1. I want my gazebo, pavilion or pergola to be beautiful. Are they all the same? What are the differences that matter? Most of the gazebos, pergolas, and pavilions you see out there are going to be pretty. Whether it’s the natural beauty of wood that draws you in, or the low maintenance nature of vinyl, backyard and garden structures are designed to look beautiful on the outside. The basic gazebo design is already beautiful with straight railings and half-moon braces. Even still, we want you to have the extras you want and have very reasonable options pricing. If you want a “gingerbread” gazebo with a curved roof, scalloped fascia, Victorian braces and railings, and tongue and groove ceiling…the more options you want, the more you’re going to appreciate our pricing. If you are purchasing a wood gazebo, we want you to have us stain or seal it for you in our spray booth. It will be much easier and we only charge 12% of the base price for staining.
2. I want my outdoor structure to stay beautiful. Are they all the same? What are the differences that matter? There are a few major differences, some of which you can see, and most you can’t. For example, the ceiling joists in vinyl gazebos are covered up. You can’t see until you get the kit if they’re single 2×4, (which is as skimpy as it gets) or double 2×4. If the floor joists are installed right out of the bundle, they’re all a little bit different size so the floor isn’t completely flat. You probably wouldn’t notice this right away, but as time goes by, you might see that the pieces want to pull away from one another. Wood you can see. 5/4” wood decking was fine for the deck on your starter home, but it’s not the ideal material for a gazebo that costs thousands of dollars. A 5/4” floor in a gazebo is going to buckle after a few years, and it’s pretty costly to replace. Also, solid 4×4 posts are usually cracked even when they’re new. That’s why a few gazebo builders use 3-piece laminated posts. The grade of lumber is also important as well as the selection process. The literature can say that they use #1 Premium lumber, but what you actually end up with depends a great deal on the selection process. Our wood gazebos have virtually no knots or “waning”. Waning is where the edges of the board are rounded off unevenly when the tree was milled at the plant.
We have tons of pictures from our plant to show you that our building practices and materials are the best in the business. We invite you to come visit us and see for yourself the quality that goes into each and every structure.
3. I know I can build a kit, but how much of my time will it take? What do I need to know before and after making this decision? You’re counting on us to talk straight with you, especially since you’re buying something sight unseen. Maybe you’re particularly handy and fit and can build these kits as fast as we can, but we’d rather be realistic so you can allow enough time. Depending on the size of your gazebo, up to 12 x 16 oval, it will take about ½ day to work on your foundation, and 2 people a full day to build the kit. We’ll provide you with the profile or footprint of your gazebo so you know where the stone bed, piers, or foundation need to go. If you have particularly difficult local code or permit issues, we’ll do our best to help you work through them. We have easy to read instructions with lots of pictures we can email you in advance so you have a chance to anticipate what’s coming.
Depending on your experience, you may want to hire someone to prepare the site to make sure it’s level and that all is in order. As far as building the gazebo, pavilion or pergola kit, it’s relatively simple and someone with no building experience can usually handle it. Perhaps the most important thing is to allow enough time for the project so you’re not running out of time and end up stressed out having a half-done project.
4. What is the guarantee? The pressured treated wood we use is guaranteed for life against moisture or termite damage. The Shingles are 30-year architectural shingles. The Vinyl and composite decking are have a limited lifetime warranty.
5. I want this to be as easy as possible. Is this going to get harder after I make the down payment? We are extremely accessible by phone, email, and fax. Barring some unforeseen circumstance, you should always get a call back within ½ day or sooner. Most of the year, our lead times are around 4 weeks, although we do make exceptions for special occasions if we can on a case by case basis. If you’re farther away, we may need more time to set up affordable shipping. Whatever the case, we’ll always be upfront with you and give you straight answers. If you ever feel otherwise, please ask to speak to the owner.
6. I’m starting to see there are tons of small features and that it’s a little hard to tell what is standard and what is extra. What’s it really going to cost me? Am I going to find out later that something that is typically standard is missing or overpriced?
No. The Amish Designers Gazebo line, for example, includes as standard:
- Floor/deck
- Stainless Steel Screws including deck screws
- 2”x6” decking on wood gazebos
- Tongue and Groove Pressure Treated or Cedar Ceiling
- Cupola
- Most people today want screens and stain which on a 12’ gazebo are about $1,000.
There are deductions available if your situation doesn’t call for a floor, if you don’t want a cupola, or if you would prefer a vinyl ceiling.
We have standard features pages for vinyl and wood gazebos that spell out explicitly what is standard, and whether your quote is an email or a pdf document, it will include what the cost will be DELIVERED! And any exceptions. If we err, which we do from time to time, we’ll make it right.
We do not send out price sheets on our product line. We’re more than happy to give you the prices on what you’re looking for and several different scenarios.
While there are a few builders that cut a lot of corners and may have a lower price, but we are extremely competitive for similar quality products.
7. I don’t mind paying for value, but if I’m paying more, how do I know I’m getting more?
It’s easy for a gazebo manufacturer to SAY they have the best product and quality, but differences among the top quality builders are very small. While it’s important that a company have professional marketing materials, it still doesn’t mean you should have to pay 25% more for the privilege of doing business. Our product matches up with the very best in the business. Ask us for more close-up pictures from our shop and you’ll see for yourself.
Well, there you have it! Are there any other concerns you can think of? Give us a call. If the website doesn’t show you what you’re looking for to assure you you’re getting a top quality product, we’re happy to send you more pictures. Also, if you really want to make sure, ask to speak to one of our happy customers.
