Buying window shutters is an exciting process. Transforming the look and feel of your home with new shutters can make everything feel brand new. However, high-quality plantation shutters are a significant investment.
As with any investment, it’s essential not to rush. We’ve seen many customers and competitors make mistakes over the years, and we want you to avoid them.
Learn how to select high-quality window shutters with these 10 essential tips, ensuring a perfect fit for your living space. Gain insights into materials, design, and reputable suppliers for long-lasting and bespoke window coverings.
1. Research the shutters
There are various woods and milling techniques used in the manufacture of shutters, with everything from solid wood that’ll last a lifetime to cheap planks that will splinter under stress. Naturally, better quality materials tend to cost more, so if prices seem too good to be true, they probably are.
When choosing window shutters, the material is a crucial factor. Wooden plantation shutters offer a classic, high-end look and excellent durability, ideal for bay windows and large windows. Faux wood shutters provide resistance to moisture and warping, perfect for humid environments and adding aesthetic appeal to your window frame. Vinyl shutters are a cost-effective option, easy to clean, and highly durable, suitable for DIY shutters. Each material has its benefits, so consider the room’s conditions, natural light needs, and aesthetic preferences when selecting shutter panels for your patio doors or traditional-style café shutters.
Of course, it’s not expected that everyone who wants shutters in their home is a woodworking expert, so find a supplier with sufficient experience, product knowledge and patience who can explain the advantages and disadvantages of the various materials used in shutter construction. Get a feel for the materials in their samples and visit a showroom where you can test the finished product. This way you’ll avoid costly mistakes down the line.
2. Research the design
Shutters are simple to use but complex to build. There are various design choices available in shutter construction such as visible or hidden control rods, a wide range of louvre sizes, full height shutters, cafe style shutters, how the panels open and as many frame design and colour combinations as you can imagine.
Shutter styles vary to suit different needs and aesthetics. Full-height shutters cover the entire window, offering a clean, unified look and excellent light control. Bay window shutters, designed for bay windows, provide a bespoke solution that fits perfectly into the window frame. Cafe-style shutters cover only the lower half of the window, allowing more light while maintaining privacy. Solid shutters are made from solid hardwood for a traditional style and eco-friendly choice. Each shutter style offers unique benefits, making them perfect window coverings for living rooms and other spaces needing privacy control and light adjustment.
Much of the information on the range of design options can be found in the next section of the guide but nothing beats getting some hands on experience with the shutters you want, so find a showroom you can visit to see what strikes your fancy. Most interior shutter companies quote a price based on the square metre of the total installation regardless of style, the price varying with the product and materials used. Therefore, you should make sure any options suggested are for your benefit and only place your order after you’ve had a good explanation for the design used.
3. Ask for references/testimonials
Many homeowners base their choices on recommendations from a neighbour, relative or friend. There’s a chance they’ll set you up with a fantastic shutter provider, but you shouldn’t base your decision on just one satisfied customer.
There may be many others who have had a far less positive experience with the company and even the worst companies can please a few customers. Designing and fitting shutters well is a complex task which can leave a terrible mess in your home should something go wrong, so seek out companies with a proven track record of recent satisfied customers.
Such a company will be more than happy to provide you with details of their prior clients, so find a handful you can speak to or even visit to get a complete picture of the experience and product the company can provide. Ask tough questions about the shutter quality, workmanship, communication and politeness of staff, disagreement resolutions and the cleanliness and care during and after installation.
4. Use accredited companies
Companies belonging to recognised trade associations will usually be the more reliable choice as there is an additional level of accountability and quality control. You can and should of course check with the association to ensure their membership is current, or at least have sight of their membership certificate.
Also, many county council Trading Standards Departments are now running “Buy with Confidence” schemes. Trading Standards officers are particularly thorough when investigating companies they are to endorse, requiring continued proof of a high standard of work and monitoring performance with ongoing checks of all aspects of service, guarantees and the integrity of all members of staff.
5. Also use experienced companies
Shutters may now be taking the country by storm, but they’re still a relatively new product in the United Kingdom. Until recently, people were unaware just how attractive, versatile and convenient they could be; just 7 or 8 years ago you would have been hard pressed to find more than a couple of companies offering shutters. Today you could find dozens. Thanks to the popularity of shutters in contemporary interior design, there are many companies eager to start providing them, but despite their enthusiasm, they have relatively little or no experience. They will gain it in time but inevitably that will be at someone’s cost. Better that somebody isn’t you.
6. Be patient in the busy season
Many home service industries are seasonal. During peaks in demand, the best companies start growing a queue of clients which can take some time to get through. But don’t stop waiting for a reputable company because a lesser known alternative is offering a survey quicker. Ask yourself, “If I were in an unfamiliar town on a Friday night, would I eat in an empty restaurant that could serve me right away, or would I wait to eat at a restaurant that was bustling with customers?”
Patience is a virtue and in this case it’s a virtue that can save you from the hassle, costs and mess of bringing an inexperienced or poor quality shutter company into your home.
7. Compare quotes
The cost of window shutters can vary widely based on material, style, and customisation options. Wooden plantation shutters generally cost more due to their premium quality and aesthetic appeal, while composite and vinyl shutters offer more affordable alternatives without sacrificing durability. Custom-made shutters provide a perfect solution with enhanced design but are more expensive than standard options. Consider the shutter panels, louvre size, and additional features like a mid rail when choosing bespoke shutters. Balancing your budget with desired quality and features ensures a great choice for long-lasting and beautiful window coverings, whether for a living room, bay window, or other spaces.
Some shutter companies win customers with quality products, efficient workmanship and honest guarantees. Others aim to convince on price alone, using low quality materials to drive down the bottom line. There’s even unscrupulous companies who will use these same materials but still charge you top price, using a slick salesman to make the sale.
An honest company will provide you with a detailed proposal of the work and explain the products, wood and manufacturing techniques you will receive and shy away from the use of inferior shutters. So, when comparing quotations, it is far more important to compare products and design specifications rather than pricing alone.
8. Clarify those quotes
Carefully check every aspect of your quote, making sure all requirements are clearly itemised and pay special attention to the manner and direction in which your shutter panels open and fold. All of this should, of course, have been fully explained to you during your design survey. If they were not, perhaps you would be wise to get another quote from a company that will be bothered to explain. In any case, if you are unsure, you will need to clarify the points in question. This will not be a problem to them if you have made the right choice of company.
Remember that even though you may have been quoted between 8 – 12 weeks before your installation, as a bespoke product, once production of your shutters has commenced, it is too late to change anything. Ensure that the price agreed covers everything you expect and that no extras will be added after the sale is committed.
9. Liability insurance
As with any company you employ to carry out work in your home, make sure they carry adequate insurance to cover any damages or injuries to your family or their employees should an incident arise. In the absence of adequate cover, there is a chance that a claim could be made against you should an employee of the company suffer loss or injury within your home. Companies that are a member of trade associations with industry and government backed accreditations should have liability insurance as standard.
10. Guarantee
Once your shutters are installed, you’ll want the peace of mind that should anything go wrong you won’t have to pay out of your own pocket. Make sure the manufacturer’s warranty covers everything
you require it to, for as long as you need it to. Guarantees vary depending on the material used to manufacture your shutters and reputable companies will also cover the installation. After your shutter installation, be sure to get your guarantee in writing and put it somewhere safe.
Follow these 10 essential tips and your interior shutters will give a wonderful sensory experience every time you walk in your room instead of years of regret.
And if you are still not sure what option works best for the window or room, ShutterMan is ready to help you design the perfect shutters.
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