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White Four Post Twisted Outdoor Entertainement Shade Sail

The question of the cost of shade sails and shade sail prices can be a hard question to answer due to the fact that there are so many different types and sizes of shade sails and ways of installing them and your location. However it is the burning question so we’ll try to give you a brief guide.

I’m going to talk briefly about two types of jobs: backyard jobs and larger multi-post and multi-sail jobs.

There are the usual type of sails that you see in parks and school yards, which consist of 4 posts of varying heights usually 2 diagonally high and 2 diagonally low which is generally known as a hyperbolic sail.  Most engineers request that these sails are constructed this way to equalise the load on the sail.  You can have multiples of  these sails and they can share posts. When 2 sails share posts, the engineering specs must be higher due to the increased loads on the common post.

My point is that “Sails ain’t Sails”, and the customer does not actually know what they are getting or what the supplier is basing his engineering on. This means: are the post diameters and thicknesses correct, are the footings large enough, are the roof masts braced correctly or are they cheap and nasty (cause you won’t be able to tell from the outside), is the wall ok to suspend from or is there existing cracking, or should that wall be used at all due to too many windows and lintels, or does the wall stop at the corner…

Two sail suppliers may quote the same size sail but the materials, labour and specifications that go in to the construction may vary greatly. The same old 100mm x 100mm posts can not be continuously dragged out job after job and pushed beyond the heights it can go to and past the sail it can suspend. As sails get larger, the post and footing must increase and the same goes for when the post is taller. A customer must be aware of the quality of sail they are buying and whether the sail is engineered to the required level.

Another thing to look at when choosing a shade company and parting with hard earned money is, does the shade company  have insurance, do you think they will be around to cover their warranty if needed, and is there any substance to the company or does it consist of a man and a van who outsources sail manufacture or post digging, etc. (you’re actually dealing with 3 or 4 companies but don’t know it).  In this situation you have a problem — who do you deal with, and will it be rectified ?

You need to look at the whole package, but to get back to the original question, a large quality guaranteed shade sail for the average Australian suburban backyard will cost at least $3,000-$3,500 Australian dollars + GST.  This sort of cost consists of supply and installation of 4 round galvanized steel posts with caps in concrete, commercial quality 95% shade cloth and stainless steel fittings, and is about standard in the industry. You may get a smaller shade sail price with a smaller shade sail or discount DIY shade sail, but cutting corners can be more expensive in the long run.

As I’ve said before, many jobs (in fact most) are not suitable for your cheap DIY project; there are always going to be hidden costs that most customers don’t account for.

It is important keep in mind that most jobs will require custom shade sails with sometimes trickier considerations.  Shade sails should not be done on the cheap.  Waterproof sails and PVC Sails, for example generally cost more.  Larger multi-sail jobs can range up to tens of thousands, so it is important to have an approved budget for your project.  We often use our innovation and knowledge to help make jobs more cost-effective. Some schools for example can often apply for government sustainability grants like the former Solar Program or Sustainable Schools to cover the cost of shade structures.  We frequently monitor what grants are available and can advise customers on how to apply for them.

For international and interstate customers, we may be able to provide shade sails pre-made or customised to specification and recommend a local supplier for the consultation and installation.

Unlike many providers, we are a one-stop shop and give customers a single point of call and a single shade sail price.  We have no need to outsource any aspect of our shade sail jobs, and we do everything from consulting to design, manufacture (including stitching) to installation, post digging, construction and maintenance plans and have insurance and quality policies in place.

For more information on the shade solutions we offer, please contact 1800 Shade U today.