Brett Field
Most pergolas in Queensland cost $2,800 to $18,600, according to Sparky's 2026 Brisbane guide, with a small timber pergola at the low end. hipages puts a 5 x 3 metre timber pergola kit, plus the cost to build it, at about $5,000.
Below are the price ranges, prices per square metre by timber, kits versus custom builds, what adds to the cost, which timber holds up, and the Gold Coast rules for approval and salt air. This guide covers open timber pergolas. These are market prices from cost guides, checked on 12 October 2026. They are not a quote from us.
How much does a timber pergola cost in 2026?
A simple open timber pergola sits at the low end: hipages starts a basic installation at about $2,000, and Sparky's range starts at $2,800. The top of each range is for big, roofed or custom jobs. We could not find a Gold Coast pergola price guide, so these figures are from Brisbane and national guides.
| Source | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Sparky, Brisbane guide (September 2026) | $2,800-$18,600 per job, mid point $6,400 | From a small freestanding timber pergola to a large steel-framed insulated patio |
| Sparky, homeowner reports (2012-2026) | $12,000 median of 40 reports | Reported jobs of all kinds, old and new |
| hipages (January 2026) | $2,000-$12,000 | A basic installation up to a large custom pergola |
| hipages (January 2026) | About $5,000 | A 5 x 3 m timber kit plus construction |
| hipages (January 2026) | $5,000-$50,000 | Custom-made pergolas, by size and design |
Sparky's Brisbane range uses a Queensland adjustment of about 10% under its Sydney baseline. It says the low end is a small freestanding timber pergola with a polycarbonate roof on a flat block. The top end is a large steel-framed insulated patio attached to a Queenslander, with engineering, approval and stormwater.
How much does a pergola cost per square metre?
The frame alone runs from about $50 per m2 in treated pine to $180 per m2 in spotted gum, according to Sparky. Whole-job figures per m2 are higher. Sparky prices footings, roofing and approvals separately.
| What is priced | Price per m2 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Treated pine frame, installed | $50-$80 | Sparky (2026) |
| Merbau frame, installed | $100-$150 | Sparky (2026) |
| Spotted gum frame, installed | $120-$180 | Sparky (2026) |
| Steel frame, installed (for comparison) | $250-$350 | Sparky (2026) |
| Whole pergola, any material | $100-$500 | hipages (2026) |
| Pergolas, patios and verandahs, reported jobs | About $550 (median) | Sparky, reports from 2012-2026 |
Here is some rough maths, not a quote. A 5 x 3 m pergola is 15 m2. In spotted gum at Sparky's rate, the frame is about $1,800 to $2,700. Four concrete footings at $200 to $400 each add $800 to $1,600. That puts a simple open pergola at about $2,600 to $4,300 before any extras, which sits near the bottom of Sparky's job range.
Is a pergola kit cheaper than a custom-built pergola?
Usually. hipages puts a 5 x 3 m timber kit plus construction at about $5,000, which is where its custom-made range starts. The kit alone, with no roof and nothing built, costs $2,250 to $2,580.
| Option (hipages, 2026) | Price |
|---|---|
| Treated pine kit, no roof, 5 x 3 m | $2,250 |
| Hardwood kit, no roof, 5 x 3 m | $2,580 |
| Timber kit plus construction | About $5,000 |
| Custom-made pergola | $5,000-$50,000 |
A custom pergola costs more because it is designed and cut for your yard. hipages gives the example of a curved roof, which costs more than a flat one. A kit shows you the price up front, hipages says, but someone still has to set out the posts, pour the footings and build it.
What else adds to the cost of a pergola?
Footings, attaching it to the house, and engineering are the big extras. Sparky's 2026 guides price them like this:
| Extra | Price (Sparky, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Concrete footing, fully installed | $200-$400 each |
| Screw pile instead of concrete | $150-$300 each |
| Attaching to the house (ledger, flashing, weatherproofing) | Adds 5-15% |
| Engineering certification | $300-$800 |
| Stormwater connection, roofed pergolas only | $500-$1,500 |
Sparky also lists removing an old outdoor structure, a sloping block, and carrying materials through the house when there is no side gate. Staining or painting the timber is a separate job. If there is no deck or paving under the pergola yet, that is a separate cost too. Our deck cost guide has those prices.
What timber should I use for a pergola on the Gold Coast?
A durable hardwood such as spotted gum or merbau, or treated pine if the budget is tight. The Queensland Government rates spotted gum and merbau as Class 1 above ground, which means a life expectancy of more than 40 years.
| Timber | Above ground | In ground | Upkeep (Sparky) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotted gum | Class 1, over 40 years | Class 2, 15-25 years | Oil every 6-12 months |
| Blackbutt | Class 1, over 40 years | Class 2, 15-25 years | Not listed |
| Merbau (kwila) | Class 1, over 40 years | Class 3, 5-15 years | Oil every 6-12 months |
| Slash pine, untreated | Class 4, under 7 years | Class 4, under 5 years | Restain treated pine every 1-3 years |
Source: Business Queensland timber properties pages, checked 12 October 2026. The Queensland Government lists merbau under the name kwila.
Untreated pine is only Class 4, so pine for a pergola needs preservative treatment. Sparky's guide says posts in the ground need H5 treatment, and above-ground framing H3 at least. The Queensland Government rates spotted gum, blackbutt and merbau as termite resistant. Our guide to decking timbers on the Gold Coast compares these species in more detail.
Do I need council approval for a pergola on the Gold Coast?
Not for a small, open one. The City of Gold Coast says unroofed pergolas "don't need building approval when less than 2.4 metres high" (2.1 metres mean height), 10 square metres and 5.0 metres long, and inside a setback they can only be ornamental or for plants. Add a roof and the roofed patio rules apply, which usually means approval. Our guide to council approval on the Gold Coast has the detail, and a building certifier has the final word for your block.
What is different about a pergola on the Gold Coast?
Salt air is the big one. The QBCC's corrosion guidance uses zones: the sea spray zone is within 1 km of a surf coast, and the coastal zone is 1 to 10 km from it. It lists pergolas as "exposed" to weather.
The QBCC's corrosion article says the minimum Z275 galvanised coating on framing brackets suits only inside spots that stay dry. Outdoors, or touching treated timber, brackets need more protection, "such as stainless steel". Ask what your pergola's brackets and bolts are made of.
The licensing rules apply too:
- building work over $3,300 must be done by a QBCC licensed contractor
- the most a contractor can ask as a deposit is 10% for work of $3,301 to $19,999, and 5% over $20,000
- the QBCC allows up to 20% when a made-to-measure pergola built off site is more than half the contract price
Footing depth, post size and wind loads depend on your site. An engineer or certifier sets them.
Should I get a pergola or a patio roof?
Get a pergola for filtered shade and a timber look. Get a patio roof if you want to stay dry. An open pergola has rafters or battens on top. A patio has a solid roof.
The line blurs once you add a roof. hipages notes that pergolas now come with polycarbonate or Colorbond roofs too. Sparky says a pergola with a solid roof is usually treated as a patio for approval, and a roofed one needs a stormwater connection. On the Gold Coast, a roofed patio usually needs building approval.
We do not build patio roofs. If you want a roof to keep the rain off, a patio roof company is the right call.
How do I compare pergola quotes?
Quotes only compare if they cover the same job. Check that each one says:
- the size, and whether it is freestanding or attached to the house
- the timber species, and the treatment grade for any pine
- the number of footings, and concrete or screw piles
- what the brackets and bolts are made of
- whether approval and engineering are needed, and who arranges them
- whether removal of an old structure and staining are included
- the contractor's QBCC licence number, and a deposit within the limits above
We build timber and composite decks, pool decks, deck stairs and landings, and timber or stainless wire balustrades across the Gold Coast. Thinking about a pergola over a new deck? Talk to Brett about both when he quotes. See our deck building page for the outdoor work we do.
Where do these prices come from?
Checked on 12 October 2026: Sparky (pergola cost, Brisbane and Australia, updated September 2026); hipages ("How much does a timber pergola cost?", "What is the rough cost of a pergola?" and "How much does a pergola cost?", all updated January 2026). Rules and data from the City of Gold Coast ("Do your building works need approval?", no date shown), the QBCC (corrosion protection article, 20 July 2020; when you need a licence, 27 June 2025; deposits, 11 August 2021) and Business Queensland (timber properties pages, no date shown). We will check the prices again every three months.
See our decks and patios work, or check what your job will cost.
