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Since our launch in early 2010 AwningsSupermarket.Com have rapidly become the fastest growing UK Price Comparison Site where you can find all kinds of patio covers and canopies and compare costs for installation with just a few easy clicks.
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Retractable awnings are a great feature for any home or office. They cut air-conditioning use and electricity bills, reduce the damage from UV rays, keep both indoor and outdoor areas cooler, and cut glare. They're also stylish, an eye-catching flash of color. They can even be motorized, so there's no hassle opening and closing them.
After searching Google and browsing a store, a person decides to buy a retractable awning - then what? What makes a good retractable awning? Who is a trustworthy company? Buying a retractable awning can be easy, because quality, both for the retractable awning and for the company selling it, can be defined with a few simple tips.
There are basically two quality levels of retractable awnings. The highest quality is commercial or industrial awnings, which are perfectly suited to homes, as well, but they boast significantly more options for frames and fabrics and more durable materials, as well as better warranties and lifetimes. Most retractable awnings identified as "residential" are, more simply, budget awnings, with fewer frame styles, standardized sizes, and fewer options.
Budget awnings also tend to have lower material quality than commercial retractable awnings - but not every budget awning is the same, and it is possible to find a better retractable awning even on a budget line.
Finding good frame materials will increase the lifetime of a retractable awning. Aluminum is much more durable than other budget options, like PVC and plastic (which are brittle) wood (which rots), or steel (which rusts even if galvanized). Likewise, poor associated assembly hardware can break or rust, staining the awning material and eventually breaking.
The biggest threat to fabric is damage from the sun and rain. Canvas and vinyl, common materials, rot and mildew, and result in unpleasant smells and discoloration. UV and sunlight are even more damaging, weakening the fabric thread and seams and tearing, fraying, and fading. Solution-dyed acrylic is a special man-made, woven fabric. The weave makes it dry quickly, so it doesn't mildew or rot like vinyl. The solution-dying process means that the pigment is part of the fiber itself, so it doesn't fade and resists damage from the sun. Combining the solution-dyed acrylic fabric with a UV-resistant thread (so the seams never separate) and precise pneumatic sewing techniques makes the awning last much longer and look better as it ages.
Taken together, those five elements - even in a budget awning line - result in a much better investment and more attractive retractable awning choice.
Some of the best retractable awning companies are online - and so are some of the worst. Bad companies almost look like bad relationships. Delayed orders. Shoddy workmanship. Customer service reps who never answer the phone or, if they do, who don't know their own products or the first thing about customer service.
A handful of areas can indicate whether a retractable awning company is not the right kind of business:
The company should have very basic information available online, including return policies, suppliers, certifications, warranties (with a minimum of five years for budget awning frames and 25 years for high quality awning frames), clear product information, and a full range of contact information - most especially phone numbers.
It all equals reputation. If their site doesn't have enough information about the company, check with sites like the Better Business Bureau, iKarma.com, and Angieslist.com and for references in newspapers and magazines. If other people have a story about the company, listen.
Most of the time, you get what you pay for with "budget" anything. However, some companies make the effort to offer the best possible product for the price, take pride in their business, and respect their customers, even on a budget. When shopping for a retractable awning, keep an eye out for a quality retractable awning - and, even, if it is sold as a budget line, one can still deal with a high quality company.
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You can compare costs for all types of canopy installation and get estimates and quotes for both residential and commercial awnings & canopies anywhere in the UK with three easy steps:
If you haven’t posted an inquiry before for awnings & canopies and would like a few more details on how the price comparison system works you should take a quick read on our FAQ’s section which explains the procedures to find sun canopy installation services and how we compare prices.
If you still need help with your installation and would like to speak to a human rather than completing an inquiry form then we would be delighted to hear from you.
Just give our Customer Support Desk a call or send us an e-mail and we will be happy to phone you back.
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Tel: 0871 5989 529
E-mail: support[@]awningssupport.com
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