Delivery & Installation Information – Fisher’s Backyard Structures

Ordering a Backyard
Structure

We try to make the ordering process as easy as possible. First, you want to contact us or use our Request a Quote form. Within one business day, our team will connect with you to go over your needs and provide a custom quote for your pergola, pavilion, or gazebo.

When you are ready to order your structure, let us know and we will start the process. This includes sending the details of your structure to our manufacturer in Lancaster County, as well as scheduling your installation. The building and delivery phases usually take 4-8 weeks, so we will plan the installation accordingly.

Permitting and Regulations

Depending on your municipality, there may be building codes and requirements concerning the size of structures you can build on your property and the distance of structures from public roads and your home.

If you live in a development or community of homes, your Homeowners’ Association will have their own rules, regulations, and processes to get approval on a new backyard structure.

In some municipalities, you may be required to get a building permit for this project. You can apply for this yourself, or have a local contractor pull one on your behalf. We can provide engineer-approved drawings of your structure for the permitting & approval process.

Site Preparation

While waiting for your new backyard structure, you will need to prepare the site. Careful site preparation will ensure long-term stability and performance of your pergola, pavilion, or gazebo. You may be able to perform much of the site preparation yourself; if your new structure is part of a larger landscaping or patio project, your contractor should be able to do the site work themselves.

For Gazebos

Gazebos can be installed on a crushed stone pad or concrete foundation.

Concrete pads should be poured at 4” depth, plus additional depth around the outside edges to ensure even weight distribution and stability.

A crushed stone pad can be created on a level frame of 4×4 or 4×6 pressure-treated lumber. Place the lumber about 12″ wider than the dimensions of your structure. Then fill the frame with 4 to 6 inches of gravel or crushed stone. The stone used and the pad design should allow rainwater to drain properly.

For Pergolas & Pavilions

Pergolas and pavilions need to be installed on either a concrete slab foundation or continuous post footings that anchor the structure. If you are building a paver patio, you will need post footings under the pavers.

Most pergolas and pavilions can be successfully anchored to a reinforced concrete slab at least 4″ in thickness with additional depth of 12” total on the outside edge. See our engineered foundation plans for more details. In this case, the support columns of the structure are held in place with anchor brackets that are bolted directly to the concrete foundation.

If you wish to install your pavilion or pergola with reinforced concrete footings, you will need to consult your structure’s engineer drawings for proper placement and dimensions. Be sure to plan enough time for the concrete to properly cure before the delivery of your new structure.

Delivery

When your custom structure is finished, our team will arrange with you for a day to deliver the structure. Our structures come as a neatly-wrapped kit, which we will deliver as close to the final placement of the structure as we can get. Make sure you do not open the kit until it is time to assemble to structure, to best protect the components and keep them in one place.

Installation

Our team will reach out to you a week or two before to set a day for installing your new structure. So long as the site prep is done ahead of time, installing your custom outdoor structure should only take our crew a single day. Foul weather can affect installation; if we cannot install in current conditions, we will arrange for another day to install the structure.

Since our structures come as a kit, you are welcome to install the structure yourself. If your new structure is part of a larger landscaping or outdoor project, you can also opt to have your contractor assemble the kit. We provide detailed instructions for assembling the structures along with all the hardware you will need.

If you opted for an electrical package for your gazebo, pergola, or pavilion, you will need a certified electrician to make the final connections.

Ask A Question About Your Backyard Project

Contact Fisher’s Backyard Structures