4 key questions for finding the right door canopy for your refurb or retrofit project

Posted on 29th November 2017 | Posted in Regeneration & House Builders

Door canopies can play a huge part in the overall success of refurbishment and retrofit projects.

Yes, they may only form a small element of these projects, but they can instantly make a property look unique, as well as professionally finished.

Ideally, you want to choose the right door canopy for the project at hand, but with them being available in all different sizes, shapes and finishes, it isn’t always easy to know which one to go for.

Next time you’re working on a refurbishment project and are selecting the door canopies, ask yourself these four questions, they’ll help make sure you make the right decision, not to mention, finish off your projects perfectly, every time.

Question 1: ‘Are they made from GRP?’

Door canopies are made from all sorts of different types of materials. Some are made from concrete or timber, which involve long-term maintenance costs. Others, on the other hand, are manufactured using GRP, which is highly durable and maintenance-free.

It’s all very well your project looking good the moment you’ve finished it, but how’s it going to look five years down the line? Unfortunately, all buildings do age and the fewer features it happens to, the better, entrance or porch canopy included, especially as they’re one of the first features people see. Where possible, always go for GRP, it’s made to last.

Question 2: ‘How much care and attention goes into making them?’

You don’t need to know about the precise ins and outs of your manufacturer’s processes, but it is extremely useful for you to have some knowledge of the standards that they work to.

Do their canopies conform to BS6399-3 and European Standard EN1991-1-3:2003? And do they use the highest quality gel coats and moulds and durable paint?

Yes, they may seem like minor details, but it’s this type of detail that will help ensure that the canopies you choose a) conform with industry regulations and b) are built to last. In turn, this will help your project look the part for many years to come.

Question 3: ‘Have you got lots of different options to choose from?’

Door canopies are available in a whole host of different sizes and designs. Take our range, for instance, we offer nine different styles, ranging from flat roof and apex, to hipped roof and bespoke. They can come with curved legs, straight legs and in finishes, such as slate, too, as well as match a particular garden/home.

If you truly want your door canopy to give your project that extra edge, then you need to spend time on carefully choosing which design you’re going to go for. The type of roof on the property you’re working with can be a key influencer. For example, if it’s hipped then you might want to complement it with a canopy that’s hipped, but if you want something different, then you might want to go for a flat roof instead.

Question 4: ‘Do you need to install them (or can it be done for you)?

So, you’ve shopped around, done your research and found the door canopy that’s going to complement your project perfectly. That’s the hard work over, right?

Wrong. How it’s installed can also impact the end result. Door canopies need to be properly installed, anything less could wind up with them looking unprofessional and involve on-going maintenance and problems.

Where possible, your door canopy supplier should make installation as quick and easy for you as possible. That’s why we make sure that our canopies are delivered fully assembled with full fixing kits and we offer an installation service too, which can be useful if you’ve got a shortage of skilled site workers. Oh, and thanks to our FastFit service, we can also deliver certain canopies to sites in just 48 hours!

Both refurb and retrofit projects can be made to look and feel far more appealing with the addition of a door canopy. However, with all key features, it’s important you select the right options, which is where the questions above can really help you out. They are by no means exhaustive, but do provide you with some best practice pointers on how to make the best possible door canopy decisions.