# Forum Home Renovation Pergolas, Gazebos, Strombellas & Rotundas  Getting a shade sail. 3 different quotes.

## dan76n

We have decided to get a shade sail over the end of our deck and part of the pool so I got some quotes with quite a price difference.
the first one was $4000, the second was $6300 and the third was $3300.
I have contemplated doing it myself as well.
the sail will be about 6.5mtrs x 4.5mtrs give or take and on a slope downwards from the house.
thoughts on my options?

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## Gaza

i will be worried about the size if the posts & how deep they are digging footinsg,

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## woodchip

Is there any info on this website or others about DIY these shadesails?
Is there an AS now on them? 
How deep would you dig the footings? 
They sure are becoming popular as a way to shade an area over summer, then remove them over winter, even our Council is doing this over a couple of playgrounds. 
cheers

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## woodchip

dan76n, 
There is nearly a 100% difference in the quotes you got, can you provide some details of what posts they propose using, how deep they dig them in, & some details on the actual sail?
With details there may be someone who could offer some thoughts 
cheers

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## jiggy

Not sure of the size restrictions but i do remember that a builders licence is required after a certain size and depends on location .I know some of the better companies will have their own engineers.

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## dan76n

The most expensive price ($6000) is with 125x125mm posts as the highest is nearly 4m above ground level.
This price is also with monofilament and is around $1000 cheaper without but they highly recommend using monofilament.
the cheapest was with 100x100mm posts as the highest post was 3.4m above ground level. This is without monofilament but it's only $300 more to use it.
i have found some good links below.
This first one tells the size posts needed based on height and size of sail. It's from WA so I don't know if the conditions are the same on the gold coast? Shade Sails - Installation
can anyone see any issues with me using this as a guide? 
This second link is for post prices in brissy.  Scott Metals - Products: Shade Sail Posts: Steel Supplies, Steel Fabrication, Building Products, Steel Products, Stair Stringers, Steel Posts and Beams, Steel Prices, Brisbane Steel Supplies, Brisbane Steel Fabrication, Reinforcing Supplies Brisbane, 
I'm going to do some maths but I'm thinking I may go DIY as I enjoy doing things myself.
I would probably do the posts myself then get a custom made sail to suit.
I have 3 weeks off from next week so I figure I could dig the post holes in a week (hand digging that is)then set the posts in a day or two.

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## woodchip

Having read through a lot of the forum posts concerning shade sails a few weeks back, general consensus is if any corner of the sail is proposed to be attached to the house (or any other structure, not specifically designed as shade sail posts) the the fixing details need to be designed by an engineer. 
The specifications shown on the first link in your last post, shade sail installation seem sensible. 
A hand post hole digger will make lighter work of digging 1500 deep holes, than a shovel. 
cheers

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## slimjim

I would not bother digging the holes by hand, it will take forever. I put 6 posts in that were 1.2 Meters into the ground and with a 450mm round whole using a hired dingo with an auger bit. It took 1 day to drill the holes. 
It will take weeks by hand. Also the soil you need to dispose of is quite a large quantity.
My posts are 125mm round galvanized
The sail is 9.5 meters by about 4.5 meters.
On the downside it gets a bit green where there are trees close by and we need  to take it down each autumn to stop the grass underneath dying...We live in Sydney. 
Jim

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## dan76n

Thanks guys,
Im looking into a post hole digger, the problem is I have two holes that are in tight spots to get a digger in to dig it out, even the two person portable borers may even be an issue. I will post some pics of it when I get a minute.

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## dan76n

Here is some pictures to give a better guide of what Im looking at.
The first photo is a view from my pool looking at where the two posts closest to the house will go. one on the left next to the stairs and one on the right roughly where the cycad plant is.
The second photo is from my deck looking across at where the post needs to go next to the steps.
THe third photo is looking at where the post goes behind the cycad.
the forth photo is looking up towards my house.
As you can see the two posts at the top are near retaining so I will need to go as deep as possible (1500mm?).
The two posts going at the bottom are no issue as i have plenty of space to dig.

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## dan76n

I have done some research today and came up with the following.
12mtr 100x100mm posts 4mm thick walls are $305 each. Two of these will give me some room to move.
I plan to have all posts around 5mtrs each which will cost $350 to powdercoat them.
shade sale at around 8.3m x 4.3m in monotech is $1300 with 4mm SS wire and attachments. This is my only quote for the sail so I may improve that yet.
20 bags of cement is $135 and 1m of concrete blend is $81. That should cover 4 holes at 1500mm deep and 450mm wide.
post hole digger for the day is $100 and a concrete mixer is $50.
pole caps $40 
All up at most I'm looking at $2700 which is $600 cheaper than my best quote but I doubt very much those posts were going to be as deep and as high as my plans. 
 Can anyone see any issues or opportunities in this?

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