07456 370396info@priorylandscaping.co.uk Mon–Sat 7am–7pmDarlington · Stockton · Durham · Middlesbrough HomeAboutServices Areas Our WorkReviewsContact07456 370396Get a Free Quote Pergolas # Pergolas Built to Last —Darlington & the North East. Timber and oak pergolas installed on concreted post supports (not bolted into paving). Solid, level, and finished to sit right with the rest of the garden. Fixed written quotes, up to 10-year workmanship guarantee. Get my free fixed-price quote Call James on 07456 370396 Checkatrade 10/10 — 33 verified reviews Free quotes, usually within 2 days - 18 years' experience - Checkatrade 10/10 (33+ reviews) - Up to 10-year workmanship guarantee - £2M Public & Employers' Liability - Site visit usually within 2 days The service ## What we build, who it's for, and why it's worth doing properly. ### What it is A full pergola installation — from ground clearance and concreted post foundations to fully framed rafters, cross beams, decorative rafter tails and any planting battens or roof panels. Built as a proper garden structure, not a flat-pack bolted to paving. ### Who it's for Homeowners who want a defined outdoor room over a patio, deck or seating area — shade in summer, a frame for climbing plants, and somewhere lights and heaters can be mounted permanently. ### When it's needed When a patio or deck feels featureless, when a hot tub area needs shade and privacy, when a bare wall of the house wants softening, or when the garden needs an architectural anchor point. ### Why professional install matters The pergolas we're called out to repair almost all failed the same way — posts bolted to shallow slabs instead of concreted into the ground. First proper storm and they lean, then rot at the base plate. A pergola is a wind sail; the foundations have to hold the load. The cost of getting it wrong ## What happens when the job is done cheaply — or left too long. Off-the-shelf pergolas from a garden centre look great in the box and awful two years later. Bolted to a patio with metal plates, they lift in storms and rock in wind. Built properly, they're a 20-year fixture. ### Wobbling in the wind Post-anchor bolted to a slab flexes with every gust. Fixings loosen, timber splits around them, whole structure starts moving. ### Rotting at the base Timber posts sitting on top of paving with no ventilation wick moisture up and rot at the ground line. Not visible until the post breaks. ### Sagging rafters Undersized rafters over long spans deflect in the middle. Add a wisteria or grape vine and it turns into a permanent bow. ### Common mistakes we're called out to fix: - Post-anchor plates bolted to slabs instead of concreted post supports — fails in the first winter storm. - Timber posts in direct ground contact with no post shoe or gravel drainage — rot at the base within 5 years. - Rafters undersized for the span — 4×2 sagging over a 3.5m span with climbing plants on top. - No wind-brace or cross-brace on freestanding pergolas over 2.4m — whole structure flexes in gusts. - Fixings that aren't stainless or coated — rust stains bleed down oak and hardwood permanently. Our process ## A clear, staged system — so you always know what's next. - 1 ### Free site visit & design James walks the space, confirms post positions clear of buried services, measures for rafter span and headroom, discusses timber and style (softwood / hardwood / oak, flat or pitched, roof panels or open rafters). - 2 ### Fixed written quote One price covering foundations, timber, fixings, roof panels if any, staining or oiling and clean-down. Rafter and post sizes specified. - 3 ### Post foundations Post holes dug to 600mm+ (deeper for taller structures), post shoes cast into wet concrete pads level with paving or ground level. Timber posts sit in the shoe with a ventilation gap — never in direct ground contact. - 4 ### Frame assembly Posts plumbed and braced, main beams notched onto post tops (never surface-bolted only), cross beams and rafters cut and fixed with stainless or coated structural screws. - 5 ### Finishing & roof Decorative rafter tails cut, wind bracing added where relevant, roof panels (polycarbonate, louvred, or timber slat) fitted if specified. Timber stained, oiled or left to silver depending on your preference. - 6 ### Clean-down & handover Site cleared, structure walkaround, written guarantee and aftercare notes. Any electrical points (lighting, heater sockets) mounted at frame stage. Why homeowners choose Priory ## Specific outcomes — not vague promises. ### Concreted post foundations Every post concreted to 600mm+ with a post shoe. The pergola stays where you put it — no lean, no lift, no wobble. ### Properly sized rafters Rafter timber sized for the actual span and expected load (climbing plants, lighting, wind). No sagging in year three. ### Softwood, hardwood or oak Softwood painted or stained for budget builds, hardwood for a warm natural look, green oak for a premium 20+ year structure. Honest advice at survey. ### Typically 2–4 days on site Most residential pergolas up to 4m × 3m finish in 3 days including finishing. Larger or roofed structures run 4–5 days. ### Built around existing patios & decks We work in around existing hard landscaping without lifting it — post shoes cut in cleanly against paving or decking edges. ### Up to 10-year workmanship guarantee Written into the quote. Timber lifespan depends on species and finish — we'll explain in writing. Materials, methods & variations ## The detail most contractors won't put in writing. Pergolas span from a simple 4-post square over a patio to a full lean-to roofed structure attached to the house. Here's how the build changes across those variants. ### Freestanding pergolas Four (or six, for larger frames) posts concreted into the ground with post shoes, main beams notched onto the post tops, secondary beams and rafters cross-lapped over the mains. Wind bracing at each corner on structures over 2.4m tall. ### Lean-to pergolas (attached to the house) One face fixed to the house wall via a ledger board bolted through render to the brickwork or timber frame beneath. Ledger sealed to the wall to shed water. Free posts concreted opposite. Rafters fall away from the house for drainage. ### Roofed pergolas (polycarbonate / slats / louvred) Rafters oversized for load, with a fall of at least 1:60 for water shedding. Polycarbonate for full weather cover, timber slats or battens for filtered light, motorised louvred systems for adjustable shade. All added at frame stage, not retro-fitted. ### Softwood, hardwood, oak Softwood (pressure-treated): cheapest, needs staining every 2–3 years. Hardwood (iroko, balau, cedar): warm natural tone, 15+ year lifespan. Green oak: premium, silvers to a beautiful grey, 20–25+ year lifespan. All three suit different budgets and looks. ### Lighting, heating & climbing plants Low-voltage LED strip along the underside of the rafters, cabling run at frame stage. Overhead patio heaters mounted on cross beams. Wire trellis for wisteria, clematis or grape — planted at a corner post, trained across the rafters over 2–3 seasons. ### Combining a pergola with decking or patio If we're building the pergola over an existing patio, we set post shoes into concrete pads cut carefully into the paving. If we're building patio + pergola in one project, post shoes are cast in during the sub-base stage and the paving cut around them — cleanest finish possible. Answers before you ask ## Frequently asked questions. How much does a pergola cost?+Priced after a free site visit — size, timber species, roof type and whether it's freestanding or attached all change the number. Fixed written quote with no 'from' figures. How long does a pergola take to build?+ Do I need planning permission for a pergola?+ Can you build over an existing patio?+ Softwood, hardwood or oak — which should I choose?+ Can you add lighting and a heater?+ What's your workmanship guarantee?+ ### Related services - Decking - Patios - Full garden landscaping - Sleeper walls & raised beds - Priory Landscaping homepage - Request a free fixed-price quote ### Areas we cover - Darlington - Stockton - Durham - Middlesbrough - Barnard Castle - Sedgefield - Yarm - Northallerton - County Durham ## Ready for a pergolas that lasts? Free site visit within a couple of days. Fixed written price shortly after — no deposit, no pressure, no ballpark guesswork. Backed by up to 10-year workmanship guarantee and £2M public liability insurance. Get my free fixed-price quote Call James on 07456 370396 Mon–Sat, 7am–7pm • 2 Falcon Court, Preston Farm Ind Est, Stockton-On-Tees TS18 3TS Third-generation landscapers and driveway specialists serving the North East. Follow us on Facebook Services - Driveways - Patios - Landscaping - Resin Driveways - Block Paving - Artificial Grass - Decking - Fencing & Garden Walls - Sleeper Walls & Raised Beds - Pergolas Areas Covered - Darlington - Stockton - Durham - Middlesbrough - Barnard Castle - Sedgefield - Yarm - Northallerton - Newton Aycliffe - Bishop Auckland - Billingham - Thornaby - Eaglescliffe & Ingleby Barwick - Guisborough - Hartlepool - County Durham Get in Touch - 07456 37039624/7 line available - info@priorylandscaping.co.uk - 2 Falcon Court, Preston Farm Ind Est,Stockton-On-Tees, TS18 3TS - Monday – Saturday, 7am – 7pmCheckatrade 10/10Bark 5/5£2M Public Liability © 2026 Priory Landscaping & Driveways. All rights reserved. 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