Are you planning to add a pergola to your outdoor living space?
Modern Pergolas are an excellent way to create a flexible outdoor room, but choosing the ideal size for your garden can be tricky to visualise. Modern Bio-climatic pergolas will allow you to be in total control of the sun, shade, light, wind and with a rain tight roof your pergola will be as usable 90% of the year what ever the weather. With many bespoke options available your pergola will add a huge amount of value to your life.
In the early stages of designing a pergola we ask our clients to talk to us about their intended use for the space they will create with a pergola. The answers to this question and their aspirations will start the design process.
Appreciating that the available space in a garden or outdoor area will have a significant bearing on the size of the pergola that is possible, the below size guides will hopefully ignite your imagination.
PERGOLA SIZE CALCULATOR
Looking for a hideaway away from your property to sneak into and relax with your partner or a small group of friends?
3m x 3.5m would allow for a small corner sofa and table for drinks and nibbles, large enough for 4 people to enjoy this cosy space.
More space needed?
Are you looking for a dinning space for 4 to 6 people and somewhere to sit whilst the kids are running around the garden.
4m x 5m would be a good starting point. Accommodating a large dining table / fire table and chairs, potted plants and a free-standing fire.
Large entertaining space for your friends and family, seating, and cooking area?
7m x 4.5m (the largest single pergola available with only 4 legs). Large outdoor kitchen including BBQ, fridge, Sink, Pizza oven and storage. Dining table and chairs for 8 – 10 people and enough room to build in some planters or comfy sofas for relaxing after dinner.
Huge entertaining space?
Cooking, bar area, dinning with a Hot Tub or pool table all under one pergola?
7m x 7m – almost a 50 sqm extension to your home giving you a huge outdoor space for a truly impressive space. A pergola of this size would not be necessary for many situations. However, it is worth considering when space is available, and compromise is not an option.
Note, all of the higher quality manufacturers offer bespoke sizing, sizes can be adjusted in 10mm increments to make the most of whatever space you have available. This means that your pergola can be sized to perfectly fit the space you have available, it can be built to work around existing patio sizes, windows, doors etc or if part of a new garden design sized perfectly to fit in with the design.
When considering the size of your pergola it is worth noting the below:-
DO I NEED PLANNING PERMISSION TO PUT UP A PERGOLA?
For most people in the UK pergolas are covered by permitted development, they are classed as a temporary structure and do not require formal permission. Providing you stick to the following guidelines:-
HOW CLOSE TO MY NEIGHBOURS FENCE CAN I BUILD A PERGOLA?
If you would like your pergola installed within 1m of your boundary line, you must keep the height 2.5m or lower. If your pergola is further away from your boundary than 1m the height can be increased to 3m.
In our experience even if permitted development has been removed from the original planning approval (some new builds in some locations) and planning permission is required; it is normally easy to acquire. Reputable installers should have the capability to help you at every step of the way if planning is needed, assisting with design and scale drawings and in some cases completing everything on your behalf. Don’t let this little bit of red tape stop your dreams.
I hope the above short insight was helpful and good luck with creating your perfect outdoor space.
Here if you need us contact us
Jonathan – Owner – Rase Outdoor Living