A site consultation is the part of the process most people are unsure about before they do it, and the part they're happiest about after. Here's exactly what happens — what we look at, what we ask, and what you'll know by the end.
How long it takes and who's there
Plan for about 45–60 minutes. We come to you — no showroom visit required, though we're happy to show you physical product samples and finish swatches on-site. One of our consultants handles the walkthrough; for larger or more complex projects, an engineer may join.
If both decision-makers in the household are available, have them both there. The design choices — size, placement, features — go faster when everyone's on the same page from the start.
What we look at first
We start outside, before any conversation about product. The goal is to understand the space before we start selling anything:
- Sun path. Which direction does the afternoon sun come from? Where does the shade fall at noon vs. 4pm? This determines whether louver orientation and structure placement actually solve the problem you're trying to solve.
- Existing features. Trees, planters, outdoor kitchens, pool equipment — anything that affects post placement or clearance.
- Sightlines. How does the space look from inside the house? From the main seating area? A structure that solves the outdoor problem but looks wrong from the kitchen window is a problem.
- Access and flow. How do people move through the space? Where's the natural entry to the pergola area?
The questions we ask
We're trying to understand how you actually live in the space — not what sounds impressive:
- What are you using this space for? (Dining, lounging, entertaining, working from home outdoors?)
- How often do you use the yard now, and what stops you from using it more?
- Do you have furniture in mind, or is that TBD?
- Is there a timeline — an event, a renovation, a season you're aiming for?
- Is budget a constraint we should design around, or are you open to full options?
The last question matters. We can design a project at $35K or at $120K for the same footprint — the difference is product tier, features, and add-ons. Knowing where you want to land lets us give you a useful quote instead of a generic one.
We tape out the footprint
Before we leave, we mark out the proposed structure footprint on the ground with tape or chalk so you can actually stand inside it and feel the scale. This is the most underrated step in the whole process — a 16×20 pergola feels very different to stand in than it looks on a plan. Most clients adjust their size preference after seeing it marked out. Some go bigger; some go smaller.
You don't need to prepare much. The one thing that helps: have a rough sense of what furniture you plan to put underneath. If you know you want a 10-person dining table, that tells us a lot about minimum footprint. If you're not sure yet, that's fine too — we can work backwards from the space.
What you'll have by the end
By the time we leave your property, you'll have:
- A clear sense of what size and configuration fits the space
- Product recommendations with the reasoning behind them
- A realistic timeline from deposit to installation
- A ballpark cost range so there are no surprises on the formal quote
The formal quote with a 3D render of your structure typically follows within 3–5 business days. There's no pressure to move forward on the day of the consultation — most clients take a week or two to decide, and that's completely normal.
Is there any cost?
No. The on-site consultation is completely free. If you decide not to move forward, you've lost nothing. We'd rather you make a confident decision than a fast one.