This is New York City. The Big Apple. You don’t want just any old awning. You want something that improves the look of your building’s façade or back patio. Something that helps you stand out from the crowd. Maybe you’re simply going for a decorative upgrade, but NYC awnings can provide valuable functional benefits, too – protection from sun or year-round weather, and more visible promotion of your business.
You can design NYC awnings to accomplish anything you want. They can look great and last a long time. But only if you prepare yourself for the purchase so you make smart decisions.
Here are five things to avoid when designing NYC awnings:
1. Not checking the rules.
Not surprisingly, New York City’s building codes have a few things to saw about NYC awnings. And for that matter, your landlord or condo association may have specific requirements or limitations that apply, too. You can save yourself a lot of potential headaches and heartache by taking a few minutes to read and understand the rules before you invest in NYC awnings.
If you’re outside the City, check with your local municipality.
2. Not doing your homework.
Every awning is unique. You’ll need to think about physical details such as dimensions and whether your awning will be free-standing or wall-mounted, functional details such as how strong your framing needs to be, and aesthetic details such as shape, style, graphics, etc. NYC awnings are just like everything else — planning ahead gets better results and keeps you from overlooking something vital.
3. Going cheap.
Of course you want to get the best deal possible on whatever NYC awnings you choose. But that old saying, “you get what you pay for,” holds true here, too. Awnings can be very affordable, but you don’t want to “save” by getting second-rate quality. It’s an unfortunate fact that most of the time it’s very difficult to tell just by looking – or even by the price – what quality level you’re getting.
NYC awnings that are made of questionable materials or poorly constructed will be just plain flimsy. They won’t stand up to our local weather conditions. You’ll wind up paying for repairs or replacement instead of saving money.
4. Relying on your second cousin Eddie for advice.
Really? Has he ever steered you right yet? It’s highly unlikely Eddie is an awning expert. On the other hand, consulting with an experienced, reputable company that’s familiar with NYC awnings will give you a confidence boost and help you make smart choices. You’ll get solid advice, great ideas, and an awning you can be proud of for years to come.
5. Buying something sight-unseen.
You could shop online, but by now you know that – like Cousin Eddie – you shouldn’t believe everything you read. You might find a lower price online, but how do you know what you’re really getting? The internet is just as full of misinformation as anywhere else. You can’t really see how your awning will look among other NYC awnings, or touch the fabrics to inspect them up close. And you won’t find the selection and customization options you can get in person.
And who’s going to install that online-purchased awning? Hopefully not Cousin Eddie. It takes knowledge, experience and finesse to install NYC awnings correctly. And if you don’t, well, let’s just say your awning will be at much greater risk to fall apart or fall down. That will surely cost you money, and it could cause damage or even personal injury. Ouch.
All these potential problems can be devastating if you ignore them. But if you take steps to avoid them – and that’s pretty easy – you’ll soon have a new awning that makes other NYC awnings begin to pale in comparison.
Your new awning could become the talk of the town.
Photo Credit: Erik Daniel Drost via Flickr
