Review: SBI Ltd (Sun Blinds Installations)

SBI Ltd has been supplying, installing, servicing, and repairing outdoor shading and shelter solutions since 1998. Based in Halstead, Kent, the company was founded by two lifelong friends and covers domestic and commercial projects across England and Wales through a network of surveyors and installation teams.

Where many competitors focus purely on new sales, SBI operates one of the UK's most substantial repairs and servicing divisions — a capability that most modern installers simply do not offer. Director Michael Marsh brings over 30 years of hands-on awning experience, including manufacturing, installation, and fault diagnosis, giving the business a technical depth that is unusual in this sector.

400+ five-star Google reviews

What customers say about SBI

If you've ever felt pressured by a salesperson

If you have ever felt pressured by a salesperson, the consistent pattern across SBI's reviews is worth noting. Customers repeatedly describe being given honest advice even when that advice cost SBI the job. One customer was told her awning was not repairable by a local installer quoting £5,000 for a replacement. SBI repaired it for a fraction of that. Another had his full deposit returned within 15 minutes when SBI's surveyor decided the installation was not right for the location. If you want straight information and the freedom to make your own decision, that track record matters.

"We were devastated when a local installer said our awning was not repairable and we needed a new one. SBI were able to identify the exact make and model from a photograph. The moral is don't contact a local installer who will try to sell you a new one for £5,000. Go to the experts."

— Jean Walsh, awning repair

If you're anxious about what happens when something goes wrong

If you are anxious about what happens when something goes wrong, what stands out in SBI's reviews is that the opposite of the usual experience seems to be true. Customers describe teams who stayed until a difficulty was resolved, who came back when issues arose after installation, and who treated a problem as their responsibility to fix rather than something to negotiate around. If you have had a bad experience with a contractor who disappeared when things got complicated, this is the part of SBI's reputation that will mean the most to you.

"Within 15 minutes the money was in my bank account. Now that is what I call a Trustworthy Professional Company."

— Terry Jaques, carport — deposit returned in full when installation was not feasible at the chosen location

"When things don't go as planned, this is when this aspect of a business is put to the test. SBI Limited tick all the boxes and pass with flying colours. No hard sell techniques, good solid technical and sales advice."

— Eric Chorley, former Customer Support Director, defence sector. Veranda installation where unexpected brickwork issues arose

If you want to feel in control of the process

If you want to feel in control of the process, SBI's model works differently to most. Quotes are prepared remotely, which means you are never in a room with someone who needs to leave with a signature. Customers describe clear communication, fast responses to questions, and no sense of being managed toward a close. If feeling in control matters to you, that is worth more than any individual feature on any product.

If you care about how people treat your home

"Michael, Mark, and Dave were superb, clearly determined to sort the difficulty and not finish until they were successful. They were a credit to the company. It is unfortunate that their standards are not replicated throughout the service industry."

— Anne Dyson, installation with on-site complications

"The two-man team, Dominic and John, were friendly, courteous, and very tidy. They even rinsed their tea mugs before they left."

— Sheila Crow, installation

There is a particular kind of relief when a team of tradespeople leaves and your home looks exactly as it did before they arrived, only with the new thing installed. It sounds like a low bar. In practice, it is not always met. SBI's reviews return to this point consistently: teams that cleaned up after themselves, caused minimal disruption, and were polite throughout. One customer noted that the installation team rinsed their mugs before they left. That detail says something about how a company trains its people and what it expects of them. If you are inviting strangers into your home to do significant work, that kind of care is not a small thing.

Case studies

What a competitor wrote off

A homeowner contacted SBI after a local installer assessed her 15-year-old awning and declared it beyond repair, recommending a full replacement at around £5,000. Rather than quoting for new supply, SBI asked for a photograph of the existing unit. From the image alone, their repairs team identified the exact make and model, confirmed it was repairable, and returned it to full working order at a fraction of the cost.

This is representative of SBI's broader repairs approach: they hold knowledge of obsolete models, discontinued parts, and older systems that most installers focused on new supply do not retain. The result for the customer was a working awning, a significant saving, and no unnecessary waste.

When the job wasn't right — and they said so

A customer paid a 50% deposit for a carport installation. During the site survey, SBI's team identified that the chosen location was not suitable. Rather than proceeding with a job that could have been problematic, they advised the customer it could not go ahead as specified — and returned the full deposit within 15 minutes.

The customer described the speed and transparency of that decision as defining what a trustworthy professional company looks like. It illustrates SBI's preference for long-term reputation over short-term revenue.

Products and services

SBI supply, install, service, and repair across a wide range of structures:

• Verandas: lean-to, aluminium frame, toughened glass or polycarbonate roof, traditional and contemporary
• Glass Rooms: fully enclosed veranda with fixed or sliding glass panels, year-round outdoor living
• Carports: lean-to, freestanding, cantilever and enclosed configurations, aluminium frame
• Awnings: domestic and commercial (full cassette, semi-cassette, open, butterfly/goalpost)
• Pergolas: louvred aluminium roof systems
• Security Shutters: manual, electric, and 100% solar-powered
• Roller Garage Doors: made-to-measure SeceuroGlide range
• Conservatory Sail Blinds: InShade brand (UK-manufactured)
• Awning and canopy repairs and servicing, most makes and models

Brands supplied: Markilux, Weinor, HAROL, InShade, SeceuroGlide, SBI own range

Also repaired and serviced: Thomas Sanderson, Markilux, Weinor, and most other UK awning brands

Accreditations

• BBSA (British Blind and Shutter Association) — accredited member
• Checkatrade — vetted member
• FreeIndex — verified profile
• 400+ five-star Google reviews

This profile was compiled by Canopy Installers UK from verified public sources and confirmed information provided by SBI Ltd. Last reviewed: June 2026.