"How much does a garden awning cost?" is the question we're asked more than any other - and it's the one most awning companies dance around. This guide is our honest answer: real UK price bands for a properly specified, made-to-measure retractable awning, what actually drives the number up or down, and how to get an accurate figure for your project in under a minute.
The short answer
For a premium, made-to-measure retractable folding-arm awning, professionally surveyed and installed in the UK, most residential projects fall between £2,200 and £5,500 inc. VAT. Larger commercial or high-specification residential installs (over 6m wide, twin-coupled awnings, integrated LED and heating) typically sit between £6,000 and £12,000+.
Those figures include the frame, motor or crank, fabric, brackets, delivery, and full installation by our own fitters. No hidden extras.
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Typical UK price bands (inc. VAT, delivered and installed)
The table below is a genuine snapshot from our estimate engine for a residential specification with our standard Dickson solution-dyed fabric, brackets, remote control (motorised only) and Somfy wind sensor. Prices are indicative starting points and vary with fabric, wall type, and site access.
| Awning size | Manual (hand crank) | Motorised (Somfy) |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0m x 2.5m projection | from ~£2,400 | from ~£3,100 |
| 3.5m x 3.0m projection | from ~£2,800 | from ~£3,500 |
| 4.0m x 3.0m projection | from ~£3,000 | from ~£3,700 |
| 5.0m x 3.5m projection | from ~£3,500 | from ~£4,200 |
| 6.0m x 3.5m projection | from ~£4,200 | from ~£4,900 |
| 7.0m x 4.0m projection (Epica) | POA | from ~£7,800 |
Every price above is fully installed by our own team, includes free UK delivery, and comes with our 10-year fabric guarantee and 5-year guarantee on frames and Somfy motors.
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What actually drives the cost
An awning quote isn't a mystery. Roughly 80% of the price comes from six variables. Understanding them helps you specify sensibly and avoid paying for things you don't need.
1. Width and projection
The biggest single driver. A 3m awning uses roughly half the fabric and a smaller frame than a 6m one, and the arms and motor scale up accordingly. Projection (how far it extends from the wall) has a similar effect - a 3.5m projection needs longer, stronger arms than a 2.0m one.
Rule of thumb: doubling the shaded area roughly doubles the frame and fabric cost, but only adds a modest amount to the motor and controls.
2. Manual vs motorised
A motorised awning typically costs £600-£1,000 more than the same awning with a hand crank. That premium covers the Somfy Sunea tubular motor, receiver, handheld remote and a wind sensor - and enables all the automation (sun sensors, smart-home control, automatic wind retraction) that a manual awning simply can't offer.
For most customers the motor is well worth it. For a detailed comparison see our guide to electric vs manual awnings.
3. Fabric choice
Our standard specification is Dickson Orchestra solution-dyed acrylic - premium quality, colour-fast, and covered by a 10-year warranty. Upgrading to specific ranges (Orchestra MAX with additional waterproof coating, or a jacquard-woven Opera pattern) adds around £150-£400 depending on width. Read our full guide to awning fabrics and materials for the detail.
4. Frame and model
The frame you need depends mainly on width. For most UK homes:
- Aura Plus (up to ~6m) - our workhorse cassette awning, the frame behind most residential prices above.
- Epica (up to ~7m single unit) - heavier-duty frame for larger spans and exposed sites.
- Twin-coupled awnings - two frames operating as one for widths beyond 7m; adds cost but avoids a central post.
See the full range on our Our Range page.
5. Optional extras
Useful add-ons include LED arm lights, Somfy sun and rain sensors, the TaHoma smart hub for app and voice control, Tansun outdoor heaters, and wall brackets for single-storey installs. Add any of these in our estimate flow to see how they affect your total.
6. Installation complexity
Our installation prices assume a straightforward two-storey brick or block wall with normal access. Costs can increase where the site needs:
- Scaffolding or a mobile platform.
- Structural steel or reinforcing plates for lightweight walls.
- Cable routing through a rendered or insulated wall for the motor spur.
- Rooftop or balcony access with restricted lifting routes.
We survey every property in person before confirming, so any of these are priced properly - not sprung on you after installation.
What isn't included in cheap online prices
It's easy to find awnings advertised online for £800-£1,500. In our experience those prices almost always exclude one or more of the following - which you'll pay for anyway:
- Delivery to your postcode.
- Professional installation (a good awning fitter is not cheap and you shouldn't fit a 60kg cassette yourself).
- Wall brackets appropriate to your wall type.
- Electrical work for the motor (typically a switched fused spur within ~1m of the cassette).
- A meaningful warranty. Frame and motor cover of 5 years plus 10 years on fabric is the premium-market standard - many budget awnings only offer 12-24 months.
- A survey. Without one, the awning is being specified from a photo and a tape measure - and it's your wall that pays the price if the fixings are wrong.
Our estimate gives you a real, all-in price for the entire project, not a headline number that grows once you're committed.
What you get with an Aura Awning at every price point
Every quote we produce includes:
- Free UK delivery
- Full installation by our own trained fitters
- Somfy motor and wind sensor (motorised specifications)
- Handheld Situo remote (motorised specifications)
- Dickson solution-dyed acrylic fabric
- 10-year fabric guarantee
- 5-year guarantee on frames and Somfy motors
- A named point of contact from survey through to aftercare
No surprises, no upsells at installation.
Is a garden awning worth the money?
For most homes, yes - and the maths is more favourable than people expect.
- A 4m x 3m awning adds roughly 12m² of usable outdoor space every day the weather allows - shading garden furniture, cooling south-facing rooms, and extending the useful season from a few weeks to several months.
- Solar-shading a south-facing patio door can drop the room behind it by 3-5°C on a hot day, cutting cooling and air-conditioning costs.
- A quality retractable awning consistently ranks as one of the higher-ROI outdoor investments in the UK, ahead of most decking, pergolas or gazebos of similar footprint.
And unlike a pergola or garden room, it retracts out of sight when you don't need it.
How to get an accurate price for your home
We've built our estimate flow so you get a real, itemised figure - not a "from £X" number - in under a minute, with no phone call required.
- Enter your width and projection.
- Pick manual or motorised.
- Add any options you want (LED lights, heater, sensors).
- See your full price inc. VAT, delivered and installed.
If you'd like us to visit and confirm the specification in person, our survey is free and there's no obligation. We'll measure the wall, check the fixings, and specify the right frame and fabric for your site.
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