Electric awnings for your house, patio or garden
The short answer: an electric awning from WindowTreat typically starts at around £3,000 including VAT and installation, for a smaller full-cassette awning with a motor and professional fitting. The width, how far it reaches out, the wall it fixes to and extras such as lighting push the price up from there. We fit electric awnings only, across Great Britain except Northern Ireland, and we’ll tell you if your wall or patio isn’t right for one.
The short version
- Which awning suits your home: end-fix, multi-fix, built in, conservatory or pergola
- A real install: Janice’s extension
- What an awning needs, before you buy
- Your questions answered
- Electric awnings price guide
Which electric awning suits your home?
The real decision is three questions: how wide the shade needs to be, how far it has to reach out, and what your wall can hold. Answer those and the type of awning, and most of the price, follows.
| Awning | Width | Reach (projection) | What the wall needs | Price guide | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End-fix | Up to 6 m | 1.6 m, 2.1 m, 2.6 m or 3.1 m arms; longer arms on some models | Strong fixings at each end of the awning | From around £3,000 including VAT and fitting, for a smaller full-cassette awning | Most patios and bifold or sliding doors |
| Multi-fix | Up to 9 m; needed beyond 6 m | As end-fix | Load-bearing brackets right across the width | At 6 m wide, can be over £1,000 more than an end-fix | Wide terraces and long rear elevations |
| Recessed (built in) | Up to 6 m | Up to 3.6 m | Planned into the structure at build stage | Quoted after a free call | You’re building or extending and want the cassette to disappear |
| Conservatory (over-glass) | To suit the roof | Covers the glass roof | Checked on a free call | Quoted after a free call | A glass roof overheats and you want the heat stopped outside |
| Zipped pergola | To suit the space | A fabric roof over the space | Checked on a free call | Quoted after a free call | You want a covered outdoor room, not just shade at the wall |
We recommend a full cassette, where the fabric and arms fold away into a sealed aluminium case; it’s what most UK homeowners choose because of our climate. Prices are from our price guide; we quote after a free call.
A real install: Janice’s extension
Janice’s single-storey extension has large south-west-facing glazing, and in summer the sun brought heat and glare onto the dining table and patio. We had already fitted three external awnings over her glass roof. For the rear wall she wanted shade without spoiling the brickwork, and she was worried about the spreader plates a single-storey wall needs. We fitted a full-cassette retractable awning over 5 m wide with 2.1 m arms, made bespoke spreader plates with covers over the bolts, and powder-coated every visible part to a colour that suits the brick. A wind sensor retracts it automatically when it isn’t safe. She came back to us for this one after the roof awnings. Read Janice’s story.
What an awning needs (we’d rather tell you now)
- A wall that can take the load. On a single-storey extension the top courses of brick aren’t load-bearing, so the awning needs spreader plates, gutter brackets or, for wide multi-fix awnings, a crossbar frame. See the bespoke brackets we use.
- Enough height. It sits at about 14 to 15 degrees so rain runs off, and still has to clear open doors and your head at the front edge.
- Power, planned early. A supply needs to be in place before fitting.
- Respect for the wind. Awnings come in when it gets gusty; a wind sensor does it for you.
- Honest shade. Shade moves with the sun, so no awning shades the same spot all day.
Your questions answered
How much does an electric awning cost?
An electric awning from us typically starts at around £3,000 including VAT and installation, for a smaller full-cassette awning with a motor and professional fitting. Width, arm length, multi-fix brackets, lighting, heaters and bracketry for single-storey walls add to that. Our electric awnings price guide shows what each one adds, and why bespoke electric awnings cost what they do explains the rest.
Is an electric canopy the same as an electric awning?
Usually, yes. People say canopy, awning or sun shade for the same thing: a fabric roof on arms that rolls out from the wall at the press of a button. If you want a covered area away from the wall, a zipped pergola is the closer fit.
Can you fit an electric awning on a single-storey extension?
Yes, with the right brackets. On a single-storey wall the upper brick courses don’t carry load, so we use spreader plates to carry the load safely down the wall, and gutter brackets where the awning needs lifting to get the right pitch. For awnings up to 6 m that is typically around £600. A wide multi-fix awning may need a crossbar frame, which can cost £3,000 or more, so we check the wall first.
What happens when it’s windy?
It should come in. The end-fix awnings we fit are rated up to 28 mph (Beaufort force 5), and a wind sensor can retract the awning automatically when gusts pick up, as it does on Janice’s awning.
What power supply does an electric awning need?
It runs from the mains, so a supply needs to be planned before it’s fitted, and more if you add lighting or a heater. See what electrical supply an electric patio awning needs.
How much shade will I actually get?
It changes through the day and the year with the sun’s height and direction, your awning’s width and reach, and what’s around your garden, so nobody can promise fixed coverage. How much shade a retractable awning really gives shows it hour by hour.
Do you fit manual awnings?
No. We only fit electric awnings; manual awnings don’t give the performance and convenience our customers expect.
Can an electric awning shade bifold or sliding doors?
Yes, and it stops the sun before it reaches the glass. It needs to sit high enough to clear the open doors and still give headroom at the front edge, at a pitch of about 14 to 15 degrees so rain runs off. When to plan an awning above bifold or sliding doors.
Do you fit awnings for businesses?
Our awnings are mostly for homes. If you run a business, book a free call and we’ll tell you honestly whether one of our systems suits your building.
Where do you fit electric awnings?
Across Great Britain, except Northern Ireland. Book a free call and send us a photo of the wall and patio.
Book a free call with Chris and the team. Send a photo of the wall and the space you want to shade, and we’ll tell you which awning fits and what it will take.
Products
Electric Patio Awnings For the home
FABRICS FOR ELECTRIC AWNING SYSTEMS
Electric Conservatory Awnings
Electric Zipped Pergola Awnings
Learn more
- When should you plan an awning above sliding or bifold doors?
- What bespoke electric awnings cost and why
- How much shade does a retractable awning really give?
- What electrical supply does an electric patio awning need?
- Why Janice came back for more awnings
See typical prices and what changes them in our electric awnings price guide.
WindowTreat are your go‑to specialists for premium outdoor shading solutions. From patio awnings and fabric roof pergolas to conservatory awnings and side‑return extensions, our expert installers ensure every system is fitted with precision and your home is left spotless.
We supply only accredited, high‑performance products and are proud members of the Trading Standards’ Buy With Confidence scheme, giving you complete peace of mind from consultation to installation.
