MAP Quality Fencing & Decks
Pergola Installation in LaSalle and Peru, IL
4.9 ★★★★★ 233 Google reviews across Peru and Morris
Give a patio edges and overhead shade without closing it in. Cedar pergolas and pavilions built to hold up in an Illinois winter.
What a pergola actually does
An Open Patio Is Just a Slab of Concrete
Furniture on an open patio never quite looks placed. There is nothing defining where the space starts and stops, so the table drifts and the whole area reads as leftover yard rather than a room outside.
A pergola draws the edges. It puts something overhead, gives the furniture a reason to sit where it sits, and breaks the afternoon sun without blocking the light or the view out of the house.
Your options
Pergolas, Pavilions and Everything In Between
The main decision is how much you want overhead, which runs from open rafters to a solid roof.
- Open Rafter PergolaClassic slatted top. Breaks the sun into stripes and defines the space without making it feel enclosed.
- Cedar PavilionA solid roof on pergola style posts. Real shade and shelter, so the furniture stays out and stays dry.
- Metal Roof PavilionStanding seam metal over a cedar frame. Sheds snow, lasts decades and gives the structure a cleaner line.
- Attached to the HouseLedger mounted off the back wall so the pergola extends the house rather than sitting separately in the yard.
- FreestandingSet anywhere in the yard, over a fire pit or a seating area away from the house. Needs its own footings.
- Over a Deck or PorchBuilt into the deck framing rather than set on top of it, which is why it is easier to do at the same time as the deck.
How we build them
A Pergola Has to Survive Snow Load and Wind
A pergola is a large flat structure on relatively few posts, which makes it far more exposed to wind and snow than its size suggests. Kit pergolas from a big box store are designed for milder climates than this one.
- Footings below the frost line. A pergola post that heaves takes the whole frame out of square with it.
- Sized for local snow load. A solid roof holds a lot of weight after a February storm, and the frame has to carry it.
- Cedar or treated, not softwood kits. The frame is exposed on every face, so the material matters more than it would indoors.
Pergolas we have built
Pergolas and Pavilions Around Granville and Peru
Click any photo to open it full size and see the post and rafter detail properly.
The plan
How a Pergola Build Actually Runs
Shorter than a deck build, but the siting decisions matter just as much.
Stand in the Space and Size It
We work out how big it needs to be and where the posts can land, then check where the shade actually falls at four in the afternoon.
Design, Permit and Footings
A roofed structure usually needs a permit. Footings go below the frost line, sized for the span and the snow load.
Frame and Roof
Posts, beams and rafters go up, then the roofing if it is a pavilion rather than an open pergola.
Finish and Walkthrough
Any staining, lighting or fan mounting gets done, and we walk it with you before the trailer leaves.
Shade It This Summer. Pay Over Time.
A pergola is usually the smaller half of an outdoor living project, and 0% financing makes it easy to do it at the same time as the patio.
Reviews from our clients
What Homeowners Say About Working With Us
Illinois Valley4.9★★★★★204 Google reviews
Grundy County5.0★★★★★29 Google reviews
★★★★★
We couldn’t be happier with our new covered patio. What was once just a patio is now an incredible extension of our home.
Mary Herron, Peru
★★★★★
The MAP crew did an incredible job. The craftsmanship is excellent and the finished project has been receiving rave reviews from our neighbors too.
Mikki Dudley
★★★★★
My dream project turned out great. Marty kept me informed of the progress each day and what to expect.
Cari Lynn
★★★★★
Matt and his crew were terrific. Quick, clean, and the communication was top notch from the first call.
Andrea Brannon, Peru
★★★★★
I cannot recommend MAP Quality enough. Super thorough and great communication throughout the entire project.
Melyssa Kotecki
Common questions
Pergola Questions from LaSalle County Homeowners
Pergola or pavilion?
A pergola has an open slatted top and gives you filtered shade and definition. A pavilion has a solid roof and gives you real shelter. If you want to sit out in rain, you want a pavilion.
How much shade does an open pergola give?
Partial. It breaks the sun into stripes rather than blocking it. Rafter spacing and which way the structure faces change how much you get.
Does it need a permit?
A roofed structure usually does. We check your village code and pull it before we start.
Can you attach it to the house?
Yes. It gets ledger mounted and flashed where it meets the wall, the same as a deck ledger, which is the detail that matters most.
Can I add fans and lights?
Yes, and it is much easier to do during the build. Wiring gets run through the frame rather than surface mounted afterward.
What about snow?
A solid roof carries real weight after a storm here, so the frame and footings get sized for it. This is where kit pergolas tend to fall short.
Get started
Get a Written Price on Your Pergola
Tell us what you want to cover and roughly how big. We come out, stand in the space with you and give you one written price.
Call or text us(815) 579-2435
mapqualityfencing@gmail.com