Are you planning on having plantation shutters installed in your home? If you have answered yes please read on...
Quite often the main objective when purchasing any type of window furnishing is to locate a company whom will provide the cheapest quote. Of course I'm not questioning this as being an important factor to consider however have you thought past this objective and actually thought about the style, quality and design of the shutter that will be installed?
After having shutters fitted to 80% of the windows in our house there were a few lessons to be learnt which unfortunately didn't happen until after they were fitted.
RECEIVING A QUOTE
- Always get three quotes. This allows you to gain a range of costs and select from different colours and products available which will suite your needs.
- Question how long it should take to make the product(s) and exactly when the installation should occur and get it in writing. Some companies will have the products made in China and shipped. This can create issues such as shipping delays or lost containers meaning an 8 week wait could turn into a 6 month wait (yes this has happened to us). Those who make the shutters here in Australia often have shorter wait times.
- Ask what the guarantee is. If there is an issue with the installation or a shutter breaks what are your rights.
DESIGN
- Ask what the product is made from. Aluminum - best suited for outside spaces and can come in a range of colours.
MDF - a cost effective option which is a manufactured wood with a vinyl wrap (similar to kitchen cabinetry). If you are looking to select a timber shutter in a colour such as white this can be a good option. The disadvantage with this option is that if the shutter gets wet it can swell so it is best to not install in wet areas.
PVC - made from a thick synthetic plastic like material and best suited to wet areas such as bathrooms. Is also priced similar to the MDF option.
Hardwood timber - if you are looking for a raw timber shutter I would recommend asking to see the companies hardwood timber selection. Please understand this is often the most expensive product to select from.
- Colour samples should always be held up against the window when selecting a shade. A white sample laying on your kitchen bench could actually look light grey when held up against the window light.
FRAME INSTALLATION
This is where the supplier may try to lead you in a direction that is easier for them to install however not the best design decision.
When selecting where the frame goes it really depends on the window. I highly recommend pushing to have the shutter installed inside the frame of the window rather than on the outside. This is purely for the one and only reason... why would one have stunning timber windows (especially in an old period home) with decorative arch's but then cover them up with a shutter? Instead have the shutter installed inside the frame which still allows you to showcase the window details.
This decision unfortunately was not communicated to us and the supplier made their own decision to make and install our shutters on the outside of the frame.
As a side note there are some reasons why some windows can not have the shutters installed inside the frame. This could be as the window frame isn't wide enough to accomodate the shutter frame or maybe the window frame has a security lock on it which is actually in the way of where the shutter frame would need to go.
EXAMPLES
SELECTING THE SUPPLIER
Go with your gut and not always the cheapest quote. Look up reviews online and stay away from those companies who have an excessive amount of negative feedback.
And finally by following the above advice you really should be able to make the best decision when it comes to the supplier you select.