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Custom pergolas by a Newcastle builder you can rely on

I’m Liam Sharpe, a licensed carpenter. I build timber pergolas, verandahs and covered outdoor areas for homes across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Maitland.

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  • 5.0 on Google
  • Licence 383930C
  • 10+ years in the trade
Liam Sharpe and his apprentice in Sharpe shirts and tool belts
Pictured: Liam Sharpe and his apprentice

Pergolas built by a licensed carpenter

Sharpe Building & Constructions designs and builds custom pergolas, verandahs, patio roofs and covered outdoor areas for homeowners in Newcastle and the Hunter. We work out the design together on site, then I build it myself with my apprentice, and you get the price before any work starts. My NSW licence, 383930C, is in the Carpenter class, which covers pergolas, gazebos and awnings.

Pergolas sit alongside decks, framing, cladding, windows and doors in my work as a licensed carpenter in Newcastle. Years of framing houses for builders around the Hunter means the posts, footings and beams that hold a pergola up are set out square and fixed properly.

What our customers say

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tom payne

Really happy with the work from Sharpe Building & Construction. We had a pretty tight timeline, and even when a few unexpected issues came up, they handled everything without any fuss. The job was completed by the deadline, and the whole process was smooth and stress-free. Would definitely recommend them

Response from the owner

Thank you, Tom! We really appreciate your kind words and are glad we could deliver the project on time despite the unexpected challenges. It was a pleasure working with you, and we are thrilled you’re happy with the result. Thank you for choosing Sharpe Building & Constructions. We truly appreciate your recommendation !

Dot Hodder

Thanks Liam. You did a beautiful job of working out what I wanted. My home feels complete with the new additions, plus the pergola. I found you by word of mouth and you certainly didn't disappoint.

Response from the owner

Thank you so much, Dot! It was a pleasure working with you and bringing your ideas to life. I’m really glad you’re happy with the end result and that your home feels complete with the new additions and pergola. Thank you for trusting Sharpe Building & Constructions. We truly appreciate your kind words and support!

Renee & Brendon Harley

Needed some windows installed. Easily done, no fuss. Polite crew.

Response from the owner

Thanks Renee and Brendon. Glad the new windows went in smoothly. If there is anything else you need done around the house, Sharpe Building & Constructions is happy to help across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. Liam

Recent pergolas and covered areas

“I still can’t believe how great this is, we have breakfast here most mornings. Liam and Jet have great comradery and work ethics. Liam kept me in the loop as to what to expect, price and time wise, both very reasonable.”

Dorothy Hodder, West Wallsend, on Liam’s Facebook post of her pergola

What pergolas and outdoor roofs do you build?

  • Attached pergolas

    A pergola fixed to the home, off the back door or over a deck or slab, with an open top or a roof, so the outdoor space feels part of the house.

  • Freestanding pergolas

    A pergola on its own posts and footings out in the yard, over a spa, a fire pit or an outdoor table.

  • Slat screens

    Timber slat screens for privacy and shade, like the merbau screen on the pergola at West Wallsend.

  • Verandahs

    A covered verandah along the front or side of the house. The verandah in my recent jobs has timber brackets at every post.

  • Patio roofs and covered outdoor areas

    A roof over a back patio or outdoor living area, so it stays usable through rain and summer sun.

  • Gazebos

    A freestanding timber gazebo for the garden, with its own roof, as a spot to sit out of the weather.

Open pergola or a roof over it?

The first choice with any pergola is how much sun and rain it lets through. There are three common ways to finish the top.

Open timber pergola beams beside a merbau slat screen

Open beams and rafters

Timber beams and rafters with nothing over them. It gives dappled shade, suits climbing plants and lets the most light into the house.

Covered verandah with a steel roof and timber brackets

Roof sheeting

Steel roof sheeting, like the verandah in my recent jobs, gives full shade and keeps the rain off. Clear sheeting does the same job and lets light through to the rooms behind. For exempt development in NSW, metal has to be a low-reflective, factory pre-coloured finish.

Covered outdoor area under the roof of a new home

Under the house roof

On a new home or an extension, the outdoor area can sit under the main roof line, framed in with the rest of the house, so it reads as one building.

Do I need council approval for a pergola in NSW?

Many pergolas in NSW are exempt development, which means they need no council approval as long as they meet every rule in the state’s planning code. Pergolas follow the same rules as decks. These are the main limits on the NSW Government page on decks and patios:

  • No more than 25 m² in area, and all pergolas, decks and patios on the block together no more than 15% of the house’s ground floor area (25 m² on a block up to 300 m²).
  • No part higher than 3 m above the ground.
  • Set back at least 900 mm from the side and back boundaries (5 m in rural zones), and behind the building line of the street.
  • Any metal is low-reflective and factory pre-coloured, such as a pre-painted steel roof.
  • On bushfire prone land within 5 m of the house, built from non-combustible materials.

A pergola bigger or higher than that needs a complying development certificate or a development application through your council: City of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland or Cessnock. When I measure up for your quote, we check your pergola against these rules first.

What changes the price of a pergola?

Every pergola is priced on site, because a few things move the cost more than anything else:

Size
The area it covers, which sets how many posts, beams and rafters it takes.
Timber
Treated pine, hardwood and merbau all cost different amounts per metre.
The top
Open rafters, clear sheeting or a steel roof with gutters.
Attached or freestanding
A freestanding pergola needs more posts and footings of its own.
Extras
Slat screens, a pergola over an existing deck, or a tight yard for carrying materials in.

The quote is free, and you get the price before any work starts. Residential building work over $5,000 also needs a licensed contractor and a written contract under NSW law, as NSW Fair Trading sets out. Every job over that amount comes with one.

How a pergola job runs

  1. 1Send the job

    Use the form or call 0402 499 810. Photos of the spot help.

  2. 2Free on-site quote

    I come out, measure up, talk through timber and the top, and give you a price.

  3. 3Posts, beams and roof

    Footings and posts first, then the beams, rafters and the top you picked.

  4. 4Walk-through

    We look over the finished pergola together.

Get a free on‑site quote.

Tell me the job and your suburb. I’ll call you to book a time, come out, measure up and give you a price before any work starts. Or call 0402 499 810.

What’s the job?
Add details or photos (optional)

Questions about pergolas

Open timber pergola beams beside a merbau slat screen
Do you build pergolas in Lake Macquarie and Maitland?

Yes. I build custom pergolas across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Maitland and out to the Hunter Valley, from my base in Cameron Park.

Can you build a pergola over my existing deck?

Yes. If the deck frame can carry the posts, they fix to it. If not, the posts go down through the deck to their own footings. I check which when I measure up.

Do you build verandahs and gazebos too?

Yes. Verandahs, gazebos, patio roofs and covered outdoor areas are all part of my carpentry work.

Is the quote free?

Yes. I come out, measure up and give you a price before any work starts. Send the job through the form or call 0402 499 810.

Can I check your licence?

Yes. Licence 383930C is on the NSW licence register, Carpenter class, current until 2030.

Where do you build pergolas?

I’m based at 4 Nightingale Crescent, Cameron Park NSW 2285 and build across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Maitland. There’s no showroom: I come to you to look at the job.

Call 0402 499 810 or email sharpeconstructions@aol.com. Licence 383930C, ABN 27 866 451 671.

Covered outdoor area on a new home at sunset

Have a pergola in mind?

Send it through and get a free on-site quote.

Book a free on-site quote0402 499 810
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