Compared
Pergola or gazebo?
A pergola is posts and beams with an open or louvred top, often against the house over the patio. A gazebo is a freestanding shelter with a solid roof, usually in the garden. Both are garden structures under Class 3 for planning: 30 m² in total, 3 m high (S.I. 338 of 2026).
Which one you want depends on where it goes and how much rain you want kept off.
- from €2,500a made-to-measure aluminium pergola, installed, one Irish company's published price (Superior Pergola Ireland)
- €427.95a 2.4 m × 2.4 m timber pergola kit (Mid Ulster)
- 30 m²all garden structures together, the limit to stay exempt from planning since 27 July 2026 (S.I. 338 of 2026)
- 3 m highthe most for a pergola without a tiled or slated roof to stay exempt (S.I. 338 of 2026)
FreeNo obligationOne company rings you, not fiveNothing agreed until you accept a written price
Side by side
Pergola and gazebo
| Pergola | Gazebo | |
|---|---|---|
| Roof | Open, louvred or retractable | Solid, often pitched |
| Where | Against the house or over the patio | Freestanding, in the garden |
| Rain | Louvred roofs close; open tops don't | Covered |
| Look | Light, lets the sun through | A shelter, more of a building |
| Planning | Class 3: 3 m high | Class 3: 3 m, or 4 m tiled or slated pitched |
Planning from S.I. 338 of 2026 (S.I. 338 of 2026).
Which
Which to choose
- Off the back door, for meals outside: a pergola, louvred if you want it in the rain.
- At the end of the garden, a place to sit in any weather: a gazebo.
- For climbers: an open timber pergola.
- Over a hot tub: either, with sides; check the base takes the weight.
Prices
What a pergola costs
| Pergola | Published price | What it is | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zest Ascot timber pergola, 2.4 m × 2.4 m | €427.95 | Kit, not fitted | Mid Ulster |
| Shadow Nord steel louvred pergola, 3 m × 3 m | €1,075 | Kit, not fitted | Royale Stones |
| Carlisle aluminium louvred pergola, 3 m × 3 m | €1,885.99 | Kit, not fitted | Royale Stones |
| Villa motorised aluminium pergola with dimmable lights, 3 m × 4 m | €3,395 | Kit, not fitted | Royale Stones |
| Custom aluminium pergola, made to measure and installed, from | from €2,500 | Fitted | Superior Pergola Ireland |
Prices as each firm lists them on its own site, read on 3 November 2026. None of the pages states VAT separately.
See it first
A pergola in your own garden
Take a photo of the patio or garden, pick wooden, aluminium or steel, and see it built before anyone quotes. Free, in under a minute.
- Upload a photo, or answer 4 questions.
- We pass it to one company that covers your county.
- They ring you with a written price.
Preview of your photo, not a guarantee. Your photo goes to Google's Gemini service to make the picture and isn't kept.
A photo that works
- Daylight, from the back door or an upstairs window.
- The spot for the pergola in the middle of the shot.
- Include the house wall if it's going against it.
- Measure the space too: the company will ask.
Free quote
Get a pergola price in 4 taps
Tap what you want and leave your number. It goes to one pergola company that covers your county, and they ring you back to arrange a look and a written price.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is a gazebo cheaper than a pergola?
A pop-up gazebo is cheaper than any pergola; a built timber gazebo with a slated roof can cost more. Like for like, it's the roof that drives the price.
Which is better for Irish weather?
One with a roof that closes: a louvred pergola or a gazebo.
Do I need planning for a gazebo?
The same as a pergola: Class 3, within 30 m² in total and 3 m high, or 4 m with a tiled or slated pitched roof (S.I. 338 of 2026).
Keep reading
Related guides
- Pergola with a roofLouvred, retractable and fixed roofs, and adding sides.
- Pergola costFitted and kit prices from Irish firms, checked November 2026.
- Wooden pergolasTimber kits from under €500, and what a built one involves.
- Planning permissionClass 3: 30 m², 3 m high, behind the house, since July 2026.
Where these numbers come from (1 public source, checked 3 November 2026)
Sources (3)
Prices and facts on this page were checked against these published pages. We are not connected to these businesses.
- Superior Pergola Ireland: superiorpergola.ie
- Mid Ulster: midulster.ie
- Royale Stones: royalestones.ie