Charming and visually appealing, gazebos are a cost-effective way to enhance your backyard living space and increase the value of your property. Learn more about the cost of building a gazebo and explore this versatile outdoor feature’s various types and purposes.
Why Get a Gazebo for Your Outdoor Space?
There are a lot of reasons to love gazebos. If you’re considering one for your backyard, convincing you they are the perfect addition to any outdoor space won’t take much persuading.
Creating a Tranquil Outdoor Oasis
Are you looking for the ideal space to relax in your yard? When creating a tranquil outdoor oasis, gazebos offer numerous benefits.
Gazebos provide a comfortable and shaded seating area that you can enclose with screening to keep mosquitoes and other insects away. And nonetheless, they instill a sense of beauty with their classic design.
Gazebos offer privacy and protection from the elements and can help block out noise from the outside world. You can add a water feature to create a serene atmosphere, and with fragrant plants, you can make it even more inviting.
Versatile Entertainment Space
If you’re the type of person who likes to entertain at home, gazebos provide the perfect entertainment space. Here are a few interesting gazebo ideas:
- Have a cocktail party in your gazebo.
- Use your gazebo to host a garden tour or tea party.
- Deck your gazebo out for weddings, anniversaries, and graduations.
- Set up a cozy outdoor living room in your gazebo.
- Add a portable bar to your gazebo for an amazing dinner party.
- Hire a DJ for your next event and station them in the gazebo so they won’t get rained out.
With a gazebo in your backyard, you’ll have many more options for entertaining.
Increased Property Value
Do gazebos increase the value of your home? You bet they do. They are one of the easiest ways to increase the usable living space on your property, and because they are attractive, they appeal to home buyers.
Gazebos help tie in various elements in your landscape, especially since you can enter many from multiple sides. Using a gazebo to create a cohesive landscape adds to your home’s curb appeal and significantly increases your property value.
Not all gazebos add value to your property, however. A functional gazebo built from sturdy materials holds greater appeal and offers more value than a flimsy one built from a kit.
The Purpose of a Gazebo
What’s the point of a gazebo? You can use them for almost anything, from dining areas and outdoor kitchens to a place to hang a hammock. They are one of the most versatile hardscaping features for your yard.
Since you can build gazebos in many different styles (and for different costs), it’s easy to integrate them into any landscape design. You can make your gazebo the focal point of your home’s landscaping, or tuck one into the corner as a backyard retreat.
Leisure and Recreation
You can use a gazebo in all four seasons, and they are an excellent outdoor space for leisure and recreation activities.
- If you don’t have space or the budget for an outdoor kitchen, gazebos are an affordable alternative and make a great place to host a summer party.
- A patio gazebo is a great place to dine anytime.
- Are you part of a yoga club? You can host yoga classes in your gazebo.
- If you want to surprise your partner with a romantic dinner, creating the perfect atmosphere in your gazebo is easy.
- Put an outdoor TV in your gazebo, add some comfy outdoor furniture, and turn your gazebo into an outdoor theater.
- Set up a coffee bar, Danishes, and fruit, and invite some friends to brunch. For a special treat, add a mimosa bar.
There are many other ways to use your gazebo as your backyard’s leisure and recreation center, and you’re limited only by your imagination and lifestyle.
Social Gathering Hub
It’s no coincidence that most gazebos connect to multiple pathways. They are a natural hub of activity and a great place for social gatherings.
Whether your gazebo is the romantic focal point for a wedding, or a charming entertainment area for your outdoor lunch party, setting up a venue in your gazebo is easy because you can easily decorate it for any occasion.
Your beautiful backyard gazebo will become the first place family and friends think of when they need photos taken for weddings, birthdays, and senior pictures. Use it for hosting themed parties, wine-tasting events, and game nights with friends and family.
Garden Accent and Landscaping
A garden gazebo is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy the beauty of your outdoor space. When you’re ready to take off your shoes, relax, and unwind from a tough work week, there’s nothing better than a gazebo in the middle of a colorful, peaceful garden.
People don’t design gardens solely for visual appeal, although that’s a primary benefit. A garden gazebo can be an outdoor space designed to enchant all your senses.
Filled with fragrant flowers, climbing vines, and wind chimes, your gazebo will become more than just a place of beauty.
Types of Gazebos and Their Cost Breakdown
The average cost of gazebos is $75 to $100 per square foot, but the cost varies widely depending on the type.
Open-Sided Gazebos
An open-sided gazebo is one of the most affordable types because it requires fewer materials to build. A square gazebo without a floor (sometimes considered a pavilion) is the simplest to build, while a dodecahedron gazebo with twelve sides is much more complex.
Enclosed Gazebos
Enclosed gazebos take longer to build and require more materials, making them more expensive. However, it depends on the material used to enclose them. Gazebos enclosed with screens are less expensive than those enclosed with wood or brick masonry.
Custom-Built Gazebos
Custom gazebos cost more than prefabricated models or kits you can purchase and construct by yourself. However, they may be worth it because a custom-built gazebo that complements your house and landscape can significantly add to your home’s value.
Other Gazebo Cost Factors
Here are other major cost factors associated with building a gazebo, including the typical costs of different materials required to build them.
Shapes
The more complex the shape of your gazebo, the longer it will take to build. More angles and more cuts also require more materials, driving up the cost.
Generally speaking, open-sided round and oval gazebos are the least expensive. The more sides your gazebo has, the more it will cost.
Cost for Gazebo Building Materials
When choosing building materials, consider what you’ll use your gazebo for and how the material will blend with the rest of your landscape.
Most gazebos are made of wood, including lumber such as cedar, redwood, hardwood, bamboo, and pressure-treated pine or fir, but they can also be constructed from metal, vinyl, and brick.
| Building materials | Average cost |
| Wood | $4,000 to $7,000 |
| Vinyl | $4,000 to $8,000 |
| Brick | $2,000 to $4,000 |
| Metal | $3,000 to $8,000 |
When choosing a material to build your gazebo, consider the long-term costs associated with maintenance and replacement. Materials like vinyl are low maintenance and durable, which could save you money in the long run.
Cost for Gazebo Roofing Materials
Although they aren’t required to have a floor, by definition, gazebos have roofs. Roofing materials vary widely in price, but they can significantly impact the aesthetic value of your gazebo.
| Roofing materials | Cost per square foot (not installed) |
| Asphalt shingles | $1.25 |
| Cedar shingles | $5 |
| Metal shingles | $3 to $18 |
| Clay tiles | $6 to 8 |
Cost for Gazebo Flooring Materials
The type of floor you choose for your gazebo will define the aesthetics, and while you can save a lot of money by using a gravel pad instead of decking materials, it might be worth it depending on how you use your gazebo.
| Flooring materials | Cost per square foot (installed) |
| Gravel pad | $1 to $2 |
| Composite decking (including foundation) | $25 to $45 |
| Pressure-treated wood (including foundation) | $12 to $18 |
| Concrete | $3 to $6 |
| Stamped concrete | $9 to $17 |
| Patio pavers | $10 to $20 |
| Natural flagstone | $15 to $50 |
5 Popular Gazebo Styles
Cultures all over the world have been building gazebo-type buildings for thousands of years, but it wasn’t until 1752 that the term gazebo was first used. The word comes from architects William and John Halfpenny, who coined the term from the Latin word “gaze” meaning “to view,” and “ebo” meaning “I shall.”
Before that, people called these structures summerhouses, pavilions, and pergolas, although they differentiate modern gazebos from the latter two.
When you build a gazebo in your yard, you can choose from many styles that complement and enhance the rest of your property. Explore the following popular gazebo styles to get a feel for what you like.
Octagon Gazebo
Gazebos have a rich history, and the octagonal gazebo remains one of the most popular. Although many people think of a hexagon when they think of a gazebo, most traditional gazebos are octagons with eight sides, and they are more rounded than a hexagon.
Octagon gazebos have an elegant appearance, and the obtuse angles in the interior provide ample room for benches.
Rotunda
A rotunda is a round gazebo with a dome-shaped roof. Many rotundas do not have sides. Instead, they only have pillars that support a roof, and they are usually quite large.
The rotunda style with the dome-shaped roof originated in Europe. People use them in different types of architecture.
Victorian
Victorian-style gazebos feature detailed woodwork with ornate posts and spindles. They are perfect for a romantic garden setting and are typically crafted from wood.
Victorian gazebos add a classic touch and are perfect for formal gardens, but you can use them in any setting.
Pagoda
In Asia, pagodas developed from temples or sacred buildings, but the style is used in modern architecture to promote a Zen atmosphere.
The tiered roof systems are iconical. While the pagoda style is typically square or rectangular, it can also be round or octagonal.
Wrought Iron Gazebo
Like wrought iron fences, gazebos made from this type of material are timeless and classic in their appeal. Depending on the design, they can appear rustic or elegant and are an excellent choice for supporting trellising vines.
Cost for Gazebo FAQs
1. What is the average cost of a basic gazebo?
The average cost of a gazebo is about $7,500, with prices typically ranging from $5,000 to $9,000. It’s possible to build a DIY gazebo from recycled building materials for a few hundred dollars, but you could also spend up to $30,000 for a gazebo with premium materials and custom features.
2. Are there additional costs beyond the gazebo itself?
Any additional features beyond the necessities of a gazebo will add to the overall cost. Some common extras include benches, fans, water features, and lights. Adding landscaping features, including pathways, lighting, and plants, will also increase costs.
3. Can I build a gazebo myself to save on costs?
You can save a lot of money by building a gazebo yourself, and it’s a fun and satisfying project you can do with other family members. Save even more by using reclaimed wood and salvaged materials. You can also purchase a gazebo kit, although it will probably be more expensive than building one from scratch.
4. How do the materials used affect the cost of a gazebo?
The type of materials you choose for any building project will affect the overall price. There is a big difference in price with different types of lumber, and many outdoor structures are made with premium wood. Alternatively, you can also choose pressure-treated wood, an inexpensive, long-lasting option that looks great stained or painted.
5. Should I choose a prefabricated or custom-designed gazebo?
Whenever you have something custom-built, it will cost more than purchasing a premade item. Prefabricated gazebos are an excellent choice, and they are immediately available for use once installed in your yard, but they may not match the rest of your home as well as a custom gazebo.
