2026-02-18 · 6 min
Louvered or fixed roof: how to read a pergola listing
Motorized louvers and fixed roofs solve different sites. Here is how to choose before you compare two factory prices.
Two pergolas can share a photo angle and still be different products. One opens and closes the roof. The other is a fixed cover. The frame alloy may be the same. The mechanism, the drainage, and the price are not.
What a louvered roof is for
A bioclimatic louver roof is for terraces where people sit in sun and in rain. The blades rotate. Water has to leave the gutter, not drip through the seating line. You need a motor side, a power point, and a clear decision about who services the motor after installation.
If your customer is a restaurant, ask where the motor sits relative to the kitchen pass and the guest tables. That detail is cheaper on the drawing than on site.
What a fixed roof is for
A fixed roof is a shade and rain cover with fewer moving parts. It suits a simple garden bay, a side passage, or a project that will not pay for a motor. Polycarbonate or a solid aluminum lid changes the light under the roof. Say which one you sell.
How to compare two quotes
Compare the same opening, the same blade or lid, and the same coating. A lower price on a smaller section size is not a better pergola. Ask for the profile section and the coating type in the quotation, not only the bay size in the title.