One of the most popular and universally positive additions to any yard is a custom-built pergola. It doesn’t just increase your home’s value. It also greatly enhances your outdoor experience as a place that can support plants and provides a shady spot to sit under and enjoy the outdoors. You may be considering getting one for your property. There are a few things to consider before having a pergola installed.

Your Frost Depth

The frost depth of your yard is the level up to which the ground freezes each year during the winter. This is important to know because, when you’re installing the support beams of your pergola, you need to ensure the beams go past that frost depth. Otherwise, when the frozen ground begins to thaw, it’ll start to push the support beams out and eventually collapse your pergola. To verify the frost depth of your area, you can check with your local building authority.

Contacting Local Utility Companies

The next thing to consider before having a pergola installed is what utility lines run underneath your yard. Many people forget that all sorts of pipelines and electrical lines run under their properties. As a result, they end up damaging these utilities when they begin digging into the soil. Contact your local utility services, and they’ll come out to mark where utilities are in your yard to ensure you don’t hit them. Having these utility lines repaired can be very expensive, so it’s definitely worth the trouble of reaching out.

Sun and Rain Protection

Lastly, while the pergola does provide some protection from the sun, it’s often popular for owners to add a canopy that further protects them from the sun and rain. This is just a great way to make your pergola a pleasant and comfortable outdoor space that you can sit under and enjoy. It also helps protect your furniture and accessories from the elements, ensuring they stay in good condition for much longer.