How much do plantation shutters cost?
The honest answer is: it depends on your windows. Plantation shutters are made to fit each opening, so any figure given before someone has looked at your home is a guess.
What you can know up front is what moves the number. Canstar's plantation shutter cost guide names seven drivers: the size and number of windows, louvre size, whether the shutters are customised, the material, the style (internal or external), the manufacturer, and DIY versus professional installation.
A wall of sliding doors facing the lake and a bathroom with one small window are two different jobs. This guide explains how each factor pushes a quote, and how to line up three quotes so they describe the same job.
What affects the price of plantation shutters?
- Size and number of windows↑ More or larger usually adds
- Louvre sizeAsk how this changes your quote
- CustomisationAsk how this changes your quote
- MaterialAsk how this changes your quote
- Style: internal or externalAsk how this changes your quote
- ManufacturerAsk how this changes your quote
- Installation: DIY or professionalAsk how this changes your quote
Picture one shuttered window and every decision that went into it. Each of those decisions has a line in the quote.
- Size and number of windows. More windows and larger openings mean more shutter. This is the most predictable driver.
- Louvre size. Blade width is on Canstar's list of cost factors. Ask each supplier how your chosen width changes their figure. Our guide to louvre blade widths covers how width changes the view.
- Customisation. Odd shapes, angles and special finishes are a separate factor from size.
- Material. Usually the biggest single choice you make, so it gets its own section below.
- Style. Internal and external shutters are priced differently.
- Manufacturer. Two quotes for the "same" shutter from different makers can differ.
- Installation. DIY or professional, covered further down.
None of these factors moves the price on its own. Together they explain why a neighbour's figure tells you little about yours.
Which shutter material costs more?
According to Canstar, vinyl is considered the least expensive material, PVC is typically cheaper than wood, and faux wood is generally more affordable than hardwood. Hardwood and aluminium are generally dearer than the rest.
That ladder tells you direction, not dollars. It also tells you only half the story, because the cheapest material for one room can be the wrong one for another.
A bathroom or laundry asks different things of a shutter than a living room does: see PVC shutters for bathrooms and laundries. Homes close to the water raise their own questions, covered in salt air and shutter materials. If summer heat through the glass is why you are shopping, our guide Do plantation shutters block out heat? is the place to start.
Our view: choose material room by room. A mix across the house is a fair way to spend where it matters.
How is installation priced?
Canstar notes that installation may be charged hourly or at a fixed rate. It also says an experienced installer can lower the chance of damage and possibly reduce installation time.
So ask two things of every quote. Is installation included? And if it is, is it charged by the hour or as a set amount? An hourly rate makes the total harder to compare until the job is done.
DIY is one of the listed cost factors. Weigh any saving against the cost of a panel that does not sit square in its frame.
How do you compare plantation shutter quotes?
| In the quote | Supplier A | Supplier B | Supplier C | Matches my brief |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows and rooms covered | ||||
| Measured sizes | ||||
| Material named (exact, not "or equivalent") | ||||
| Louvre size | ||||
| Colour and finish | ||||
| Style (internal or external) | ||||
| Manufacturer | ||||
| Installation included, and how it is charged (hourly or fixed) | ||||
| All work listed | ||||
| All materials listed | ||||
| Deposit asked | ||||
| What could change the total |
- Give all three the same brief (NSW Government)
- Check quoted materials are what you asked for, not substitutes (NSW Government)
The NSW Government's advice on getting quotes is simple: write a job brief, however small the project, and give at least three contractors the same information so the quotes compare easily.
The brief matters more than it looks. The same page warns that if you don't specify exactly what you want, the quote may include only the cheapest products and materials. Check that the materials quoted are the ones you asked for, not substitutes.
A useful shutter brief covers:
- each room and window, with rough sizes
- the material you want, by name
- louvre size, colour and finish
- internal or external style
- whether you want installation included
When the quotes come back, a written quote should include all work to be done, list all materials, and reflect your specifications. You can still change your mind before the quote is finalised, as long as you give the changes to everyone quoting. Otherwise you are back to comparing different jobs.
What should you ask before you say yes?
- NSW Government, questions to ask before hiring a tradesperson or builder
- NSW Government, getting quotes
- NSW Government, blind and curtain safety
- Consumer Affairs Victoria, guarantees that apply automatically
Consumer guarantees are not a cooling-off period: you have no automatic right to return a product because you changed your mind, ordered the wrong one, or found it cheaper elsewhere. With made-to-measure shutters, confirm every measurement and specification before the order goes in.
The guarantees do cover a product being of acceptable quality, matching its description or sample, and fit for purpose. For the service side, they cover due care and skill, fitness for purpose and reasonable time, and they apply regardless of any other warranty.
The NSW Building Commission's questions to ask before hiring a tradesperson or builder are written for home building work generally, and they translate well to a shutter order:
- How much deposit do you need? The page says that under NSW home building law the maximum deposit is 10%, and that above a set cost of labour and materials the law requires a written contract. Whether a shutter job falls under that law is a fair question to put to each supplier.
- How are your costs set, and what could make the total change?
- What is your licence number, and what insurance do you hold? Check the answers.
- Who will do the work, and when?
After signing, the NSW guidance is to discuss any change with the contractor first. Variations to a contract must be in writing and signed by both parties.
One more, if it applies. Should anything you order have a cord, NSW rules for corded blinds and curtains say a loose cord must not form a loop of 220 mm or longer at or below 1,600 mm above the floor, and installers must attach a label with their name and contact details. Ask the question before you order.
How can you pay for plantation shutters?
| How you pay | Interest and rates, by direction |
|---|---|
| Savings | No interest or fees |
| Home loan | Rates generally lower than personal loans and cards |
| Personal loan | Rates generally higher than home loan rates |
| Credit card | Rates generally higher than home loan rates, worth reconsidering if you cannot pay it off quickly |
This is general information, not financial advice. Canstar notes that paying from savings avoids interest and fees. Personal loan and credit card rates are generally higher than home loan rates, and a credit card is worth reconsidering if you can't pay it off quickly.
If you are spreading the cost, add the interest to the quote before you compare it with anything else. A cheaper quote on a card can end up dearer than a pricier one paid in cash.
From brief to signed order: the steps in one place
- Write a job brief, however small the job.NSW Government
- Send the same brief to at least 3 suppliers.NSW Government
- Check each written quote lists all work and all materials, and that materials match your brief.NSW Government
- Make any changes before quotes are finalised, and give them to everyone quoting.NSW Government
- Confirm measurements and specifications before ordering (consumer guarantees are not a change-of-mind return right).Consumer Affairs Victoria
- After signing, agree any variation in writing, signed by both parties.NSW Government
Write the brief. Send it to at least three suppliers. Check that each quote lists all the work and all the materials you asked for. Make changes before quotes are finalised and share them with everyone. Confirm measurements before ordering. Put any later change in writing.
Six steps, and each one takes the guesswork out of the next.
Getting a quote from Lake Macquarie Shutters
At Lake Macquarie Shutters we would rather you compare quotes properly than pick one on a headline number. Send us the same brief you send everyone else, and ask us every question on the list above.
When your brief is ready, book a measure and quote and we will work through your windows with you.
Sources
- Canstar, plantation shutter cost: https://www.canstar.com.au/home-loans/plantation-shutter-cost/
- NSW Government, getting quotes: https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/building-or-renovating-a-home/preparing/getting-quotes
- NSW Government, questions to ask before hiring a tradesperson or builder: https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/building-or-renovating-a-home/preparing/step-by-step-guide-to-choosing-right-tradesperson-or-builder/questions-to-ask-before-hiring-a-tradesperson-or-builder
- Consumer Affairs Victoria, guarantees that apply automatically: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/consumers-and-businesses/products-and-services/refunds-repairs-and-returns/guarantees-that-apply-automatically
- NSW Government, blind and curtain safety: https://www.nsw.gov.au/legal-and-justice/consumer-rights-and-protection/safety/other-consumer-products/blind-and-curtain-safety
Pictures in this guide are illustrations, not photos of our jobs.