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Gazebo Construction

Handis gazebo construction puts a standalone roofed structure in a Seattle backyard as a destination point in the yard — hexagonal, octagonal, or rectangular plan in Western Red Cedar, cedar-kit assembly on the smaller standard sizes or custom-built rectangular framing on the larger plans, roofed in cedar shake, standing-seam metal, corrugated metal, or asphalt architectural shingle — from $6,000 for a 10-by-10 hexagonal cedar kit to $20,000 for a 16-by-16 custom-built octagonal with cedar shake roof. Distinct from a pergola in that the roof is solid (sheds rain completely) and the structure usually sits as a destination point in the yard rather than against the house. Distinct from a covered patio cover in that the gazebo stands free as a visual feature with a peaked or hipped roof and an enclosed visual identity, rather than as a shade extension over a deck or patio. The hexagonal and octagonal plans deliver the traditional cottage-garden gazebo look most homeowners picture when they say they want a gazebo; the rectangular custom builds suit larger plans (outdoor kitchens, larger seating clusters) where the regular geometry serves the use case better.

Gazebo construction image — finished Western Red Cedar hexagonal gazebo with cedar shake roof standing in a Seattle backyard, six 6x6 cedar posts on concrete footings, cedar bench seating inside, peaked roof with center-hub framing, garden path leading to the gazebo entry through a maple-shaded lawn.

Service

Photo of a gazebo construction in progress — two carpenters setting the center king-post hub of a hexagonal cedar gazebo roof framing, six cedar posts already raised on cured concrete footings, manufacturer kit components staged on a tarp on the lawn, drill and impact driver beside a stack of pre-cut hub-and-spoke rafter cedar pieces.
Process

How a Gazebo Build Works

Seven sequential steps from kit selection (or custom design) through finish detail — the actual sequence we follow on every gazebo build.

Step 1/7

Kit Selection or Custom Design

Tech walks the yard, confirms the gazebo location (visual relationship to the house, garden paths, sightlines from the deck or patio), recommends the plan geometry (hexagonal cottage look, octagonal substantial presence, rectangular use-case-driven), the size (10-by-10 hex kit through 16-by-16 custom), and the roof material. Cedar kit (standard sizes) or custom-built (larger or non-standard) decided. Permit and engineer-of-record sign-off requirement confirmed.

Step 2/7

Order the Kit (or Mill the Cedar for Custom)

Cedar kit ordered from the manufacturer (Outdoor Living Today, Yardistry, Lifetime, or equivalent line) with 2 to 4 week delivery lead time. Custom-built gazebos use Western Red Cedar milled to spec from a PNW supplier with 1 to 2 week delivery lead time. Permit pull and engineer-of-record sign-off run in parallel on permit-required builds.

Step 3/7

Power-Auger Footings to 24-30 Inches

Power-auger every footing to 24 to 30 inches below grade with the diameter sized to the post size and wind-load calc. Six footings on hexagonal plans, eight on octagonal plans, four corner footings on rectangular plans. Pour ready-mix concrete around Simpson ABA or ABU post-base anchors set plumb in the wet pour. 48-hour concrete cure.

Step 4/7

Raise the Cedar Posts and Perimeter Frame

Cedar 6x6 posts lifted onto the cured ABU anchors and through-bolted with the post-base hardware. Each post plumbed against a 4-foot level on two faces and braced with 2x4 cedar braces until the perimeter frame goes up. Perimeter frame (the connecting beams between the posts at the top) set per the kit manual or the engineer-of-record stamp.

Step 5/7

Set the Roof Framing — Rafter-and-Ridge or Hub-and-Spoke

Rectangular plans get standard rafter-and-ridge framing (a center ridge beam with rafters running down to the eaves on both sides). Hexagonal and octagonal plans get hub-and-spoke framing — a center king-post hub at the apex with rafters running from the hub down to each of the perimeter posts. The hub assembly is the structural heart of a hexagonal or octagonal gazebo and lands in the center on a temporary support during install.

Step 6/7

Install the Roof Material

Cedar shake (natural Western Red Cedar) installed in graduated courses with the manufacturer-spec exposure, starter course at the eave, ridge cap at the apex. Standing-seam metal panel or corrugated metal — clips at the seam, no exposed fasteners through the panel face on standing-seam, gasketed manufacturer-screws at the valleys on corrugated. Asphalt architectural shingle — synthetic underlayment, drip-edge, starter strip at the eave, shingle courses with the manufacturer-spec offset pattern, ridge cap.

Step 7/7

Finish Detail — Rail, Bench, Optional Screening

Rail-and-baluster installed at the perimeter (cedar matching the structure), optional built-in bench seating around the interior perimeter, optional screening (insect screen or roller-screen panels) installed if specified. Cedar trim at the post-to-beam connections, decorative post caps, rafter-tail chamfer if visible from below. Tools off site at the end of the third to fifth day depending on plan and roof material.

Pricing

Gazebo Pricing

Final pricing depends on plan geometry (hexagonal, octagonal, rectangular), size (10-by-10 through 16-by-16), build method (cedar kit on standard sizes or custom-built on larger and non-standard plans), roof material (cedar shake premium, standing-seam metal premium, corrugated metal mid, asphalt shingle value), built-in seating, and any screening. Structural permit fee on builds over 200 square feet and engineer-of-record fee on custom builds pass through transparently as named line items. Request a free estimate for an accurate quote.

Tell us the yard location, the plan geometry preference (hexagonal cottage, octagonal substantial, rectangular use-case), and the roof material — we will quote the gazebo build with any permit and engineer-of-record fee called out separately.

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Why Handis for Gazebo Construction
Trust

Why Handis for Gazebo Construction

A gazebo lives in a different part of the yard than a pergola or a covered patio cover. A pergola or covered cover usually sits against the house and shades a specific deck or patio surface where the family is already gathering — it is functional infrastructure. A gazebo is a destination — a feature you walk to, a structure that anchors a corner of the yard or a garden path, a place to sit at the end of an evening walk through the property. The cedar shake hex roof on a 10-by-10 cedar kit reads as the cottage-garden gazebo most homeowners picture when they say the word; the custom 16-by-16 octagonal with cedar shake is a meaningful piece of backyard architecture. We build both honestly — the kit assemblies with the same attention to footings and hardware as the custom builds, and the custom builds with the engineer-of-record sign-off, the Handis-pulled permit, and the matched cedar trim throughout.

Estimate

Tell us the yard location for the gazebo (visual relationship to the house, sightlines from the deck or patio, garden-path destination point), the plan geometry preference (hexagonal traditional cottage, octagonal substantial visual presence, rectangular use-case-driven), the rough size (10-by-10 hex kit through 16-by-16 custom octagonal), the roof material preference (cedar shake traditional, standing-seam metal contemporary, corrugated metal value, asphalt architectural shingle entry-price), and any built-in seating or screening you want. We confirm the permit threshold for your jurisdiction and call out the engineer-of-record fee on custom builds.

Service cost estimate illustration
Reviews

Customer Reviews

Gazebo build reviews from real Handis customers.

10x10 hexagonal cedar gazebo kit in our Magnolia backyard — the traditional cottage gazebo we had been wanting for years. Handis dug the six footings with the power auger, set the cedar posts on the Simpson anchors, ran the manufacturer kit assembly per the manual, and topped it with asphalt architectural shingle. Reads exactly like a Northwest cottage garden feature. Under 200 sq ft so no Seattle permit.

Margaret and Tom S., 10x10 Hexagonal Cedar, Magnolia

12x12 octagonal cedar gazebo with cedar shake roof in our Bellevue yard — substantial visual presence at the corner of the property, garden path leading to it from the deck. Handis ran the kit assembly with the cedar shake roof upgrade, hub-and-spoke framing per the manual, and the shake weathered to silver in the first 18 months. Built-in cedar bench seating around the interior perimeter.

Padma and Aiden K., 12x12 Octagonal with Cedar Shake, Bellevue

14x14 custom-built octagonal cedar in Mercer Island, 196 sq ft so it triggered the permit. Handis pulled the Mercer Island permit, the engineer-of-record stamped the framing drawings (the hub-and-spoke framing on an octagonal needs the stamp), and the build went up over a week after the footings cured. Cedar shake roof, premium cedar throughout, the most substantial gazebo we have seen on a residential lot in the neighborhood.

Helen and Doug F., 14x14 Custom Octagonal, Mercer Island

16x16 custom rectangular cedar gazebo sized for our outdoor kitchen — the rectangular plan let us fit the grill, the sink, the prep counter, and a dining table all under cover. Handis ran the engineer-of-record sign-off, pulled the Kirkland permit, and built the framing to handle the structural load of an outdoor kitchen plus the cedar shake roof. Largest custom gazebo they build and worth the investment for the year-round usability.

Patrick and Ellen H., 16x16 Outdoor Kitchen Gazebo, Kirkland

10x12 rectangular cedar gazebo in our Ballard backyard with insect screening at the perimeter. Asphalt shingle roof to match the house roof. The roller-screen panels at the perimeter make the gazebo usable in August when the mosquitoes are out. Under 200 sq ft so no Seattle permit. Three days of on-site work after the kit delivery.

Carmen R., 10x12 Rectangular with Screening, Ballard
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Handis gazebo construction.

How much does a gazebo cost?
A 10-by-10 hexagonal cedar kit with asphalt shingle roof starts at $6,000. The 10-by-12 rectangular cedar with shingle roof runs $8,000. The 12-by-12 octagonal cedar kit with asphalt shingle runs $10,000 (with cedar shake roof upgrade $11,000). The 12-by-14 rectangular cedar with cedar shake runs $12,000. The 14-by-14 custom octagonal with cedar shake runs $15,000 (engineer-of-record stamp required). Standing-seam metal roof on a 12-by-12 octagonal runs $12,500. The 16-by-16 custom octagonal with cedar shake runs $18,000. The 16-by-16 custom rectangular sized for an outdoor kitchen runs $20,000. Add-ons include $1,200 for built-in cedar bench seating around the perimeter, $1,500 for the insect-screening package (rectangular plans only), and $1,500 for the cedar shake roof upgrade vs asphalt shingle. The structural permit fee and the engineer-of-record fee (on builds over 200 sq ft and custom builds) pass through transparently.
Hexagonal, octagonal, or rectangular — which should I pick?
Hexagonal (six-sided) reads as the traditional cottage-garden gazebo — the 10-by-10 hex kit is the most-popular gazebo we install and is the look most homeowners picture when they say "gazebo." Octagonal (eight-sided) gives a more substantial visual presence — the 12-by-12 octagonal is the second-most-popular configuration, and the 14-by-14 and 16-by-16 custom octagonal builds read as serious backyard architecture. Rectangular reads more contemporary and works particularly well when the gazebo houses a specific use case (outdoor kitchen, hot tub, dining table) where the regular geometry serves the function — the 10-by-12 and 14-by-14 rectangular plans are common, and the 16-by-16 custom rectangular for outdoor kitchens is the largest standard custom build.
Cedar kit or custom built — what is the difference?
Cedar kit gazebos (Outdoor Living Today, Yardistry, Lifetime, and equivalent lines) are manufacturer-pre-cut Western Red Cedar components shipped to site as a structural kit. Handis runs the assembly per the manufacturer manual. Available in 10-by-10 hex, 10-by-12 rectangular, 12-by-12 octagonal — the standard sizes. Custom-built gazebos are framed on site by Handis from Western Red Cedar lumber — used on 14-by-14 and larger plans, on non-standard geometry, and when the use case (outdoor kitchen, specific interior clearance) needs custom dimensions. Custom builds require an engineer-of-record stamp on the framing drawings and the structural building permit. Kit gazebos cost less per square foot; custom gazebos let us match a specific use case and step up the structural spec beyond the kit defaults.
Do I need a permit for a gazebo?
Depends on the size and the jurisdiction. Gazebos under 200 square feet (10-by-10 hex at 100 sq ft, 10-by-12 rectangular at 120 sq ft, 12-by-12 octagonal at 144 sq ft, 12-by-14 rectangular at 168 sq ft) usually do not require a building permit in Seattle, King County, Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Sammamish, Mercer Island, Issaquah, Renton, and most Puget Sound jurisdictions — the threshold is jurisdiction-specific and we confirm for your address on the booking call. Gazebos over 200 square feet (14-by-14 at 196 sq ft is right at the threshold; 16-by-16 at 256 sq ft is over) require a permit pulled by Handis as the responsible builder, with engineer-of-record sign-off on the framing drawings on custom builds.
Which roof material lasts longest?
Standing-seam metal panel (Kynar-coated 24-gauge steel) lasts 40 to 50 years on the substrate with 25 to 30 year paint warranty — the longest-life option. Cedar shake (natural Western Red Cedar) lasts 20 to 30 years in PNW exposure with periodic moss treatment, weathers silver to match the cedar structure, reads as the traditional cottage gazebo roof. Asphalt architectural shingle (Owens Corning Duration, GAF Timberline HDZ, or equivalent) lasts 25 to 30 years per the manufacturer, matches the most-common house roof material in Seattle, lowest cost of the four. Corrugated metal (26 gauge Kynar) lasts 25 to 35 years, lighter-weight value option. We recommend on the booking call based on the look preference and the longevity expectation.
Can I get built-in seating inside the gazebo?
Yes — built-in cedar bench seating around the interior perimeter is a $1,200 add-on on hexagonal and octagonal plans (the bench follows the perimeter of the polygon for continuous seating). Rectangular plans usually get loose furniture (a dining table and chairs) rather than built-in benches because the rectangular geometry suits movable furniture better. We design the bench height and depth to standard dimensions (18 inch seat height, 14-to-16 inch depth) and use Western Red Cedar matching the gazebo structure. Bench installs after the gazebo structure is complete.
Can the gazebo be screened against bugs?
Yes — the insect-screening package is a $1,500 add-on on rectangular plans. Roller-screen panels at the perimeter (the screens roll up out of the way when not needed and roll down for insect-free use) sized to each opening. We install screen-track hardware at the perimeter top-rail and side-rails, and the screen panels mount into the track. The screening package works particularly well in August and September when the mosquitoes are out in the PNW. Hexagonal and octagonal plans are harder to screen cleanly because of the angled perimeter geometry — we usually recommend rectangular for screening.
How long does a gazebo build take?
Cedar kit gazebos run 3 to 5 days on-site after kit delivery. Kit manufacturer lead time is 2 to 4 weeks for delivery; custom-built lumber lead time is 1 to 2 weeks. Day one — power-auger the footings, pour concrete with the post-base anchors set in the wet pour. 48-hour concrete cure. Days three and four — raise the cedar posts on the cured anchors, run the perimeter frame, set the roof framing (hub-and-spoke on hex / octagonal, rafter-and-ridge on rectangular). Day five — install the roof material, finish detailing (rail-and-baluster, built-in seating if specified), tools off site. Custom-built gazebos (14-by-14 and up) run 5 to 7 days. Permit lead time on permit-required builds adds 2 to 6 weeks including the engineer-of-record review.
Where in the yard should I put the gazebo?
A gazebo is a destination feature — it works best where there is a reason to walk to it. Common locations include the back corner of the yard at the end of a garden path, beside a fire-pit area as the seating component, in the middle of an open lawn as a focal point, over a hot tub as the canopy, and at the end of a deck off the kitchen as the dining-cluster anchor. The gazebo benefits from being visually separate from the house (it reads as a destination rather than as an attached extension), and from sightlines from the house that draw the eye to it. We walk the placement on the first visit and recommend a location that serves both the use case and the visual relationship to the house and yard.
Will the cedar shake roof need maintenance?
Some — cedar shake in PNW exposure benefits from a moss-and-algae treatment every 3 to 5 years to extend the life. The wet PNW climate grows moss on the shake within 2 to 3 years if left untreated; the moss holds moisture against the shake and accelerates the wear. We recommend a zinc strip at the ridge to slow moss growth (zinc oxide washes down the roof when it rains and inhibits moss germination) and a periodic spray-treatment with a moss-killer (Wet-N-Forget, Bayer 30 Seconds, or equivalent) every 3 to 5 years. With the moss management, cedar shake lasts 20 to 30 years; without it, lifespan drops to 12 to 18 years.
Is the work guaranteed?
Yes — one-year project warranty on our carpentry covering footing dig and pour, post-set, frame assembly, roof framing (hub-and-spoke or rafter-and-ridge), roofing install, finish detailing, built-in seating, screening, and the structural-permit-related work on permit builds. Manufacturer warranty on cedar kit components runs 5 to 10 years depending on the manufacturer; on cedar shake roof typically 25 years on the material; on standing-seam metal Kynar finish 25 to 30 years on the paint and 40 to 50 years on the substrate; on asphalt shingle 25 to 30 years per the manufacturer. We file manufacturer warranty registration on completion. Every Handis tech carries liability insurance and has cleared a background screening before the first job.

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