Have you thought about building your own backyard gazebo, but aren’t sure where to begin? Are you frustrated with the sheer number of gazebo plans, tips and ideas you’ve found online? If you’re just looking for an easy way to build a quality gazebo and save money at the same time, easy-to-assemble gazebo kits could be the ideal solution for you.

While pre-built gazebos are often expensive, what most people don’t know is that, up to 30% of the cost of a pre-built gazebo is the labor that goes into assembling and delivering the gazebo to your home. If you have basic construction skills, enjoy putting things together and have basic tools like a hammer, drill, socket wrenches and a ladder, you and a friend can easily assemble a new gazebo in a weekend, using a ready-to-assemble gazebo kit.

Gazebo Kit Advantages

• Great Designs If you’ve thought about building your own gazebo, one of the challenges you’ve faced is finding gazebo plans that match your design goals. When you opt for a gazebo kit, the design work is already done. You simply choose the gazebo design you like best and get the kit shipped to you. Gazebo kits are available for most common gazebo shapes including octagon, rectangular and oval.

You can also choose between traditional wood or maintenance-free vinyl styles. And with the money you save assembling the gazebo on your own, you might even choose to add extra decorative touches like a roof-top cupola, gazebo screening to keep bugs away or free standing benches to provide ready-made seating.

• Saves Time Building a gazebo from scratch can be complicated and stressful. You’ll need to find design plans to work from, then purchase the wood, hardware and other materials you’ll need. Gazebo kits save you time since you start with all the parts you need to build the exact gazebo you want. A good gazebo kit will come with all the wood pre-cut to save even more time. Plus, you’ll get all the hardware to assemble the gazebo right the first time. You won’t waste time running to the hardware store for missing pieces.

• No Special Skills Required If you’ve ever assembled a piece of furniture from the directions in the box or can handle basic home improvement tasks, you’ll find it easy to assemble most ready-made gazebo kits. You’ll need some basic tools, a handy friend and a few days of time, depending on the size of the gazebo you choose. As a guideline, a simple 10′ octagon gazebo kit can be assembled by 2 people in 5-10 hours.

Evaluating Gazebo Kits

So what should you look for when evaluating gazebo kits?

First, look for gazebo dealers that offer kits made from the same materials as their pre-built gazebo models. You’ll want to make sure that your finished gazebo will be built with the same quality as the ones they have on their display lot. If you’re buying your gazebo kit locally, ask to see one of the kits to evaluate the quality for yourself.

Second, opt for gazebo kits with easy to follow instructions. If possible, see if the gazebo dealer will send you a copy of the instructions before you buy. If the instructions seem unclear or look overly complex, keep looking.

Third, ask the gazebo dealer if everything you need is included in the kit. You’ll want to know ahead of time if there are any parts you’ll need to buy on your own. Also, ask if the lumber is pre-cut. The best gazebo kits come ready-to-assemble without the need for cutting or complex calculations.

Finally, don’t buy gazebo kits from companies who don’t build their own gazebos. Gazebo dealers who build their own gazebos will be able to provide valuable information if you run into any trouble during the assembly process. Plus, you reduce the risk of receiving an incomplete kit with mismatched parts.

We hope we’ve inspired you to start your own gazebo building project this season. With a bit of planning, the right tools and a modest time investment, we think you’ll find gazebo kits are a great way to create the backyard oasis you’ve always dreamed about, while saving money at the same time!