A timber-frame pavilion uses larger sections — 8×8 and up — joined with traditional joinery or concealed steel plates, in Douglas fir, cedar, or white pine, for the look of a barn or lodge roof over your patio. In Kansas City you can get there two ways: a custom heavy-timber build by our crew, or a pre-cut kit shipped from a timber-frame or Amish shop that we set on proper footings, roof, and finish. Shipped kits run roughly $10,600–$24,100 at 12×12 and $13,400–$38,800 at 16×20 before anything local; built here with 36-inch piers, shingles, assembly and permits, plan on about $32,500–$50,000 for a 16×20. A custom timber build prices like our custom pavilions at the upper end of the range. Either way the structure sits on frost-depth footings and goes through the same permit and HOA process.
Custom heavy timber, or a kit we install?
| Custom timber build | Shipped timber kit, installed by us | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Yours, drawn by us | The maker's models and sizes |
| Timbers | Cedar or Douglas fir, cut on site | Pre-cut, numbered, often pre-stained; Douglas fir, cedar, redwood or white pine |
| Lead time | 6–10 weeks signing to finished | 5–8 weeks for the kit to arrive, then 1–2 weeks on site |
| Roofing | Included — shingles matched to the house | Often excluded by the kit maker; we source and install it |
| Footings | Included | Not in the kit; we dig and pour 36-inch piers |
| Engineering | As the city requires | Kit makers typically quote engineering separately; some cities require a seal |
| Price | Upper end of custom range | Kit + freight + roofing + piers + assembly + permit |
What a shipped timber kit costs once it is built in Kansas City
Kit makers publish honest list prices; the number to plan around is what it costs standing in your yard. For a 16×20:
| Line | Planning range |
|---|---|
| Kit (entry to upper series) | $13,400–$38,800 |
| Freight (some makers include it; others charge $299 to curbside freight) | $0–$1,500 |
| Architectural shingles over the kit's roof deck (about 540 sq ft of roof) | $2,150–$3,250 |
| Six 36-inch concrete piers | $1,500–$2,700 |
| Local assembly by our crew (heavy timber, equipment where needed) | $2,500–$8,000 |
| Permit (over 120 or 200 sq ft everywhere) and drawings/engineering when required | $600–$2,300 |
| Electrical, if wanted | $1,600–$5,800 |
| Contingency 10–15% | — |
Our model lands that at roughly $32,500–$50,000 for an entry-series kit with basic electrical; the full arithmetic is in the cost guide and the Instant Estimate. The kit's series or tier is the biggest single variable — the same 16×20 footprint spans nearly $25,000 between a maker's entry and premium lines.
What to expect from big timbers
Large timbers check. As a 8×8 or 10×10 dries toward the humidity of its surroundings, the outside shrinks faster than the core and a crack opens along the grain. It looks alarming and is very rarely structural; air-dried timber loses roughly an inch of moisture depth a year, and kiln-dried timber has already done most of its shrinking and checks less. Expect some checking in the first two summers, and expect it to stop. Rough-sawn timbers are true to their stated dimension (a true 8×8) and cheaper; surfaced timbers are smooth, slightly smaller, and cost more.
Footings, anchoring and the slab you already have
Timber kits ship with anchoring hardware designed for a concrete pier or slab — concealed knife plates or post bases that keep the end grain off the concrete and act as a moisture barrier. The footing itself is yours, and in Kansas City that means piers to 36 inches, or a city's small-structure relief where it applies. A heavy timber pavilion is the last thing to set on a 4-inch patio slab without new footings; read can you build a pavilion on an existing patio?.
Permits and HOA
Every launch city permits a structure over 120 or 200 square feet, and timber kits are more likely than a stick-built pavilion to trigger an engineering request — Shawnee requires a Kansas engineer's seal for post-frame construction and trusses, Olathe's residential permit lists sealed construction documents, and Parkville's guidelines call for sealed plans. We handle the drawings and the submission; the permits page has every city's rules.
Get a quote
Tell us the kit you are looking at (or the look you want) and your city. We will tell you what it costs to put it on proper footings and a real roof here. Get a quote or run the Instant Estimate with the timber-kit path selected.
Not ready to talk yet? Start with the planning layer: the complete guide to building a backyard pavilion in Kansas City, and the kit vs custom comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy the kit myself and have you install it? Yes. Tell us the maker and model before you order so we can check footings, roofing scope, engineering and the permit threshold in your city first.
Does the kit include the roof? Often not — several timber-frame makers ship the frame and roof structure and expect shingles or metal to be sourced locally. Amish shops more often include shingles. We read the spec sheet before quoting.
Do I need engineered drawings? Depends on the city and the kit. Budget $500–$1,500 when it applies, and ask the kit maker whether stamped drawings are available for Kansas or Missouri.
Will the timbers crack? Some checking is normal and cosmetic. Kiln-dried stock checks less.