by Steven Langner of Martinez, CA on 10/20/2020 11:43:00 AM
I live in California and purchased a Grand Cedar Pavilion kit from Pergola Kits USA in mid-2019.
I had done quite a bit of research involving kits and this one seemed to be at least as good if not better than the competitors and the price was much more attractive.
In planning for the pavilion I first assumed that the kits had to be purchased in whole foot dimensions but found out the Pergola Kits offered custom sizes down to a 1/4 without charge."
I also found that I could change the roof pitch and eliminate side posts, also without charge. (I did all of the above.) During my research, I emailed questions to the representative, Fred, about 20-25 times.
Fred always got back to me very quickly, usually the same day.
After a few months of planning a very large and complicated backyard pavilion and relandscape (patio cover and landscaping demo, stamped concrete, outdoor shower, BBQ island, spa, fire pit, sound system, lighting, fans, irrigation and plantings,
outdoor furniture, etc.), I ordered the pavilion.
The materials arrived and as I started going through the pieces and moving them to the backyard, I could see that the cedar was very high quality, with very few unobtrusive knots, that almost looked as if it was clear timber (no knots).
I hired a retired carpenter to help me build the kit. The weight of some of the timber was very heavy and somewhat difficult for two of us to get into place. The pavilion is quite large (21' X 29' approx.
) and I would recommend four people to build such a size. However, the two of us were able to do most of it in just over 40 hours, and I finished the shingling and odds and ends on my own, probably another 15 hours or so.
As I said above, the cedar is very high quality, but also I found that the precision in the cutting of the pieces was extraordinary. It fit together like a kids set of lincoln logs.
The quality of the kit, however, was equalled by the service that I received from Fred. He was top notch. He handled every question I had and made sure everything was exactly right.
He also put me in touch on a couple of occasions with the gentlemen who actually cut the timber and prepared the kits and I found that they were Amish. That explained a lot about the quality and precision of the kits.
My beliefs regarding the quality of the kit was confirmed by every sub contractor who assisted along the way (electrician, BBQ island contractor, landscaper, sound system installer, carpenter, stone mason, etc.
), who all said they have never seen a nicer, better constructed pavilion in all of their professional encounters.
As we only finished the project in early 2020, unfortunately during Covid only a few family members and friends have seen the final result, but those that have have been amazed.
Wow!," "Oh my god!," "Unbelievable!," "This is like a 5-star resort!," are just a few of he comments. In short, the pavilion turned out nicer than I could have ever imagined and the service was better than any service I can ever remember."
I give the pavilion kit and Fred's service the absolute highest rating possible.
