Hopefully someone may be able to offer some advice.
We have an old (40 years+) caravan and are seeking an awning for it.
We have generously been given an Isabella ambassador (3 yrs old superb condition with fibre glass poles etc) from friends of the outlaws but it appears to be slightly too long.....
Our caravan floor to floor is 785 - the awning is 825/850
does anyone know of any options we can take to make use of this awning? - can we raise the caravan on a wedge? - are there companies who can modify the awning? (bear in mind we have large family so on tight budget)
or would our only option be to sell this one on and buy a new one - are there companies who might take it as part-exchange?
Yes there are lots of Awning alteration places,I don't where you live, but if you let us know the area I am sure that we can all give you a company that is in your area, and Awnings can be made bigger or smaller, I have had both done over the years to different Awnings, and of course you can always try to sell it in the Ads of this Forum, or local paper, caravan magazine, or various caravan forums have a for sale section. you could also exchange it for a another at a dealers, but they never give you much for it. I am sure you will get lots more advice, good luck with what ever you choose to do.
There's a page covering awning maintenance and repairs in this month's practical caravan magazine.
If I am recalling it correctly, it was about £150 to have an awning extended in the example they gave. They also listed a number of companies who do such alterations.
We had our 950cm Isabella altered by Isabella themselves to a 975cm. It was more expensive - £250 I think, but then the awning was only a couple of months old when we changed vans and we were keen to keep it 'perfect' if you see what I mean. Apparently, the alteration we have had done is completely undetectable - I'm told that even Isabella can't now tell that it wasn't originally a 975cm.
The other alternative as you suggested is to sell it and buy another. Isabella's are the top notch caravan awning and there is a strong market for them second hand. However, won't you risk offending the donors of the awning if you sell it for a handsome sum?
No they are just happy for it to be used by someone (they had to give up their caravan due to ill-health and tried unsuccesfully to sell it locally). We're very keen to make use of it, particularly as you say it's such a nice one.
If we are forced to sell it to get another one they are happy to split any money above the nominal sum thay charged us for it but we'd only do that as a last resort.
An Isabella awning in good condition is worth having altered. We had our Trio altered by the Canvas Repair Centre, and they made a good job of it at a very reasonable cost. Their premises are at Burton on Trent.
that you only alter the side that is adjacent to the caravan, the front of the awning stays the same width, "otherwise the poles wont fit", so you will actually be cutting a "v" shape out, at either side usually just above where the sides zip in.
so as your awning is 40 to 50 cm. bigger than the van, the front of the awning would be that much bigger than the caravan side. which i recon should,nt make it look odd.
go for it .
had my trio awning reduced by about 30 cm. at "trio pair" in yorkshire for about 40 quid, brill job
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Topic: Awning query
