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In New Zealand, it’s common for homes to have an outdoor shade structure in the garden or patio. With long hot summers and unpredictable weather in the cooler months, a solution like a louvre roof enables Kiwis to make the most of our backyards, in any season.
Here at Aurae, we are often asked how much our louvre products cost. In particular, our opening louvre roofs and what factors influence the pricing. So just how much does a louvre roof cost?
In this blog, we’ll provide insights into what external influences impact the cost of a louvre roof, as well as the key design elements that drive the price up or down.
External factors that influence louvre roof prices
Louvre roof prices are determined by multiple factors, including some that are external and impossible to control. We outline these in detail below.
Aluminium costs
Material costs are one of the most critical factors in product pricing and, for our louvres, the most crucial material is aluminium.
Bauxite
Bauxite is a sedimentary rock used in the production of aluminium. The world’s second-largest bauxite mines are located in the Republic of Guinea, West Africa but political instability has led to disruptions in many mining operations. This can affect the price of aluminium dramatically, depending on the supply chain.
London Metal Exchange (LME)
The London Metal Exchange (LME) is the world centre for the trading of industrial metals like aluminium, which dictates the global cost. If prices rise on the LME platforms, the price of acquiring metals like aluminium will likely also rise globally.
Smelter electricity costs
Aluminium is produced in smelter plants which require a large amount of electricity and some producers still rely on coal and fossil fuels. As energy costs rise, the production cost of aluminium will inevitably increase too.
All of Aurae’s aluminium is smelted in Tiwai Point near Invercargill. However, as Rio Tinto sell Tiwai aluminium on the global market, overseas power prices still impact us.
Conflict in Ukraine
Russia supplies roughly 6 percent of the world's aluminium so the conflict in Ukraine could dramatically impact the price. If sanctions were to be put in place, supply and demand could be a major concern.
For example, looking back before the war started in February 2022, global aluminium prices were hovering around $3,220 per tonne. After the conflict began, prices rose to an all-time high of $3,985 per tonne on March 7th 2022 due to increased concerns about supply.
Design choices that influence louvre roof prices
How much you pay for a louvre roof can change depending on your design choices. This includes everything from your chosen louvre roof size, to the powder-coat finish.
Size
A key factor that increases the price is the size and span of the louvre roof. For example, a bigger louvre roof will require bigger beams and more complex structures, increasing the price.
Other trades
If you are retrofitting a louvre roof to an existing property, additional engineering and carpentry work may be required for the existing house structure.
Fixing type
How the structure fixes back to the building will impact the price. If any additional bracketry is required, this will increase the price.
Motorised operation
A common assumption is that a motorised system will cost more than a manually operable system. However, they typically cost the same! Ask our team for more details on the louvre system that’s right for you.
Rain sensors
Rain sensors are not a standard inclusion with our louvre roofs but are easy to add on. They do come at an additional cost so make sure to factor this into the budget.
Powder-coat finish
At Aurae, we use the Dulux powder-coat range, which has three main ranges:
Duralloy
Duralloy is the most common powder-coat range we use; it’s also the most affordable.
Duratec
Duratec has been designed for high-corrosion areas that have a greater level of atmospheric sulphur, such as coastal environments. Because of this higher durability, the Duratec range costs more than the Duralloy range.
Premium ranges
Dulux also has several premium ranges of powdercoat, such as Electro, Mannex, or the Intensity Bright range. These premium colours have multiple advantages over Duralloy and Duratec, including textures, increased durability, or pearlescent/metallic finishes, but as a result come at a premium price.
Opening louvre roof costs
When you first start an architectural project, we recommend that you contact us early on to get an accurate quote tailored to your project requirements. Our quotes are valid for 30 days from the date we issue them and we can also provide producer statements for all of our louvre products, as required.
If you have a project coming up or currently underway and you would like to use one of our louvre roof systems, we would love to hear from you. You can share your plans with us below, to get the ball rolling.
