Are Shade Structures Too Good to Be True?

April 11th, 2015 · Published to Shade Sails by nicole

So first things first, let’s assume you are in need of a shade structure for various reasons: aesthetics, protection from harmful sun factors and similar. As a customer, you will certainly search for a service with the most reasonable price. In that search, you might come across a “to good to be true price”. If that’s the case, don’t be holding back on questions because not asking will probably lead you to future complications that could be avoided. The choice is solely on users deciding if the cheaper price is the right way to go but they must be aware of the risks that follow.

Are Shade Structures Too Good to Be True?

Are Shade Structures Too Good to Be True?

As the owner of Global Shade, we specialise in shade structures amongst other shade products and as such, it’s my job to stay up to date on all the latest news and information relevant to our business. Recently, the Specialised Textiles Association (STA) released a report which asked the question “Is the price of shade structures too good to be true?” In this article, we’ll look at some questions you may want to consider before you make up your own mind.

We’ll use STA as our guide through this process. Let’s go!

Do you need Council approvals and permits? Of course approvals and permits cost time and money and maybe you have “good neighbours”, but that is just avoiding the problem until it comes back to bite you in the butt. With everything in order you won’t have to worry about having to issues such as; having to pull the shade structure down, problems selling your property, no risk of an insurance claim being rejected and similar.

Shade structures; give me a break, how hard can it be? As the customer, don’t assume that “good enough” is good enough when installing a shade structure. It is not the customer’s, but the installer‘s responsibility for the work to be done properly. Safety is also an important issue and risk assessment must be provided, don’t take shortcuts. You should not skimp on the quality of materials.

Who needs a licensed and experienced installer? Licensed shade structure installers do can cost more and yes, you will be about to find someone who knows what to do without a license, but hold this thought. If you find yourself in court with a license in question the penalties are high. Licenses are required for the protection of customers so also make sure to determine the skill and experience level of your installer. It’s worth the extra cost for peace of mind alone.

Bottom line is – information protects the customer! It is simply required that the customer makes the right calls. As for the service providers, they must know their product and to respect the rules of the job. From the text above you already know some of the questions required to ask your installer:

  • Are they insured?
  • Are they licensed?
  • Is council approval or a permit needed?
  • Is a contract and a written quote provided?
  • Are you getting the same components and product from each contractor?
  • Does the shade structure give you the shade you want?

Conclusion

You should not choose a shade structure based on price alone – it may prove to be more costly in the longrun. If the contractor passed all of your questions and it is still a reasonable price, make that deal. This brings us to “Global Shade”, we are one of the most respected manufacturers in the business of shade sails and shade structures. We have over 25 years of experience and all the needed validations. I hope that this article provided you with information on what those questions should be.

If you’ve done your research and are still not confident to make a decision, then feel free to get in touch me with me; whether it is about a public or commercial shade structure purchase or installation – I’ll be more than happy to help.

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