By 2pm on a hot January afternoon, plenty of small courtyards and balconies stop being an “outdoor room.” They just get too hot to sit in. If that’s your space, the fix usually isn’t a bigger garden. It’s the right shade.
Landscaping a small outdoor space takes some thought. You need a shade solution you like, one that fits your budget, sorted before your project starts. That matters even more if you want to use your garden or courtyard all year round.
One of the biggest challenges in small garden design is simply knowing your options. It’s hard to know what’s out there, and even harder to know what it costs.
Businesses like Trade Tested have changed that. Their entry-level solutions offer good value for money, so there’s now a much wider range of options for every budget. For example, $4,500 could buy you an all-weather louvre roof — or a custom-made retractable awning of a similar cost (space permitting).
This guide outlines the most common shade solutions, with cost indications for both entry-level and mid/high-range options. From here, you can work with a designer to pick an option that fits your lifestyle, your space, and your budget.
Moveable/Removeable Shade Options
CANTILEVER UMBRELLAS
Approximate Cost* – $800 for a 3.5m umbrella + base at Bunnings. – $2,500+ incl base for premium option.
These umbrellas suspend from an arching or right-angled sidearm. That lets you position them cleverly, so the shade stays over your outdoor area as the sun moves through the day. They also give some shelter from rain, but you’ll need to fold them up in high wind. The downside is the base — it’s broad and heavy, and can take up a lot of room, which isn’t always practical for small, awkward spaces.
The price increase mostly reflects better material quality, durability, and longevity.
Below: Outside Space 3M x 3M Square Sunbrella® Cantilever Umbrella – $2,799.00 incl 140kg base
WALL-MOUNTED CANTILEVER UMBRELLA
Approximate Cost* – From $1,790 for a 2.7m.
Shade 7 and Shadowspec both have good options available.
These umbrellas attach cleverly to a wall, fence, or post. The canopy hangs off an arm rather than sitting on a base — exactly why they earn their keep in a small space. No heavy stand eating into your seating area, no awkward shuffle around a footing every time you want to get past. They’re ideal for sheltered, low-wind spots where a full-size freestanding umbrella won’t work, like small patios and courtyards.
Most models rotate through a wide arc and tilt through close to 90 degrees. That lets you angle the canopy low as the sun drops in the afternoon, or swing it round to track the light through the day. Fold it flat against the wall entirely when you want the space back — for a barbecue, say, or a full table of guests.
The trade-off for that clever engineering is the fixing point. A single wall or post bracket carries the whole umbrella’s weight. That means it needs a genuinely solid surface — brick, timber framing, or concrete — plus a proper structural fix, not just a couple of screws into cladding. It’s worth having a professional confirm the mounting point can take the load before you fall for a particular model. That matters even more on an apartment or townhouse exterior.
Below: This wall-mounted umbrella was the perfect solution for an awkward space in our Hobsonville Point garden redesign.
RETRACTABLE AWNINGS
Approximate Cost* – Hand Crank Retractable Awning – from $599 – $899 on the low end for 4 x 2m (hand crank), to approx $2,000 on the high end. – Motorised Retractable Awning 4 x 2m – from $1,700 – Custom-made 4 x 2m motorized from $4,300 (approx).
How they work
These awnings offer a lot of flexibility in shading an area. Extend the full 2m for midday sun, or wind it back to just a sliver for early evening. Retract it completely to open the space right up. Hand-crank models do this with a simple arm you turn by hand. Motorised ones do it at the push of a button — or a tap on your phone, on the higher-end kit. How much you want to fuss with it day to day is really what you’re paying for. That’s what separates the price tiers.
They’re a particularly good option for balconies. The whole mechanism folds flat against the wall, and nothing touches the floor. You get the full width of the space back — for entertaining, storage, or just walking through. A freestanding umbrella and its base can never quite manage that.
What to know before you buy
You’ll need to check your body corporate rules if you’re in an apartment building.
The catch is wind and rain. Awning fabric can’t ride out a squall. Even motorised models still need a manual retract before the weather turns, unless you’ve paid for one with a wind sensor. And like the wall-mounted umbrella, the whole thing hangs off a bracket fixed to the wall or fascia. The same advice applies: get that fixing point checked before you order, especially on an apartment or townhouse exterior.
If you need a customised option, awnings certainly aren’t the most affordable solution around. We’d recommend exploring other options before deciding on this one.
Permanent Built-in Shade Options
Permanent built-in options are stylish, and they let you make the most of your outdoor space — shade in summer, rain protection in winter.
Adding a permanent structure is like adding a new room to your house. It creates a seamless transition from indoors to out, making the outdoor space feel like part of the home. It can also add considerable value to the home. If you’re considering a permanent shade solution, keep in mind that you’ll need to fix it to a deck or a concrete/tile patio. Factor that cost into your design.
You’ll also need to follow some council regulations. In some cases, you might need resource consent before construction starts, which can cost approximately $4,000. It’s best to engage a professional to help design these structures. They may find clever solutions that avoid such costly consent.
Below: This permanent fixed shade structure was designed to provide enough shade in the summer while still allowing for light to pass through. Garden designed and installed by City Botanics, shade structure designed by City Botanics.
OPENING LOUVRE ROOFS
If you want a shade solution that works all year, you can’t go past a louvre roof. It adjusts to different light levels through the day, and unlike anything else on this list, it doubles as proper rain shelter too.
How louvre roofs work
Aluminium blades run the length of the roof on a shared spindle. A hand crank or motor rotates them from fully open to fully closed in one smooth motion. Open them for full sun and airflow, angle them for dappled shade, or close them flat for genuine rain cover. That’s what “all-year-round” really means here.
Freestanding or built-in
You can choose a stand-alone or a built-in roof. A freestanding roof sits on its own posts and works independently of the house. That’s handy if you want shade over a spot away from the building, or you’d rather not attach anything to the exterior. A built-in version fixes directly to the house instead. It reads much more like a proper extension of the home — closer in feel to the permanent structures further up this list.
Approximate Cost* – Freestanding entry-level kit-set options from Trade Tested start from $2,999 for a 3 x 3 m hand crank opening roof. Installation cost varies depending on how you anchor it, but starts at around $1,000. This is a great option if the size and space allow. – A custom-designed solution built to exact sizes starts at around $20,000, including installation.
What comes with it
Most systems build gutters into the frame itself, which channel rainwater away once you close the louvres. Motorised models often add a rain sensor too, so the roof closes itself if a shower catches you out at work.
You also control how open or closed the louvres sit. That gives you the most flexibility underneath of any option here. Go fully open for sun-loving plants in shoulder season. Angle or close it for anything that prefers dappled light in the height of summer.
TRANSPARENT / LIGHT-DIFFUSING ROOFING
Approximate Cost* – A 3 x 3 m wall-mounted entry-level option starts from $1,999, plus installation costs.
How polycarbonate roofing works
If you want to let in as much light as possible, while still blocking UV rays and keeping the weather out, polycarbonate panels are the answer. They’re made from multiwall sheet, with a UV-stabilised coating built into the outer layer. That coating filters out the harmful rays, while still letting most of the daylight through.
The result looks and feels like glass, without the weight or the risk of a shattered pane over your outdoor table. The sheets are also far lighter than glass, so the roof needs much less structural support underneath. That’s exactly why a wall-mounted option like this one can work on a small patio or balcony, without turning into a major build.
Tint options
You can also tint the panels to create more diffuse lighting. Clear sheet keeps the space feeling open and bright. An opal or bronze tint cuts glare and heat build-up on the hottest days, at the cost of a slightly darker space underneath.
What to know before you buy
This option doesn’t adjust, unlike a louvre roof — you can’t dial the shade up or down with the seasons. Think through how much light you want in winter as well as summer, before you commit to a spot.
It’s also worth asking about sheet quality. Cheaper, non-UV-stabilised polycarbonate can yellow and turn brittle within a few years, so check the warranty behind the panels you’re looking at.
And like the wall-mounted umbrella, a wall-mounted roof is only as good as its fixing. It needs a solid wall plate on one side, and posts on proper footings on the other. Get that checked before you order.
On the upside, plenty of daylight still gets through. That makes it one of the better options here for anything you want to keep growing underneath. Think a herb bed by the back door, or pots that would otherwise sulk under a solid roof.
Below: Wall-mounted polycarbonate patio cover. Garden designed and installed by City Botanics.
WHICH IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Whichever direction you’re leaning, a pattern runs through everything above. Removable options — umbrellas, awnings — buy you flexibility and a lower entry price, but ask more of you day to day. Permanent options — louvre roofs, polycarbonate — cost more upfront and need a proper fixing point, a consent check, or both. Once they’re in, though, they mostly look after themselves.
Budget does double duty here. It covers both how much shade you get, and how much ongoing thought it needs from you. Ultimately, the choice comes down to your space, your needs, and your budget. Now that you understand what’s actually on offer at each price point, you’re already halfway there.
Our designers specialise in maximising the potential of small urban gardens, terraced housing, balconies, and decks. If you are ready to transform your outdoor space into a bespoke sanctuary, contact us today to book your free 30-minute online design consultation.
*The cost estimates provided in this article are intended as a rough guide only and are subject to change.