How much does a pergola cost in Sydney in 2026?

A pergola in Sydney costs anywhere from about $5,000 for a basic open timber pergola to $30,000 or more for a large roofed one. Where yours lands depends on its size, whether it has a roof and what kind, how it meets the house and the deck, and how easy the site is to work on. The only reliable figure is a quote made after someone has measured the site.

This guide sets out what published 2026 price guides say, and what moves a pergola’s price up or down. When you are ready for a figure, our pergolas page explains how we measure and quote.

What do published price guides say?

The figures below are from What’s The Damage?’s patio cost guide for Sydney (updated October 2026, checked October 2026). It compiles public cost guides and industry rates rather than quoting jobs itself. They are Sydney prices per square metre, supplied and installed, including GST, from low to high:

Flat or skillion Colorbond roof (typical $400)

$250–$600per m²

Gable or pitched Colorbond roof (typical $700)

$450–$950per m²

Polycarbonate or clear roof (typical $360)

$220–$540per m²

For whole jobs, the same guide puts a small 15 m² skillion Colorbond roof at $6,500 to $13,000, and a 30 m² gable or insulated one at $14,000 to $30,000. Its North Shore and Northern Beaches range is $320 to $800 per m², a little above the Sydney table.

For an open timber pergola, its Sydney decking cost guide (updated October 2026) puts a basic pergola over a deck, about 4 by 4 to 4 by 6 metres, at $5,750 to $17,250, with $9,200 typical. The Quote Yard’s NSW pergola page (checked October 2026) gives $5,000 to $8,000 for a basic timber pergola and $8,000 to $15,000 for a mid-range one.

These are broad estimates. They don’t know your block, your house or what you want the pergola to do, so your price could sit well above or below them.

What makes one pergola cost more than another?

• Size. More area means more beams, rafters and roofing, though the cost per square metre often falls on a larger pergola, because the set-up and footings are spread further.
• Roof or no roof. An open timber pergola is the least expensive. A Colorbond or polycarbonate roof adds the sheeting, flashings and guttering, and the frame has to carry it.
• Roof shape. A flat or skillion roof costs less than a gable, which needs more framing and more cutting.
• How it meets the house. Fixing to the house means working around the gutter, the fascia and the roof water. A freestanding pergola on its own posts avoids that, but needs more posts and footings.
• The ground. Posts on a sloping block or over a raised deck need deeper footings and longer posts than posts on a flat lawn.
• Timber and finish. Treated pine costs less than hardwood, and painting, staining or oiling is part of the price.
• Access. Every post, beam and roof sheet has to be carried in, and a narrow side passage adds labour.

What does a roof add?

A roof turns a pergola from shade into cover. Colorbond keeps out sun and rain completely and comes in a range of colours. Polycarbonate or translucent sheeting keeps the rain off but lets light through to the deck and the rooms behind it, which matters on the south side of a house.

At Lane Cove West, we built a long merbau deck with a timber pergola over it, roofed in translucent sheets that keep the rain off the deck without darkening it.

Merbau steps from lawn up to deck under timber pergola, Lane Cove West

To compare roofs side by side, try the roof chooser on our pergolas page.

Can an old pergola be re-roofed instead of replaced?

Often, yes. If the posts, beams and rafters are sound, a new roof can go on the existing frame, which costs much less than a new pergola. If the frame is rotten or too light for the new roof, it needs strengthening or replacing first. We check the frame before we quote, and price both options if they are close.

Will the pergola need council approval?

Many pergolas in NSW are exempt development and need no approval, within limits on height, size and setbacks. A roofed pergola attached to the house also has to stay below the house’s gutter line. Our guide to council approval for decks and pergolas sets out the rules. A pergola outside them needs a complying development certificate or a development application, which adds fees and time.

How do you get a real figure for your pergola?

Send a few photos of the area, rough measurements and whether you want a roof. We then measure on site, check how the pergola meets the house, the ground and the gutters, and give you a written quote.

When you compare quotes, check they cover the same things:

• the timber for the posts, beams and rafters, and its finish
• the roof sheeting, flashings, gutter and downpipe
• how it fixes to the house, or the footings if it is freestanding
• removal of an old pergola or roof
• who arranges any approval.

Also check the builder’s licence on the NSW Government licence register. Timbaland Carpentry holds NSW Contractor Licence 276621C in the Carpenter class.