If you\u2019re trying to achieve front porch pergola curb appeal, read on to learn more about the different kinds of pergola structures<\/a> available (some will blend beautifully with your home\u2019s style and architecture, and others… not so much). We\u2019ll also cover how to avoid pergola structures that will only clash with your neighborhood vibe, and what you can expect to get back from an ROI perspective on this type of project.<\/p>\n The unique twist on the traditional pergola didn\u2019t appear out of thin air. Over the past few years, this design trend offering a certain curb appeal flair was featured on Joanna Gaines\u2019 work in Season 5 of Fixer Upper<\/a>. Meanwhile her husband Chip\u2019s 2017 European inspired cottage<\/a> noticeably featured pergolas hanging over the garage doors.<\/p>\n Another TV designer putting out the good PR for front porch pergolas? John Gidding on HGTV\u2019s Curb Appeal<\/a>. On this show, front-facing pergola additions of all sizes are a frequent accent for the chosen homes. Remodeling Magazine<\/i><\/a> has called pergolas a \u201csophisticated upgrade\u201d and an \u201ciconic structure for outdoor sanctuaries.\u201d<\/p>\n However, pergola traditions go back much further than the history of TV. The term stems from the Latin word \u201cpergula\u201d<\/i> meaning \u201cprojecting eave.\u201d In fact pergolas have been in use since ancient Egyptian times<\/a>, serving as both a structure to display colorful flowering plants and to protect people from the elements.<\/p>\n To see how front porch pergola trends translate to real homeowners, we looked at pergola coverage from experts at Better Homes and Gardens<\/a> and Architectural Digest<\/a> who have reviewed pergolas of all shapes, sizes, materials and placements. We also discussed the specifics of front porch pergola building and resale value with Kim Trouten<\/a>, a top real estate agent in Charlotte, North Carolina<\/a> who sells homes 32% faster than her peers.<\/p>\n Some pergolas are freestanding while others (as is most often the case with front-facing pergolas) act as extensions of an elevation off the main home, whether it be the porch, roof, or garage. Compared to arbors, which most commonly feature curved tops, the pergola roof structure is flat, i.e., parallel with the ground. As for the visual interest? That comes from a pergola\u2019s distinct architectural flourishes.<\/p>\n \u201cThe success of the pergola today comes from the fact that different materials and profiles can make it fit with different styles of construction, depending on the home\u2019s other architectural elements, combined with the ease of construction,\u201d says Maribel Solis, an architect in Houston, Texas.<\/p>\n There are three distinct trends for front-of-the-house pergolas \u2014 all of which have the ability to transform your home\u2019s curb appeal and add a graceful detail to your front facade.<\/p>\n This type of pergola provides an outdoor room with space for seating and will be attached to the front elevation of the home. According to Fixr, a pergola addition will cost on average $3,100<\/a> for an area totaling 10 square feet.<\/p>\n These costs will cover materials (like cedar) as well as concrete footings and carpentry work. You can also design and build your own<\/a> front porch pergola, if you follow the variety of online manuals that explain how to achieve the desired effect like this wood pergola building guide from HGTV<\/a>, or this comprehensive step by step from This Old House<\/a>. (Please note, each city and county has their own building code and, in certain locations, a pergola will require a building permit as well as a city inspection).<\/p>\n For custom outdoor room pergolas, you get more than just outdoor summer living. According to Remodeling Magazine<\/i>, pergolas allow homeowners to transition into fall with added heating systems and fire features<\/a>.<\/p>\n This type, also known as an \u201ceyebrow\u201d pergola<\/a>, will create a canopy or overhang over your garage door or front windows where you can get some architectural dimension, and a point of interest for climbing flowering perennials.<\/p>\n \u201cWe see these a lot as a decorative accent in my area,\u201d says Trouten of her Charlotte, NC market.<\/p>\n You can find low maintenance easy-to-DIY kits<\/a> online for this type of pergola around $699. These kits often allow you to select the shape of the corbels or brackets<\/a> to match the architecture of your home. \u201cHomeowners in my area use vines that can be trained, like wisteria, north carolina jasmine, or ivy to make it look pretty,\u201d Trouten says.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a third style, a freestanding non-permanent premade metal kit that you\u2019ll find at home improvement or home decor retailers. Here are a few top picks:<\/p>\n A powder coated finish helps protect these pergola materials from the elements without developing rust, and is anchored by attaching it to the existing concrete or decking on the front porch. These structures vary in price from $500 to $1,500 and won\u2019t require a building permit for most uses.<\/p>\n Follow these instructions to take your pergola build from idea to reality.\u00a0 <\/b><\/p>\n Take some pictures of your house, print them, and draw your ideas on top of the printed image.<\/p>\n Try to match your pergola addition to the trim and style of the home. Regardless of where you live, \u201cit\u2019s easy to add a matching pergola structure to match any kind of architecture, from Nantucket and Cape-style houses, to Southern, Craftsman or even Spanish inspired facades,\u201d Trouten says.<\/p>\n This graphic<\/a>, from Baldwin Pergolas<\/a>, shows different kinds of corbels and how they match varying architectural styles depending on your home. If you\u2019re still unsure of which style to select, you can build a Pinterest mood board<\/a>. When in doubt, you can pay a landscape designer to do the drawings for you for an average $50-$150 per hour charge<\/a>.<\/p>\n Check with your HOA and city for rules and building codes that you need to account for before adding anything to the structure of your home.<\/p>\n A custom pergola build can take a three-person professional crew around 42 hours of total labor<\/a> if there\u2019s an existing patio surface, according to Thumbtack. Pre-built kits can be cheaper to install \u2014 most contractors charge a flat fee \u2014 but take roughly the same amount of time and require at least two or three adults to assemble. So, if you decide to DIY, make sure you\u2019re being safe and assemble with a friend.<\/p>\n Before:<\/em><\/p>\n After:<\/em><\/p>\n When it comes to staging an existing front porch pergola, we recommend the following:<\/p>\n While there isn\u2019t any data available on the hard ROI of a front porch pergola curb appeal, we can get a ballpark idea for the returns on this addition based on the resale value of similar outdoor projects. According to the National Association of Realtors\u2019 2018 Remodeling Impact Report for Outdoor Features, patios are 6th in the rank of 13 total outdoor projects that appeal to buyers<\/a> and 4th in the rank of projects likely to add resale value to a home.<\/p>\n Given that pergolas are installed above a patio (paver or concrete) structure, and extrapolating existing data for patio ROI, we estimate that you will have a 69% return on investment on a patio and pergola project. Meaning, if you spend, for example, $7,200 building a paver patio and pergola combo; you will earn back $5,000 at the time of sale.<\/p>\n According to NAR\u2019s consulted homeowners:<\/p>\n You also have to think about how a front-facing pergola affects your curb appeal. If it stands to improve how your house looks from the street, that\u2019s a plus.<\/p>\n \u201cAnything you can do to create a \u2018wow\u2019 factor, and have someone stop and pay attention to your home is a good thing,\u201d says Trouten. In fact, more than 94% of the agents surveyed in HomeLight\u2019s Q2 2019 Top Agent Insights report<\/a> say that great curb appeal adds dollars to your bottom line. However, there are likely easier curb appeal projects to tackle that offer a better guarantee of returns.<\/p>\n Trouten puts it this way:<\/p>\n \u201cIf I had a client come and tell me they are planning for a front of the house pergola, I would suggest other options like painting the front door<\/a> a new color, power washing, seasonal decor<\/a> and great landscaping<\/a> to make the front of your home more interesting. There\u2019s no need to make a large investment, unless you\u2019re going to build it to enjoy it yourself. You won\u2019t get a larger return for it versus a regular front porch.\u201d<\/p>\n Header Image Source: (eine limonade bitte \/ Unsplash)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Homeowners are adding front-facing pergolas as extensions of their porch or garage, but is the cost of this curb appeal booster worth the trouble? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":185,"featured_media":15050,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[321,246],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attract-buyers","category-curb-appeal"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/front-porch-pergola-curb-appeal-pergola-666x381.png\")
<\/a>Pergola trends: from the small screen to your block<\/h2>\n
Pergola designs and architectural elements<\/h2>\n
What are the different types of pergolas you can add to the front of your home?<\/h3>\n
![\"Pergolas](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Illustration_StoreyCreative-775x452.png\")
<\/a>Front porch pergola <\/b><\/h4>\n
Design-flourish pergolas<\/b><\/h4>\n
Freestanding premade pergolas<\/h4>\n
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![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_3365-775x1033.jpeg\")
<\/a>How to plan for your pergola addition, step by step<\/h2>\n
Start by brainstorming.<\/h4>\n
Select your design features.<\/h4>\n
Dot your legal i\u2019s and cross your permit t\u2019s.<\/h4>\n
Hire your team and get to work.<\/h4>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Burkum-front-before-775x581.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Burkum-front-entire-775x581.gif\")
<\/a>Thinking of building a front porch pergola to attract buyers? Learn how to stage this feature to maximize your curb appeal.<\/h2>\n
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Front-facing pergola ROI: How much will you get out of this project?<\/h2>\n
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