Sean,
Thus far I am extremely pleased with the quality and workmanship of the kit materials. I did quite a bit of research on the web about various gazebo manufactures and products before deciding on Amish Country Gazebos. The company is headed by the four Beiler brothers who grew up on an Amish farm. They have an impressive web site and a sophisticated printed catalog/DVD package that they will send you for free. I have to admit I expected this to be a bit of marketing hyperbole, but I was pleasantly surprised to get a personal e-mail from one of the brothers, Chet, when I made my first inquiry. I also got a couple of personal phone calls from another of the brothers, Leon, to arrange a delivery schedule.
Here is the link to their web site if you want to check them out for yourself: link
The pallet itself was a marvelously designed piece of engineering and all of the components arrived in perfect condition. Each section was individually wrapped. The subassemblies were well banded and secured. The 25-page instruction guide gives every step of the assembly process. All required hardware (screws, bolts, etc.) was included.
I probably could have saved a few thousand dollars by designing it myself and buying all the materials locally. However, it was worth the extra just to have all the tedious, time-consuming steps done for me. The list price was just under $11K, but I got in on last year’s pricing plus a 10% discount, so my final total was $9.5K. This included delivery and quite a few options: composite floor decking, two-tiered pagoda style roof, complete screen package, cedar stain, pre-wired electrical package, and an interior light/ceiling fan. I also spent a little extra to pour the concrete pier foundations, which are a bit of overkill, but a bit of good insurance since things tend to blow around a bit here in Oklahoma.
The kit was built and delivered on schedule. Quoted time was 4 – 6 weeks ARO; it arrived in 4. The only unexpected detail was paying the wrecker truck driver $125 to unload the pallet from the semi and place it in my driveway. Also I had to pull a local building permit ($30).
So far, I give the kit a full “thumbs-up”. I’ll update the review after assembly is complete.
Bob