Practical buying guides for comparing outdoor shade systems, supplier proposals and the complete cost of your project.
Procurement guides
A meaningful louvered pergola price covers the specified structure, options, delivery and site work. Compare the same dimensions and configuration first, then calculate the installed total. A price per square metre alone cannot show what is included or whether the proposal fits your site.
Read the guideChoose a retractable canopy by the way you want to use the space, then verify the complete roof system. Solar mesh, rain-protection fabric, seams, roof fall and drainage must be considered together. A fabric specification alone does not establish how the installed canopy will handle rain.
Read the guideChoose zip screen fabric by viewing samples in the actual light conditions, then checking the exact reference against your screen system. Openness, colour and lighting affect the experience together. A daytime privacy impression does not guarantee privacy when the interior is brightly lit at night.
Read the guideGive each supplier the same project brief and compare written deliverables against it. Identify the contracting company, match technical evidence to the offered model, and separate product, logistics and installation responsibilities. Good procurement makes unanswered questions visible before an order is approved.
Read the guidePlan delivery as a sequence from approved drawings to site handover, not just a shipping date. Confirm packing dimensions, transport responsibilities, destination requirements, unloading access and the installation team before dispatch. Import costs and paperwork depend on the shipment and destination and need local confirmation.
Read the guideSelect restaurant terrace shade around guest comfort, service routes and daily operation. Compare retractable fabric roofs and louvered pergolas against your seating plan, then decide where side screens help. The useful covered area depends on circulation, post positions and sun direction, not just the roof’s outer dimensions.
Read the guideStart with a site brief, not only a preferred photograph. Confirm the product dimensions, approved configuration, supply scope and local installation arrangements before comparing quotations. A factory quotation and a complete installed-project cost may cover different things.
Read the guideA repeatable wholesale order needs a defined model schedule and an approved reference configuration. Separate standard items from project-specific changes, and agree samples, packing, documentation and after-sales responsibilities before scaling up an order.
Read the guideA useful configuration is a written combination of dimensions, materials, movement and accessories. Choose these together, because an added screen or light can affect wiring, access and the way the structure meets the building. Final availability depends on the selected model.
Read the guideStart with the width and projection combination, then compare mounting and optional equipment. QHA, QHB and QHC have different size matrices; the largest advertised dimension alone is not enough to select a model.
Read the guideFor a 3 m overall width, the supplied matrices list up to 2 m projection for QHA, 2.5 m for QHB and 2 m for QHC. These are table-based screening results, subject to order confirmation.
Read the guideFor 4 m projection, QHB lists a minimum width of 4.5 m and QHC lists 4.55 m. Check that combination against the façade and the deployed arm envelope, not just the desired terrace depth.
Read the guideThe QHA introduction says 3 m projection, while its selection matrix includes 3.5 m at widths of 4.5 m and above. Treat 3.5 m as a configuration to confirm, not an unconditional specification.
Read the guideThe QHC matrix marks the 7 × 4 m combination with three arms and three wall brackets. Quote and check that specific arrangement rather than copying the parts list from a smaller two-arm awning.
Read the guideQHA shows both wall and ceiling arrangements, but the ceiling version is marked custom-made. Choose the mounting detail before approving the product dimensions, because bracket geometry and available clearance must work together.
Read the guideThe QHC brochure gives a 247 × 155 mm cassette section. This describes the profile, not the full installation envelope: brackets, connections, movement and service access need separate confirmation.
Read the guideSpecify lighting separately from the awning frame. QHB describes arm lighting as optional, and QHC pages show different colour temperatures, 3000 K and 3500 K. The order must identify the actual package.
Read the guideMeasure overall width, horizontal projection, wall-side height and front-side height separately. A photograph of a sloped canopy cannot supply the installation angle or the final rail length for another project.
Read the guideThe supplied brochure lists maximum projections of 7 m, 9 m and 12 m for T700, T900 and T1200. Selection also depends on width, area, profiles and the actual installation arrangement.
Read the guideT1200 lists width ≤8 m, projection ≤12 m and area ≤72 m². These limits apply together. Multiplying the two largest dimensions gives 96 m², which exceeds the brochure area limit.
Read the guideCompare the whole rail section and its matching model. The brochures list 130 × 70 × 2.5 mm for T700, 170 × 98 × 2.5 mm for T900 and 200 × 130 × 2.5 mm for T1200.
Read the guideConfirm post sections, gutter sections and the outlet route together. The T-series brochure lists different components for T1200 than for T700 and T900; a gutter dimension alone does not establish drainage capacity.
Read the guideThe brochure labels a restaurant project as 192 m². Use that as a project-scale reference, not the capacity of one canopy. A procurement layout must identify individual modules, dining circulation and drainage interfaces.
Read the guideThe folding-roof brochure includes a 310 m² parking-area project with roof-open and roof-extended views. Its useful lesson is layout coordination; the area describes the project, not a single-unit specification.
Read the guideThe brochure shows both gabled roof arrangements and terrace extensions, including projects labelled 318 m² and 110 m². Select the roof layout around the building connection and water routes, not the total case area.
Read the guideThe brochure describes domestic PVC fabric as standard and Sauleda as an option. Those labels alone do not identify an exact membrane; confirm the product reference, colour and documented suitability for the selected roof.
Read the guideSpecify the destination electrical supply, desired control method and service access in the enquiry. A brochure photo or the word motorized does not establish voltage, smart-home compatibility or included sensors.
Read the guideFor a mixed wholesale order, give every unit a unique line reference and approved configuration. Match model, dimensions, fabric, controls and installation parts before discussing packing or a combined shipment.
Read the guideA single custom order needs the same clarity as a larger project: an agreed model, a dimensioned drawing, a defined supply scope and a handover record. Begin with the site, not a copied brochure maximum.
Read the guideAt 3 m projection, the listed minimum widths are 4 m for QHA, 3.5 m for QHB and 3.55 m for QHC. All three pass a preliminary 4 m width check; the usable fixing area still needs checking.
Read the guideQHB lists 4 m projection from 4.5 m width. QHC lists a minimum of 4.55 m for the same projection, so a strict 4.5 m limit does not meet its table. The 50 mm difference matters.
Read the guideFor 6 m width and 4 m projection, QHB and QHC are candidates in the supplied size tables. QHA’s table stops at 3.5 m projection, so its 6 m maximum width does not make it a 6 × 4 m option.
Read the guidePut overall product width, fabric width and the desired shaded area on separate lines. They describe different things. For initial model selection, use the width and projection definitions confirmed on the supplier’s drawing.
Read the guideThe supplied folding-roof brochure includes steel-supported installations. This makes the layout worth discussing, but an existing frame needs its own dimensional and structural review before a roof can be specified.
Read the guideAdjacent cassette awnings can divide a frontage into separate units. A coordinated folding-roof layout addresses support, fabric travel and drainage together. Choose by the required coverage and junction detail, not just total width.
Read the guideWith 6 m width and 12 m projection, the area is 72 m². Those numbers meet T1200’s listed width, projection and area limits together. This is a preliminary table check, not approval of the supporting structure or installation.
Read the guideAn 8 m width and 9 m projection sit within T900’s listed dimensional limits. They also meet T1200’s width and projection limits, with the resulting 72 m² at its area ceiling. Compare the profiles and installation layout next.
Read the guideIf side screens are likely, discuss their headboxes, guide positions, power and access during the roof design. Future compatibility is a detail to confirm, not an automatic feature of every folding-roof frame.
Read the guideSend a front view, side view, fixing-surface close-up and a sketch with width, projection and height. Add the installation location and quantity. Clear site information helps separate product selection from unanswered installation questions.
Read the guideTell us about your space. Start with an idea, a few measurements, or simply a question.
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