Salt Lake City sets its own design criteria, and for residential buildings it calls for a 115 mph design wind speed (3-second gust) with exposure category B or C depending on the site. That means a yard open to the east bench and a sheltered valley-floor yard aren't the same design problem. Wind creates lateral push and uplift, and the weakest points are usually the connections, where beams meet posts and posts meet brackets, so we use multiple fasteners, gussets, throughbolts and structural brackets at those points.
Salt Lake City's design criteria set the ground snow load at a minimum of 28 psf for sites at or below 4,239 feet, and higher up the benches and foothills the load rises with elevation. A pergola with a louvered or solid roof collects that snow, and load combinations can require it to resist wind uplift while snow pushes down at the same time. We treat combined loading as a design question from the start, not an afterthought.
The anchor is only as good as what it's set into. Salt Lake City's frost depth is 30 inches, so new footings go below that with embedded post anchors. A thin patio slab can crack under uplift, and pavers over sand or gravel don't hold anchors reliably, so we reach a real foundation before anchoring. On soft or uncertain soil we look at engineered helical piles instead of shallow piers.
Salt Lake City's permit FAQ exempts residential accessory structures under 200 square feet, but it doesn't name pergolas, and an attached pergola, a larger footprint or added electrical can change the answer. Zoning setbacks apply either way. We check with Salt Lake City Building Services before we build rather than assume a pergola is exempt, and on a hillside or elevated site an engineer's review is worth the fee.
Sourced from Salt Lake City Building Services' design criteria (last revised October 2021) and the city's permit FAQ. Confirm current figures with the city or an engineer before building.
Every pergola is priced after we see your yard — size, material, roof style and how it connects to your home all move the number. Before we build, we check Salt Lake City's current permit and zoning requirements rather than assume a pergola is exempt, especially on a sloped or elevated lot where an engineer's review may be worth it. Ask for a free quote and we'll walk you through the design, the price and the timeline.
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A pergola we built. See our full project gallery for more of our work.
Tell us about your yard and what you're picturing. We'll send a free quote, and you can reach us directly at 435-660-1944.
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Salt Lake City's design criteria call for a 115 mph residential design wind speed and a minimum 28 psf ground snow load at or below 4,239 feet, with higher snow loads on the benches and foothills. Wind pushes sideways and lifts, so the connections, not the posts themselves, are usually the first thing to fail without proper anchoring.
Not reliably. Pavers usually sit over sand or gravel with no real load-bearing capacity, so we remove or reinforce them to reach a genuine foundation before anchoring.
The city's FAQ exempts residential accessory structures under 200 square feet, but it doesn't name pergolas, and attaching to your home, a larger footprint or added electrical can change the answer. Zoning setbacks apply either way. We confirm with Salt Lake City Building Services before building rather than assume.
115 mph (3-second gust) for residential buildings, with exposure category B or C depending on the site. On an open bench or hillside lot, a site-specific engineer's review is worth it.
At least seasonally, and after any unusually strong wind — checking post bases, bolts, brackets and beam-to-post joints for movement, corrosion or cracked concrete.
Explore our pergola builds page, browse the Salt Lake City service area, or read whether pergolas add appraisal value in Utah.
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