Hi there and welcome to our blog. We like to answer the questions most asked in the world of beautiful window shutters, our world. And let you in on some secrets.
There are companies that sell shutters online.
You supply the measurements and make choices from the very limited range of options.
Then you order the shutters and usually pay in full, up front. (often they advertise a short lead time then when you place your order, suddenly the delivery time gets a lot longer)
They arrive - taking longer than advertised as most shutters are manufactured in the huge, purpose-built factories in China.
The reason most shutters come from there is because they are the biggest, most efficient producers in the world.
Currently any shutters made in Britain cannot compete on price for equivalent quality.
Either the British made shutters are good quality - usually solid wood - and more expensive.
Or they are of inferior quality - usually plastic - and cheaper.
(We know of no British manufacturer that supplies good quality for cheaper, if there was we would use them ourselves.)
Then you have to fit them yourself.
Remember, there are no guarantees and no refunds if they don't fit.
If you haven't supplied correct measurements or underestimated the knowhow, tools needed or failed to factor in the unevenness of your window recess, there is no comeback on the supplier.
You might have saved a few pounds on the purchase but it will be a waste if you can't install them properly.
A competent DIYer with the correct tools should be able to fit simple windows with shutters. After all, they are similar to hanging doors, usually just lighter and smaller.
Sometimes we get jobs where the DIY shutters need to be replaced. The biggest issues we see are with the plastic variety (not to be confused with quality PVC polyvinyl) .
Cheap shutters usually don't have much in-built protection from the sun and the white ones tend to yellow.
The shutters themselves can be thinner so not as robust.
The louvres (or slats) get loose over time and flop down instead of staying closed, even more so if there are tilt rods.
They can look cheap and nasty too.
In conclusion, whilst there is a place in the market for the cheaper DIY, online shutters, the quality is most unlikely to match those installed by reputable professional suppliers.
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