Pergolas · Decking · Shade Structures · Outdoor Lighting
A terrace is only as useful as the hours you can comfortably spend on it. We design and build pergolas, decking, covered seating areas and the lighting and finishes around them, made to cope with Costa Blanca sun, wind and salt air, and run as one managed project.
Along this coast the weather decides how an outdoor space is used. In July the sun makes an unshaded terrace unusable at midday, in winter a sheltered corner can be pleasant for lunch, and on the hillsides the wind arrives without warning. A good pergola or covered area is mostly an answer to those facts.
Our carpentry team builds timber pergolas, shade structures, decking and other outdoor timber work in our own workshop and on site. Because the same firm also handles paving, electrics, railings and masonry, the structure, the floor beneath it and the cables running to it are planned together rather than argued over afterwards.
Outdoor work fails in predictable ways: timber that was never properly treated, fixings that rust, posts standing on a slab that was not designed to carry them, and a roof that catches the wind like a sail. We design against each of these from the first visit, and say so plainly when something you have in mind will not work.
We have worked across the north Costa Blanca since 1999. You get a free quotation after a survey, a written scope, one person coordinating every trade, and updates by photo and video call if you live abroad and cannot be at the property while the work is done.
What is included
Every project is scoped in writing, so you know which structure, finish and groundwork the quotation covers before work begins.
Climate
The Costa Blanca climate is kind to people and hard on outdoor materials.
Strong sun dries timber, fades finishes and opens small cracks that then take in water at the first autumn storm. Near the coast, salt in the air attacks metal fixings and brackets long before it troubles the wood itself. Inland, the swing between hot days and cool nights adds its own movement.
We choose timber and treatment with this in mind, then specify a finish that suits the exposure, whether that is a stain that lets the grain show or a more protective coating. Every finish needs renewing eventually. We will tell you how often to expect to do it, rather than promising a structure that never needs attention.
Fixings matter as much as the wood. Bolts, brackets and screws that are cheap and uncoated will stain the timber and fail early near the sea. We specify suitable fixings for the location, and we separate timber from damp ground or standing water so the bottom of each post does not sit in moisture.
Design
Size, orientation and roof type decide whether a pergola is used every day or hardly at all.
A pergola can be freestanding, fixed against the house wall or built to fit a corner. Attached structures need a sound wall to carry them and a plan for rainwater where the roof meets the facade. Freestanding ones need their own posts, which need proper bases. We check both options on site before suggesting one.
Roof choice follows the way you live. An open slatted top breaks up the sun but does not stop rain. Louvres, canvas or a solid covering give more control, and each puts different loads on the frame and catches wind differently. A west-facing terrace in the afternoon needs a different answer from a north-facing patio.
Height and proportion count too. A beam set too low feels oppressive and blocks the view, while one set too high gives little shade. We usually chalk the footprint onto the terrace itself, so you can stand beneath the proposed structure before anything is cut.
Outdoor Rooms
Many clients want a place to eat and sit outside, not just a frame overhead.
A covered dining area works best when it is close to the kitchen door, shaded at lunchtime and sheltered from the prevailing wind. We think about where the table goes, how chairs push back, where people walk past and what the view looks like from a seated position, not only from standing.
Around the structure we can lay decking or non-slip paving, build steps and add balustrades or low walls where the ground changes level. Where the project meets a terrace that needs waterproofing or repair first, we cross-refer the work to our terrace renovation team so the floor is right before anything is built on it.
Swimming pools are not something we build. We can do the surround, the shaded area beside it and the steps and barriers around it, working with whoever supplied or looks after the pool itself. The quotation makes clear where our work stops and the specialist's begins.
Services
The finishing details decide whether an outdoor space is pleasant after dark.
Lighting and sockets are far easier to install before the floor goes down. Cable routes, conduits and junction positions are agreed early, and our electricians fit outdoor-rated lights, weatherproof sockets and supplies for fans or heaters. Adding them later usually means cutting into new work.
Safety is part of the design. Where a terrace has a drop, a balustrade or railing must be stable and suitably high, and steps need even risers and a non-slip surface. Wet marble or polished tile is slippery under a pergola in winter, so we suggest suitable finishes for the floor beneath.
Drainage, too, is easy to overlook. A roofed area changes where rain falls, and water running off a new roof can pool against a wall. We plan gutters, falls and runoff points so the new structure does not create damp problems for the house or a neighbour's wall.
Permissions
Not every structure can simply be built, and it is better to ask first.
In an apartment block, the terrace or roof may belong to you but the facade and appearance are usually the community's concern. A new structure there can need agreement from the community, and the council office may want an application too. When we survey, we say whether we think it is likely to, so you can approach the right people before anything is built.
For villas and fincas, the question is often how large a covered structure can be and how close to the boundary. Rules vary between towns and between types of land, and we do not guess at them. We describe what you want, and you or your gestor confirm what is permitted.
The written quotation helps here too. Because the scope is written down, you can show the design, dimensions and materials to a community president or a town hall clerk without having to explain from scratch, which tends to settle questions quickly and keeps the project moving once approval is given.
Before you hire
Outdoor structures stand in the weather for years, so check the details before you sign.
A reliable builder answers these without hesitation and puts the answers on paper. If an answer is vague, or the price is the only thing quoted, ask for more detail before agreeing. A free quotation from us includes all of this.
Areas
We build for coastal apartments, hillside villas, village houses and country fincas.
Our office is in Callosa d'en Sarrià, and the team works from there across the Marina Baixa and the stretch of coast around it. Each town page below describes how the housing, climate and access in that area affect outdoor work.
Pergolas and outdoor living for Benidorm apartments: wind-aware shade, decking and lighting for balconies and penthouse roofs. Free quotation.
View Benidorm →Pergolas and outdoor living in Altea: shade for old town roof terraces, narrow patios and sea-view villa terraces, built around steep access. Free quotation.
View Altea →Pergolas, decking and covered dining areas for La Nucía villas on sloping plots, with poolside shade, garden steps and lighting from one team. Free quotation.
View La Nucía →Pergolas, railings and shade for Finestrat view terraces, hillside villas and homes near Cala de Finestrat, designed for exposed wind and sun. Free quotation.
View Finestrat →Pergolas and outdoor living in Calpe: salt-resistant timber, fixings and finishes for seafront flats and hillside villa terraces. Free quotation.
View Calpe →Pergolas and outdoor living in Alfaz del Pi and Albir: shade for apartments, hillside villas and village fincas, with cabling planned early. Free quotation.
View Alfaz del Pi & Albir →Pergolas and outdoor living in Polop: shade frames for village patios, stone-house terraces and hillside villas, built for hot inland summers. Free quotation.
View Polop →Pergolas and outdoor living in Benissa: large finca terraces, old town patios and coastal villas, with covered dining, stone and timber. Free quotation.
View Benissa →Pergolas and outdoor living in Villajoyosa: shade for old town rooftops, seafront flat balconies and inland villa gardens, for year-round use. Free quotation.
View Villajoyosa →Pergolas and outdoor living in Callosa d'en Sarrià from a local team: shade for village houses, hillside fincas and terraces above the valley. Free quotation.
View Callosa d'en Sarrià →Pergolas and outdoor living in Albir: low-maintenance shade for holiday apartments and hillside villas near the Sierra Helada and seafront. Free quotation.
View Albir →Questions
It depends on the structure, the size, the type of property and the town. At the survey we say whether the work looks likely to need a town hall licence or agreement from your community. You or your gestor should confirm before building begins.
We select timber and treatment to suit the span, the exposure and the look you want, then agree the finish with you in the quotation. Any outdoor finish needs renewing over time, and we explain how often so there are no surprises.
Often yes, if the slab and walls are sound and the community agrees. Fixings must go into solid structure, not render, and the load and wind exposure at height have to be considered. We check the terrace at the survey before recommending anything.
A well-designed one can cope, but exposure matters. We use suitable fixings, brace the frame for the location and avoid roofing that acts like a sail. We are honest where a site is so exposed that a lighter or different design is wiser.
Yes. Our own electricians fit outdoor-rated lighting, weatherproof sockets and supplies for fans or heaters. Cable routes are best planned before decking or paving goes down, so we agree them as part of the design.
No. We build the surround, shade, steps and railings next to a pool, and we will work alongside whoever installs or looks after it. The pool shell, pumps and chemistry are outside what we offer.
Yes. We survey, send photos and measurements, settle the design over a call or messages, and update you as the work moves forward. Many of our clients are overseas owners who only visit part of the year.
Related services
Get in touch
Tell us about the terrace or garden, send a few photos if you can, and we will arrange a survey. You receive a written quotation covering design, materials, groundwork and finishing, with no charge and no obligation.
One team manages the timber, electrics, paving and any masonry, in both languages, so you deal with a single point of contact from the first visit through to the final coat.
Customer reviews
Genuine Google reviews from Dragon Reforms customers.
Professional Collaboration & Complete House Renovation – Calpe
“We have been collaborating for many years on projects both large and small, with excellent results. Our latest collaboration was the complete renovation of a house in Calpe. Thanks to their professionalism and reliability, they were able to handle all phases of the project. We hope to continue working together for many years to come.”
Complete Apartment Renovation – Benidorm
“I would like to say a huge thank you to Dragonreforms. Nico and his team did an excellent job renovating our 2 bedroom apartment in Benidorm. This included a beautiful new bathroom, kitchen, flooring, interior doors, plumbing and complete electrical works. Truly amazing workmanship. You have made our dreams come true.”
Get a quote
Tell us about the job and the property and we will get back to you to arrange a visit.
