I set this up by myself in two days (using sawhorses to brace the uprights) and although I'm reasonably handy, I'm no carpenter! All in all it was an excellent experience and my hat's off to you for being able to construct and ship such a good kit. Even considering the shipping costs, there is no way we could have purchased lumber and paid people to construct something like this for the same money. We're considering doing another identical unit in the opposite corner of our courtyard. Well done. And good luck in this economy!

Max, Thank you, we are very happy with the pergola!! It looks great and the size and height are perfect, like you said. My husband and father-in-law built this entirely in the rain. It was a lot of fun for us to watch and hold umbrellas for them. They did a great job and even finished in a day and a half. Then a few days later, an extremely bad storm hit with nearby tornadoes and major tree damage and fallen trees throughout our entire town. The pergola remained intact, so we know that structurally it is good too. Well it is finally sunny again, so we could finally see how the sunlight filters in on the patio. The pergola really makes the patio an inviting place to be. Looking forward to many great times in our new outdoor area. Thanks again!

Wow, Chris. I really appreciate your help on this effort. These plans are excellent and will definitely make my job easier. Again, thank you so much for your help. I will send you pictures when we get it all done. This pergola is the centerpiece of the Rosa Parks elementary school's outdoor classroom so it is a big deal to them that we are helping them out.

We have had many positive comments on the pergola. It is a beautiful addition to the house. I am glad that we and you took the time to get the shades right. The decisions to mount the shade tracks to the inside of the beams, and to use the plexiglass section next to the house for year around cover when we are not using the shades, were just right. Feeling of pride each time I look at the finished product.

Max, I like those screws you use, haven't seen them in Home Depot. I will upload a picture of the pergola with me resting underneath. It went together really well and things just dropped in - I kept expecting something to go wrong, but it fit together well from start to finish. Thanks for a quality product!

Dear Max, Thanks again. We love the pergola. It's beautiful. We hope everything goes well for you.

The construction went flawlessly. Everything fit together perfectly, we didn't have to "tap" one purlin or rafter into place, they just seemed to fit. Thank you for all the help and instruction. We absolutely love, love, love it. It seems to fit perfectly on our patio and I know that we will enjoy it for many years to come. We would do this again in a heartbeat! I'm sending you pictures of the process and the finished product.

There is still landscaping to do but I thought you would like to see the completed pergola on location. The quality and packing were quite excellent and I've received rave reviews about the pergola from neighbors.

Again I would like to say thanks, dealing with you has been a distinct pleasure. In my line of work it is really refreshing to know there are honest reputable people still around.