Do You Need an Installer for an Awning?

TL;DR: Most people fit a retractable awning themselves. Two people, a drill and about an hour. The motor comes with a standard plug, so there is no electrician and no hard wiring. Bring someone in if the wall is cavity brick or cladding, if the awning is over 4 metres, or if there is no power point in reach. Pergolas are the exception and need a licensed builder.

The short answer

For a retractable awning, no. You need a second pair of hands, a drill and the right anchor for your wall. The rest is marking, bolting and lifting.

For a pergola, yes. A pergola is a structure, and a suitably qualified and licensed builder has to put it up.

What the job actually is

Mark the wall. Fix two brackets. Lift the cassette on, seat it, set the pitch, plug it in. How to Install a Retractable Awning into Solid Brick has the whole sequence step by step.

• Two people up to 4 metres. Three or more above that, or for any lift above shoulder height.
• About an hour once the bracket positions are marked.
• No electrician. The motor runs from a normal power point on a standard plug. Nothing is hard wired. Integrated LED lighting runs at 24V from the unit itself.

The one job that does need a licensed electrician is a new power point, if there is nothing within reach of the opening.

Your wall decides more than the awning does

An awning hangs off two bracket points. What matters is the wall where those two brackets land, not the wall in general.

• Concrete, solid brick and structural timber take the supplied anchors.
• Hollow or cavity brick needs a chemical anchor with a sieve sleeve.
• Render or cladding over a cavity means the anchor has to reach past it to the structure behind.
• Mud brick, or a wall you cannot identify, needs engineering advice before anyone drills.

Whoever drills the holes owns the fixing. If you cannot say what your wall is made of where the brackets go, that is the point to call a professional rather than the point to guess.

What comes with it

Every awning ships with the installation manual, and the full AW01 fit is on video in about three minutes: measuring and marking, fixing the brackets, lifting the cassette on, plugging it in, setting the pitch. Send the link to your handyman if you would rather not be up the ladder.

We supply only, so we do not quote labour. That keeps the price down and it leaves the choice of who fits it with you.

So, installer or not?

Hire someone if any of these apply:

• The wall is cavity brick, render or cladding.
• The awning is over 4 metres wide.
• There is no power point near the opening.
• You would rather not work at height.

Otherwise, a competent DIYer and a helper will have it up before lunch. The step-by-step guide is the one to read before you drill.

Technical details for whoever does the work, including bracket spacing and load, are on the installer page. Wondering about council approval? Read Do You Need a Permit for an Awning in Melbourne?. Or ask us and we will tell you what your opening needs.