There is certainly a lot to choose from. Even Budget food stores are getting on the bandwagon selling cheaply made products that are certainly inferior.
Bioclimatic pergolas
All about outdoor living are specialists in outdoor living spaces and offer the best of the best when it comes to bioclimatic pergolas.
These structures are made from powder-coated aluminum and pressed steel, they are strong and very sturdy. Fully automated with some controllers and phone operation capability, Manufactured to withstand the strongest of weather conditions and also heavy snowfall.
The real beauty of this type of pergola is in the summer when they can provide perfect shade and the added bonus of letting the sunshine in when needed at the push of a button. So they really are the best of both worlds and there isn’t any other roof structure that can offer this solution.
There are two types of roofs on offer
Louvered roof
Let’s start with the most popular, the louvered roof, one thing to remember is that these structures are only available in a square or rectangular shape. So typically the dimensions will vary from 2M – 6M wide and 2m – 4m in depth. There are many combinations of these measurements available as a bespoke structure, or as an ‘off-the-shelf product, the sizes are more restricted like 3x4m or 3.5x5m so if you are not tied down to a certain size you could find an off-shelf roof is a good solution and more often than not at a lower cost than a bespoke roof.
Bespoke option
After we have surveyed your property and agreed on the location and size required, we can offer many options like,
- Lots of different sizes
- Louver direction options
- Colour options
- Lighting options,
- Heating options
- Side screen options
- Sliding glass doors
- Solid walls options
We also are one of the leading outdoor kitchen manufacturers and installers so, many of our projects show kitchens and bars under these pergolas and are a popular choice.
Retractable roof
This retractable roof option is available both off-the-shelf and bespoke, but be aware if you can’t find an off-the-shelf in the right size the bespoke made-to-measure option is very expensive. This option has its advantages. Uninterrupted sunlight is the obvious one however when the louvers go back a bit like a sunroof in a car it will leave a permanently shaded area at one end which is approximately 20% of the total opening.
How high is a retractable roof?
The height of both options can be up to 3M, but the norm is around 2.5M giving a walk-under height of around 2.3M. Normally you won’t need any planning permission but it’s a good idea to consult your local council to check and let your neighbors know to overcome any objections.
Should a retractable roof be manual or electric?
Again it’s up to you, we find the electric roof the most popular, but if you want to save money go down the manual roof route, meaning to open and close you need to use a wind-up handle to operate it. All about outdoor living are happy to advise and get you costs for all options.
Should my retractable roof have side screens?
Side screens are available on most models and are like roller blind that retracts up into the frame when not in use, these a generally used for shading and light winds, we don’t advise that they be left down in severe weather conditions as they may get damaged. These are a good option to shade from the sun coming in from the side as it sets.
Should my retractable roof have glass sliding doors?
This is a good option if you want to get all-year use from your pergola. The base/patio must be level in order for this option to work.
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