By choosing shutters for your home means more than just "dressing your windows". Quality shutters are an investment and a permanent fixture in your home. An educated decision will save you money in the long run. These are some points which our experience indicates you should be aware of when shopping for quality shutters. If you insist on quality the way we do, you will learn that you get what you pay for. The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. Things to remember when purchasing shutters....
Warranty
Anything less than a limited lifetime warranty "in writing" from a reliable manufacturer is asking for trouble in a few years. If you are staying in your home for the long haul, get quality shutters. Quality doesn't cost an arm & a leg with Awesome Blinds & Shutters. Remember, ask for it in writing and it must be by the manufacturer or it's no good. A warranty will not cover poor initial measure and design of your shutters, causing poor fit and functionality. Seek quality Licensed Installers.
Quality
- Basswood-They will tell you its basswood and you will get some other type of wood. You will get poplar or pine, or who knows what. Once it's painted, you'll never know. The Shutters will warp, crack and fall apart in a few years. Paying way too much for shutters made of poor quality materials is not a good investment.
- Poly, PVC or Vinyl-These Shutters are less expensive but also look like plastic and appear cheap.
- Pre-fabrication - These shutters are not custom made for your windows. They are mass produced and stocked in a warehouse somewhere.
- Product names -Be very suspicious of shutter materials with names ending in "wood". They are often weasel words for polystyrene, MDF and plastic.
- Mass produced shutters- Pay top dollar for shutters, thinking you are getting a unique shutter for your opening when you are really getting a mass produced shutter that will be cut down and made to fit.
- Fixed panels-These panels can't be moved, ever. Check your quote for this word very carefully.
- Cheap hardware is used on your beautiful shutters- before you know it shutter blades are popping off and whole panels falling out of place.
- Using a Blind or Curtain specialist to install shutters. Usually they add the product to their line because of consumer demand but are not set up to install shutters.
- Unknown brand- We know of shutter makers manufacturing out of storage yards, garages, barns, and small commercial warehouses. You can't produce quality shutters if you do not have the proper facilities, equipment and expertise.
Installation
Please be aware of those shady companies. Your first red flag is that they don't show up on time. If they come to your house with a handful of colors on a rope, you should show them the door. Shutters are more complicated than that. There are many frames, colors, and details you need to know before you make such a large purchase.
The 2nd red flag is if they are not a licensed contractor. This is easy to check online at http://www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicense/LicenseRequest.asp. If they are a serious shutter company they will have a Contractor's License, Resale Permit and Insurance. If not, they are fly by night. They will take their 50% deposit and fly away never to be found. We've heard so many terrible stories.
Repairing Shutters
We are receiving lots of calls for repairing broken shutters. The company that sold you these shutters is now doing more business repairing them. Awesome Blinds & Shutters does not repair shutters. This is exactly why we only sell quality name brand products.
The most common failure happens when shutter staples that connect the tilt bar to the shutter louver are removed or fall out. Staples keep all the louvers uniform. Missing staples allow individual louvers to rotate independent of other louvers. If the tilt bar, or tilt rod is broken it usually needs to be replaced.
Most Importantly
Research the company with whom you are dealing. Google it. You may be surprised at what you find. I do this with anybody and everybody I do business with. They will give you websites that don't exist, Contractor's Licenses that do not exist, are expired or contain fraudulent information. If there is anything negative about the company it will be on the internet.
Carol and Carlos Carmona are Eastvale Residents and owners of Awesome Blinds. www.awesomeblinds.net
