There are three ways to get a pavilion in Kansas City, and they are three different products, not three price points on one. A big-box cedar kit with a steel roof lists at $2,500–$5,500 and, properly based and assembled, costs about $4,000–$9,500 in your yard. A shipped timber-frame or Amish kit lists at $11,000–$39,000 and lands at roughly $18,000–$50,000 once it has 36-inch piers, a roof, a crew and a permit. A custom cedar or Douglas-fir pavilion starts around $15,000 and most land at $30,000–$60,000 — with the footings, roof, ceiling and permit drawings inside the number. The kit's sticker is the beginning of its cost; this page follows each path to the end.
The three paths, defined
Big-box cedar kit. Cedar posts and beams with a galvanized-steel or aluminum roof, boxed, delivered curbside, assembly not included. Current list prices (read September 30, 2026): 12×10 $2,499; 12×12 $2,799; 14×12 $3,299; 16×12 $3,799; 20×12 $4,499 (on sale at $3,499); 24×12 $5,299; 20×20 $5,499; a treated-pine 12×12 with steel roof $3,599; a warehouse-club 14×12 cedar pavilion with aluminum roof on sale at $2,299.99 and an 11×13 at $1,999.99. Makers claim up to 100-mph wind and 50 lb/sq ft snow; warranties run 1–5 years and are conditioned on sealing the wood once or twice a year.
Shipped timber-frame or Amish kit. Pre-cut timbers or vinyl-wrapped posts and laminated beams, by freight, 5–8 weeks out, assembly not included and installation not offered in Kansas City by any maker we found. List prices: a 12×16 vinyl A-frame pavilion kit $11,300; a 12×16 vinyl hip kit $12,340 and 14×20 at $18,020; a 16×20 traditional wood kit $13,351; a cedar timber kit $9,274 at 10×10 rising to about $26,400 at 20×20; a Douglas-fir timber-frame maker's June-2026 table from $12,100 (12×12 entry) to $38,800 (16×20 upper series) and $24,900–$64,500 at 20×20, freight included, roofing, footings and electrical excluded. Engineering is typically quoted separately.
Custom build. Our crew, on your site: 8×8 cedar or Douglas-fir posts on pier columns, 4×12 beams, shingled roof matched to the house, tongue-and-groove ceiling, drawings for HOA and permit, cleanup. Starting around $15,000; most $30,000–$60,000; a 16×20 with stone-wrapped piers, fan, lights and TV rough-in at $59,950.
Landed cost in Kansas City
| Big-box kit | Shipped timber / Amish kit | Custom build | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sticker | $2,499–$5,499 | $11,300–$38,800 (12×16–16×20) | — |
| Freight | free or curbside | $0–$1,500 | — |
| Roofing | included (steel/aluminum) | often excluded on timber kits: $2,150–$3,250 for shingles on a 16×20 | included |
| Footings | anchors on a sound slab $50–$150; pads/piers $1,000–$3,600 | 36-in piers $1,500–$2,700 (six) | included |
| Assembly | $600–$2,000 | $2,500–$8,000 | included |
| Ceiling | none | add $4–$10/sq ft if wanted | included |
| Permit and drawings | if over threshold; $30–$800 | nearly always; plus $500–$1,500 engineering when required | handled; fee passes through |
| Electrical | optional, $1,600–$5,800 | optional, $1,600–$5,800 | optional, same |
| Built, 12×16 class | $4,000–$7,000 | $18,000–$40,000 | $24,500–$39,500 |
| Built, 16×20 class | $5,000–$9,500 (nearest kit sizes) | $32,500–$50,000 | $37,000–$59,000 |
Planning ranges from our cost model v0.1 with 10–15 percent contingency; line items and sources in the cost guide. The overlap between a timber kit built properly and a custom build is real: the kit's premium series plus local work costs what a custom pavilion costs, and the custom one has a ceiling and a matched roof.
Who does what
| Big-box kit | Shipped kit | Custom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design and sizing | the maker's models | the maker's models and series | yours, drawn by us |
| Slab assessment | you | you (or us, if we install) | us |
| Footings | you | you (or us) | us |
| Roofing | in the box | you source it, or we do | us |
| Assembly | you or a handyman | a contractor with equipment | us |
| HOA drawings | you (maker's spec sheet) | you (maker's drawings; engineering extra) | us |
| Permit | you | you (or us) | us |
| Warranty | maker, 1–5 years, maintenance-conditioned | maker, varies | builder — get it in writing |
| One responsible party | no | no | yes |
What owners and complaint boards report
We read the long-term reviews and the consumer-protection complaints before writing this page. On big-box kits: pre-drilled holes that did not align and structural pieces cut wrong; a roof installed top-down that leaked everywhere; three crooked legs; a stamped-concrete patio damaged by improper anchoring; a split beam. A five-year owner of a warehouse-club cedar gazebo reported a "two-weekend project for a couple of people," no problems in windstorms once bolted to concrete pads — and rust marks on the roof and a cracked post, on a structure that was never sealed. On shipped Amish kits: roofs that do not come assembled, six-to-eight-week lead times, and no installer in Kansas City. None of this makes kits bad. It makes the base, the sequence and the sealing schedule the whole game — which is what our kit installation service exists for.
Which path is right for you
- Big-box kit: a sound existing slab, a 12×12–20×12 footprint, a budget under $10,000, and you are fine with a steel roof, no ceiling and a 1–5-year warranty. Have it assembled properly and seal it on schedule.
- Shipped timber or Amish kit: you want a specific maker's look — vinyl-wrapped posts, heavy timber joinery — and you accept that footings, roofing, assembly, engineering and the permit are separate jobs that together cost as much as the kit. We install them.
- Custom build: you want a roof that matches the house, a finished ceiling, a size and layout drawn for your furniture and your lot, one crew responsible for all of it, and a fixed price. What we build.
Frequently asked questions
Is a kit a "temporary structure" that skips the permit? No. Every metro city treats a roofed kit on footings or anchors as an accessory structure; size decides the building permit, and zoning applies regardless.
Can you install a kit I buy at a warehouse club? Yes — tell us the model before you buy so we can check the base it needs, your slab, and your city's threshold.
Why is a timber kit built here almost as much as a custom pavilion? Because the kit excludes everything local: freight to curb, 36-inch piers, roofing, a crew with equipment, engineering, the permit. Add them and the premium series lands on the custom range.
Which has the better warranty? Kit warranties are 1–5 years on materials and conditioned on maintenance. A builder's workmanship warranty covers the thing that fails first — the installation. Ask for it in writing and compare with the quote-comparison worksheet.
Last updated: September 30, 2026. Kit prices are list prices read on that date and change often. Next: the complete guide · Instant Estimate.