I recently got my house quoted for pvc plantation shutters (15 windows approx) and they quoted $19,000. $19k is way too pricey, has anyone had experience ordering their own from Alibaba or similar and installing themselves?
Plantation shutters
moneyhungry on 20/05/2018 - 13:29
Last edited 20/05/2018 - 13:31
Last edited 20/05/2018 - 13:31
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They vary a lot of small ones in there, lets say on average 1m x 2m
They do sound expensive, but I guess it depends on the size of the window.
We had 5 windows (80cm x 220cm) done for $5,000.These things are normally made in China to order, so they are very fussy about the measurements as it's basically impossible to return them.
Ours were measured during the quote, and a second person came to check the measurements a week later. Only after the second measurement was the order placed.
My wife was looking at blindsonline.com.au - you can measure yourself and put it in the calculator.
One window that was I think about 2m x 1x was about $800 or so, and then you've got to install yourself.
I just know they aren't cheap… probably why the previous owners installed them around the house except for a handful or rooms, as they ran out of money!
I individually added each window in the calculator and they ended up costing more.
I bought all of mine from spotlight when half price. Only 1 window was not a standard size and they chopped one down to size for $30.
Pretty sure that wouldn't be plantation shutters…
I think he means the $30 was to cut it to size.
cutting an existing plantation shutter to size for $30 seems way to cheap
@SBOB: Maybe cutting was half price too. (But you'd need to drill new holes in the louvres for the pin… unless they were too tall…)
and they quoted $19,000
Holy cow.
I made my own since they're not that complicated. Maybe $20-$30 in materials and some time. I guess the fact they all need to custom sized really drives up the prices.
How did you make them yourself? Could be an option.
I mostly used 6mm MDF. Each window (about 2m x 1m) took about a sheet ($20 @ Bunnings).
I did them in four sections (~500mm wide) as the MDF would probably sag if done wider. I would have used plywood but didn't have any and couldn't be bothered getting any.
From memory the louvres are about 60mm wide and overlap by about 10mm. 20 per section? 80 per window and I did 4 windows. There's a lot of bits. I left them flat as shaping that many was a bit much for my enthusiasm. I used a laser to cut them out, so that didn't take much effort.
I didn't drill holes in the louvres for hinge pins (6mm is a bit thin), I added a tab that I fitted a round disc to. This fitted into a hole in the frame and that's the hinge.
I did have to drill little holes in the ends of the louvres so I could nail the control rods (3mm MDF strip) on.
The frame was more 6mm MDF glued to make 12mm with some 3mm top & bottom that the louvres close against. They're not hinged or anything, they're basically just sitting in the window.
MDF was undercoated before cutting, and then spray painted.
Assembly was a bit fiddly & tedious.
How long does it take to make each one? Have to calculate your own labour costs into it and live with the fact that they won't be as good as factory made ones.
I made 16 shutters over a couple of weeks, say 2 complete days.
The laser cut all the pieces, all I did was glue everything together.
None of it was hard, it was pretty repetitive and there was a lot of it. The biggest part was painting, that probably took half of the time. Each piece took under a minute to paint, but when there's over 300 pieces… In hindsight I should have painted them after assembly. Maybe.
Make it 3 days at $50/h, so $1200 plus $150 in materials. $330 per 2m x 1m window, about 1/4 of OP's quote.
Nobody notices they're not 'professional', appearance-wise the only thing I'd change is I'd round over the edges of the louvres. Then again I really don't feel like pushing 300-odd pieces through a router twice (maybe four!).
Could you post some photos?
@neo-X: I don't think I have any photos, and it'd be a couple of weeks before I could take any. To be honest they don't look different from anything else you'd see.
I can run you up a quick CAD model if you like, as I said they're not that complicated.
@neo-X: Have a few pictures:
Open: https://www.dropbox.com/s/jpzk5xue6o91bnk/Shutter%20Open.png…
Closed: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3uh41ecxig1uhwj/Shutter%20Down.png…
Up: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ee9q59nu4pwtw7f/Shutter%20Up.png?d…
Detail: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zb97cqz8l2cq9nk/Shutter%20Detail.p…All the pieces are 6mm thick except the stop at the bottom (green) that is only 3mm.
Louvres are 60mm wide. Factory ones are usually about 10-12mm thick as they need to have a hole (4-5mm) drilled in them. That's why they're tapered, they'd look too chunky otherwise.
Frame is also 60mm, most have the frame thinner so the louvres poke out past the frame when open. I drew that about 450mm wide, and about 1/4 of the height it should be.
The discs that act as pins are 20mm in that drawing, I did them smaller on the ones I made (15mm?). That's really the main thing that makes them different from the ones you buy, and they're not that noticeable.
The control arms can go at the back or front. I don't like the ones that have them in the middle.
As said they're not that complicated, the model only took 20 minutes. It's missing a few of the finer details, like the louvres are tapered slightly where they meet the frame so they don't rub and so on.
More information is needed to understand whether $19k is reasonable or not. $19k could be extremely cheap depending on the size and shape of the windows. To give some perspective - the cost of doing me doing an entire townhouse was the same price as just doing my Lounge and living room windows at home. So what is the total square meter area of all the windows? Also did you quote up Australian made or Chinese made?
I thought about installing shutters about 8 years ago - ones that open internally. They were super pricey then so decided curtains/venetian blinds were better use of my money.
We were quoted $17k with Modern to do our entire house. Our windows in total measured 30 sqm. I was then recommended this guy from a friend www.shuttersqld.com.au. (Brisbane) He's quoted us $10k! So that's a massive difference. However, it's still a lot of money so weighing it up. My friend was really happy with her shutters though (she also did her whole house) and the difference it makes in the overall look is amazing.
What size are the windows? What's the quality of the quoted ones?
You better ensure your measurements are correct if buying online and installing