What’s the difference between an arbour, a pergola, a pavilion and a cabana?

An arbour and a pergola are open on top. A pavilion has a solid roof and open sides. A cabana has a roof, walls and a door.

What keeps a structure from shifting?

The foundation. The pavilion at The Back Bar stands on helical piles. At Escape Plan, the pavilion and cabana sit on helical piles and an engineered, frost-protected slab.

Do you handle the permits?

Yes. We find out which permits your project needs before we design, then handle them: drawings, arborist reports and engineering when needed.

It depends on the size, roof, wood and footings, and extras like heaters, fans, lighting and a kitchen. We give you a rough budget range at the free discovery meeting.

How long will it take?

It depends on the size of the job, the weather, permits and approvals, and our existing bookings. We give you a timeline once the scope is set.

Do you build in winter?

In milder winters we keep building under domes with heaters. We don’t do snow clearing, so our crews stay focused on building.

Lounge seating under the cedar pavilion ceiling — Under the pavilion at The Back Bar.

Finished timber pavilion with a hip roof, stone veneer and a cedar ceiling, beside the pool — The pavilion at Escape Plan, Flamborough.

Pavilions and structures

We design and build pavilions, pergolas, arbours, cabanas, decks, and outdoor kitchens and bars. It suits homeowners who want to spend longer outside, with shelter, somewhere to cook and a place for people to gather.

Book a free discovery meeting

What’s included

Pavilions: Douglas fir with a cedar ceiling and black metal roof at The Back Bar. Stone and cedar at Escape Plan.
Pergolas and arbours: A timber pergola over half the patio at Nothing to Dig. A timber arbour path about 200 feet long at Escape Plan.
Cabanas: At Escape Plan, a pool cabana with a change room and washroom, with its own timber pergola beside it.
Timber frames and carpentry: Some cabanas are built in-house. Timber frames and other carpentry are done with trusted carpenters and timber-frame builders we work with.
Decks: At Into the Trees, a curved PVC deck reaches out over the slope, one step down from the sliding doors.
Outdoor kitchens and bars: A wood-fired pizza oven at Escape Plan. A reclaimed barnboard bar with black stone counters at The Back Bar.
Hot tubs: We coordinate the tub and build the landscape around it, whether you buy through us or direct.
Gas and electrical: Fire pits and fire tables, BBQs and outdoor kitchens, patio heaters and line-voltage power, through licensed gas fitters and electricians we manage.
Landscape lighting: To carry the space into the evening, as with the pergola lights at Nothing to Dig. Our own crew installs low-voltage lighting.

How we approach it

A structure has to stay where we put it, so we start with what it stands on. Then we size and place it around how you’ll use the yard.

It starts with a free discovery meeting at your place. See how it works, step by step

3D design drawing of a pool cabana with a TV wall, shelves and a wood bar, seen across the pool and its steps — Our 3D design for a pool cabana, and the cabana we built. Milton, 2020.

The finished pool cabana: timber posts, a dark metal roof, a TV wall and a wood bar, seen across the pool steps — Our 3D design for a pool cabana, and the cabana we built. Milton, 2020.

Front elevation drawing of a wood bar on casters, with steel doors and drawers, dimensioned in inches — A movable bar on casters: drawn to the inch, built and finished in our shop, then rolled into place.

The bar finished in the shop: wood siding, a thick wood top and stainless steel doors and drawers — A movable bar on casters: drawn to the inch, built and finished in our shop, then rolled into place.

Related work

Small city patio at dusk with concrete squares, pergola and fire feature

Toronto, 2014–2015

Nothing to Dig

No lawn on purpose: concrete squares with artificial turf strips, a timber pergola and built-in benches on a tight Toronto lot.

Douglas fir pavilion with lounge furniture at the edge of a pool

Oakville, 2022–2023

The Back Bar

A yard built for hosting: a reclaimed barnboard bar under the wisteria, a Douglas fir pavilion by the pool, and an outdoor kitchen.

View from inside the pavilion back up the timber arbour walk to the house

Flamborough, 2015–2018

Escape Plan

The cottage, brought home: a 25-by-50-foot concrete pool, a timber pavilion and a pool cabana, 200 feet from the house on an open field in rural Flamborough.

See all our work

Common questions

A timber pergola at dusk over a lounge with a fire table, string lights along the beams and lanterns on the stone, with a pool beyond — A timber pergola at dusk, with string lights and a fire table. Solid Ground. Finished photography: Jeff McNeill, McNeill Photography.

What’s the difference between an arbour, a pergola, a pavilion and a cabana?: An arbour and a pergola are open on top. A pavilion has a solid roof and open sides. A cabana has a roof, walls and a door. Read the guide.
What keeps a structure from shifting?: The foundation. The pavilion at The Back Bar stands on helical piles. At Escape Plan, the pavilion and cabana sit on helical piles and an engineered, frost-protected slab.
Do you handle the permits?: Yes. We find out which permits your project needs before we design, then handle them: drawings, arborist reports and engineering when needed. Read our permit guide.
What will it cost?: It depends on the size, roof, wood and footings, and extras like heaters, fans, lighting and a kitchen. We give you a rough budget range at the free discovery meeting.
How long will it take?: It depends on the size of the job, the weather, permits and approvals, and our existing bookings. We give you a timeline once the scope is set.
Do you build in winter?: In milder winters we keep building under domes with heaters. We don’t do snow clearing, so our crews stay focused on building.