the patio surface. Send a photo of the patio, and we look at where the footings can go. We do not pour slabs or lay pavers.

Do you build screened porches or outdoor kitchens?

No. Screened porches, sunrooms, outdoor kitchens, and gas and fire features are not our trade. We build the pavilion itself: the footings, the posts, the frame and the roof.

Send the yard. We price the roof in writing.

Photos of the spot from two corners, the ground, what is overhead, and two rough sizes. Tell us gable or single slope. The written quote is free.

Send photos for a quote

Still deciding between a pavilion and a pergola? Start your estimate in 3 taps and tell us what you want it to do.

Get a free written quote

Tell us what you want to build or fix. We text or call you back during business hours, usually the same day. Photos get you a faster quote: send them here.

Not sure what to photograph? See our 1-page photo guide.

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We use it to check that you are in our service area.

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It matters only if the pergola attaches to the house. Older homes may have lead paint.

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Our pergola services

Wood, aluminum and attached pergolas, pavilions, privacy walls and pergola repair, across south Charlotte, Union County and York and Lancaster County, SC.

Cities we serve

These towns have their own page. We also work in the towns around them. If you do not see yours, send your photos with your zip code and we tell you before we quote.

Start with a few photos of your patio or yard

Send us photos of the space and its rough width and depth, and we send you a free written quote. If your project needs a visit before we can price it, we'll tell you up front, before anyone drives out. We answer during business hours, usually the same day.