๐ก OUTDOOR LIVING
Outdoor Living in New Orleans: Pergolas, Decks, Spaces Worth Spending Time In
Backyards in New Orleans are made for living in, 8 months of usable outdoor weather, mild evenings, and a culture that takes patio season seriously. TurnKey builds the structures that turn a yard into a space: custom pergolas, decks, shade structures, and the landscaping that frames them.
โ Licensed & Insured | โญ 5-Star Rated | ๐ Same-Day Service Available | ๐ฐ Free Estimates
Most New Orleans backyards are wasted potential.
You’ve got the climate. You’ve got the lot. You’ve got the porch that’s too small or the deck that’s gone soft after a decade or the bare slab of concrete that should be a real patio. What you don’t have is the time, the contractor relationships, and the project bandwidth to actually do something about it.
Outdoor living projects are the kind of work that gets put off for years, until someone retires, until the kids move out, until the next round of bonuses, and then the family realizes they could have been using the space all along.
TurnKey builds these projects. Custom pergolas designed for our wind loads and humidity. Decks built on properly-spec’d footings with materials that hold up in this climate. Patio extensions, shade structures, plant-integrated outdoor rooms. Plus the landscape and maintenance work to keep it all looking right.
๐ฑ WHAT’S INCLUDED
Outdoor Living Services
- Custom Pergolas, designed for your yard, built with rot-resistant materials, sized for shade where you actually need it
- Decks, new builds and replacements. Pressure-treated, composite, or hardwood, sized and graded for New Orleans conditions
- Shade Structures, gazebos, covered patios, attached awnings, plant-supported pergolas
- Patio Extensions, concrete extensions, brick or paver overlays, decorative stamping (we partner with hardscape specialists for the heavy concrete work)
- Outdoor Lighting, low-voltage path and accent lighting, deck integration, pergola string lighting wired through the structure
- Surrounding Landscaping, the plant beds, mulch, and grass work that finishes the space and makes the structure look intentional
๐ HOW IT WORKS
Three Steps from Concept to Cookout
Step 1
On-Site Design Visit
We walk the space, understand how you actually want to use it (entertaining, family time, quiet evenings, all of the above), and put together a build plan with structure type, materials, dimensions, and a flat installed quote.
Step 2
Permits + Build
Most outdoor living builds require parish permits, we handle the paperwork. Build time is typically 1 to 3 weeks depending on structure complexity, weather, and any custom millwork. You see milestones throughout.
Step 3
Finish + Surround
After the structure is up, we install the surrounding landscape, beds, mulch, sod, lighting, so the new build looks like it belongs. Then ongoing maintenance handles everything from there.
๐ WHY TURNKEY
The Four Things Our Customers Tell Us Matter Most
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Licensed & Insured
Full coverage so you’re always protected if anything happens on your property.
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Greater NOLA Coverage
From Metairie to Mandeville, Slidell to Gretna, we come to you.
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Transparent Pricing
Flat rate per visit or per project. No surprise charges, ever. Free estimates always.
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Reliability
We show up when we say we will, every time. Period.
๐ธ OUR WORK
Outdoor Living Builds Around New Orleans
โญ WHAT CUSTOMERS SAY
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“TurnKey built our pergola in two weeks. Eighteen months later it still looks brand new, and they handle the landscape under it. We’ve hosted more cookouts in the last year than the previous five combined.”
, Anthony G., St. Rose
โ COMMON QUESTIONS
Outdoor Living in New Orleans: What Homeowners Ask Us
How long does a pergola or deck build take?
Most residential pergolas are 1 to 2 weeks from start to finish, weather permitting. Larger decks or composite builds with footings can be 2 to 3 weeks. We always quote based on a written build schedule so you know what to expect day-by-day.
What materials work best for New Orleans outdoor builds?
For pergolas: cedar (rot-resistant, lighter weight) or pressure-treated pine for budget builds. For decks: pressure-treated for budget, composite (Trex / TimberTech) for low-maintenance, hardwood (ipe, cumaru) for premium. We avoid raw pine for any horizontal surface, humidity destroys it. We’ll walk through the trade-offs during the design visit.
Do I need permits?
For most outdoor structures, yes, at minimum a parish building permit. Pergolas attached to the house, decks over 30 inches off the ground, and any electrical work require additional inspections. We handle every permit and inspection in-house. Adds 1-2 weeks to the timeline.
Can you integrate outdoor lighting and electrical?
Yes for low-voltage landscape lighting (path lights, accent lights, integrated pergola string lights), we do that in-house. For full electrical (outlets, ceiling fans, hardwired lighting on a deck) we partner with a licensed electrician. The coordination happens before we break ground, not after.
What about hurricane resilience?
Real concern in New Orleans. Pergolas and freestanding structures we design with wind loads in mind, properly anchored posts, structural cross-bracing, ratings that meet local code. Deck builds attach to the house structure with hurricane-rated fasteners. Built right, a TurnKey structure should handle anything short of a direct Cat 3 hit without damage. We tell you honestly what’s at risk in extreme storms.
๐ฟ RELATED SERVICES & AREAS
Browse Individual Builds
Pergolas ยท Decks ยท Landscape Building ยท Sod Installation ยท Irrigation & Sprinklers
Service Areas Near You
Metairie ยท Kenner ยท Mandeville ยท Covington ยท Slidell ยท Gretna ยท Harahan ยท River Ridge ยท LaPlace ยท Hammond
Ready to Build Your Outdoor Space?
Free design visit, written build plan with materials and timeline, flat installed quote, permits handled in-house. Most pergola and deck builds finish within 2-3 weeks.