Shutters

[WillJoy]

I used Pacific Windecor on 4 homes and it has never occurred to me to verify his license. Each time I gave him 20-30% cash deposit and there was not any problem. The installation quality is less than top $$$ contractors but is not something that I can't live with.

I would love feedback on installation quality - what do you mean when you say the quality is not as good?

 

[Roger]

Thanks for sharing WillJoy, did you call them to fix that after the installation?

 

[aquabliss]

Not just the frame but that's a big gap between the shutter and the frame.

 

[whome]

Thanks for the feedback WillJoy.
Like Roger, I'm also wondering if you called them back to fix the issues.

Now I am unsure what to do. Roger, are you still going to go with PW?

 

[Roger]

Thanks for the feedback WillJoy.
Like Roger, I'm also wondering if you called them back to fix the issues.

Now I am unsure what to do. Roger, are you still going to go with PW?

Hey whome, I am still considering them.  We'll ask Pac Windecor and Golden West Shutters both come out to get estimate first...  in the mean time I am hoping to get more feedback if anyone else has issues with either of them.

 

[WillJoy]

Thanks for the feedback WillJoy.
Like Roger, I'm also wondering if you called them back to fix the issues.

Now I am unsure what to do. Roger, are you still going to go with PW?

No, I didn't bother calling them. I did really care about the issue. The gap between the louver and the frame looks reasonable to me - it is about 3/16 inch all around. If you go with Pac Win, I suggest you work with them during the install to keep an eye on it.

 

[lnc]

Thanks for the feedback WillJoy.
Like Roger, I'm also wondering if you called them back to fix the issues.

Now I am unsure what to do. Roger, are you still going to go with PW?

Hey whome, I am still considering them.  We'll ask Pac Windecor and Golden West Shutters both come out to get estimate first...  in the mean time I am hoping to get more feedback if anyone else has issues with either of them.

I got Golden West Shutters for more than 18 month now and they still hold up really well,  just like the day they were installed.  You can read my comment on the page 10 of this thread. 

The owner Dave is just not a really good sale person, many are turn off by him.  However their office staff and installer are all excellent and very customer friendly.  If you decided to use Golden West, ask who's their best installer is and request him for the installation.  I forgot the installer's name but he did an excellent job on my installation.  He installed shutters on 14 windows and 2 french doors under 5 hrs, all by himself. 

 

[liveatoc]

I saw couple of months back in of my friend?s home. Econo Blinds installed Basswood shutters with clear view for $13.75/Sq Ft.
I thing home size 2900 Sq Ft, not sure about shutter Sq Ft.

 

[aquabliss]

Dave arrived at my house in a new Land Rover Evoque which led me to believe he was overcharging. 

I mean, buy a new Land Rover if you must, but come to my home in a 2005 Ford F150 so that I don't feel like I'm being ripped off.

 

[whome]

Quick update, we finally got our shutters installed and they look great!

We decided on Norman branded shutters which have the "clearview" no visible bar anywhere (it's built into the stile).

Got 4.5" clearview, with split top and bottom. Norman is however MDF, but it's completely coated in polyurethane (same material in fridges) so very strong and also carries a lifetime finish warranty (not just workmanship like everyone else).

In total we looked at:
- WindowDecorators
- OC Shutters
- GoldenWest
- Custom Blinds
- ShutterKings/ExpressBlinds
- Sunburst Polywood Shutters
- Danmer Thermalite Shutters
- Pacific WinDecor
- EJ's Home Improvements (not E&J Shutters)

WindowDecorators
-- If you want shutters at lowest cost and don't care too much about fit/finish. By far the cheapest, really nice folks (believe it's husband/wife team). The fit and finish is okay. They use 100% basswood, butterfly hinges, dowel joining, exposed magnets, hidden tilt w/ exposed metal bar. In reality people are not going to be opening and closing and inspecting your shutters w/ a microscope. Lifetime warranty on workmanship.

OC Shutters
-- Liked their quality and would say on par with GoldenWest. They tout a "sunblock" bar which will block out light (although got something similar with my Normans). They use 100% basswood, use 4 knuckle hinges, mortise-tenon joining, recessed magnets, hidden tilt w/ exposed metal bar. Lifetime warranty on workmanship. Pricing on par with GoldenWest.

GoldenWest
-- Definitely top quality, and had many neighbors use them and happy with their service and product quality. They use 100% basswood, use 5 knuckle hinges (one more than OC), mortise-tenon joining, recessed magnets, hidden tilt w/ exposed metal bar. Lifetime warranty on workmanship. High quality workmanship for 100% basswood.

CustomBlinds
-- These guys were 15-20% higher than OC and Goldenwest, suspect similar level of quality but didn't like their pricing.

ShutterKings/ExpressBlinds
-- Actually never was able to get the site visit, they lost my request and level of service kind of leaves more to be desired. There's other reviews on them so suspect the same level of quality as WindowDecoractors. So if you're on a tight budget but want shutters they are worth taking a look.

SunBurst and Danmer
-- These are the large commercial shutter companies, you sometimes see them in Lowe's/HomeDepot. Their pricing was like double of others. So definitely going with a local installer/company will save you money.

Pacific WinDecor
-- We ended up going with this guy. Gave the best deal on Norman shutters (woodlore), cheaper than OC and GoldenWest but not as cheap as WindowDecorators. We went woodlore cause of the finish and workmanship lifetime warranty. It is MDF but the quality is very good and it's really hard for anyone to tell between 100% basswood vs MDF. What we like is the invisible tilt bar (there is no visible bar), so very clean lines. We're very happy with the purchase.

EJs Home Improvements
-- They actually had really excellent pricing for 100% basswood, a bit cheaper than OC and Goldenwest. I didn't get a chance to see them in person as by the time they responded with the quote already signed plus the wife was in love with going with the invisible tilt bar which only is offered with Norman.

Hope this helps others who are looking and be happy to share any contact info.

If anyone interested, happy to share pics!

I know it has been couple of years but I would love to see pics!

 

[Roger]

Quick update, we finally got our shutters installed and they look great!

We decided on Norman branded shutters which have the "clearview" no visible bar anywhere (it's built into the stile).

Got 4.5" clearview, with split top and bottom. Norman is however MDF, but it's completely coated in polyurethane (same material in fridges) so very strong and also carries a lifetime finish warranty (not just workmanship like everyone else).

In total we looked at:
- WindowDecorators
- OC Shutters
- GoldenWest
- Custom Blinds
- ShutterKings/ExpressBlinds
- Sunburst Polywood Shutters
- Danmer Thermalite Shutters
- Pacific WinDecor
- EJ's Home Improvements (not E&J Shutters)

WindowDecorators
-- If you want shutters at lowest cost and don't care too much about fit/finish. By far the cheapest, really nice folks (believe it's husband/wife team). The fit and finish is okay. They use 100% basswood, butterfly hinges, dowel joining, exposed magnets, hidden tilt w/ exposed metal bar. In reality people are not going to be opening and closing and inspecting your shutters w/ a microscope. Lifetime warranty on workmanship.

OC Shutters
-- Liked their quality and would say on par with GoldenWest. They tout a "sunblock" bar which will block out light (although got something similar with my Normans). They use 100% basswood, use 4 knuckle hinges, mortise-tenon joining, recessed magnets, hidden tilt w/ exposed metal bar. Lifetime warranty on workmanship. Pricing on par with GoldenWest.

GoldenWest
-- Definitely top quality, and had many neighbors use them and happy with their service and product quality. They use 100% basswood, use 5 knuckle hinges (one more than OC), mortise-tenon joining, recessed magnets, hidden tilt w/ exposed metal bar. Lifetime warranty on workmanship. High quality workmanship for 100% basswood.

CustomBlinds
-- These guys were 15-20% higher than OC and Goldenwest, suspect similar level of quality but didn't like their pricing.

ShutterKings/ExpressBlinds
-- Actually never was able to get the site visit, they lost my request and level of service kind of leaves more to be desired. There's other reviews on them so suspect the same level of quality as WindowDecoractors. So if you're on a tight budget but want shutters they are worth taking a look.

SunBurst and Danmer
-- These are the large commercial shutter companies, you sometimes see them in Lowe's/HomeDepot. Their pricing was like double of others. So definitely going with a local installer/company will save you money.

Pacific WinDecor
-- We ended up going with this guy. Gave the best deal on Norman shutters (woodlore), cheaper than OC and GoldenWest but not as cheap as WindowDecorators. We went woodlore cause of the finish and workmanship lifetime warranty. It is MDF but the quality is very good and it's really hard for anyone to tell between 100% basswood vs MDF. What we like is the invisible tilt bar (there is no visible bar), so very clean lines. We're very happy with the purchase.

EJs Home Improvements
-- They actually had really excellent pricing for 100% basswood, a bit cheaper than OC and Goldenwest. I didn't get a chance to see them in person as by the time they responded with the quote already signed plus the wife was in love with going with the invisible tilt bar which only is offered with Norman.

Hope this helps others who are looking and be happy to share any contact info.

If anyone interested, happy to share pics!

I know it has been couple of years but I would love to see pics!

Hey PenguinOrange - it will be super helpful if you can share your experience with Pac Windecor, we would like to see if you have similar issue with willjoy.   

 

[whome]

@Roger - I did PM another member who used Pacific Windecor a year ago and she said she had no problems. She just gave him very clear instructions about what she wanted from the installation (perfectly aligned shutters and tight frame joints. She said she was happy with the results). Just an FYI.
I think she had contacted Penguin Orange before she went with PW.

I think I am probably going to go with them (once I verify how much per sqft I am being charged).
*fingers crossed* and I will report back.

 

[Roger]

@Roger - I did PM another member who used Pacific Windecor a year ago and she said she had no problems. She just gave him very clear instructions about what she wanted from the installation (perfectly aligned shutters and tight frame joints. She said she was happy with the results). Just an FYI.
I think she had contacted Penguin Orange before she went with PW.

I think I am probably going to go with them (once I verify how much per sqft I am being charged).
*fingers crossed* and I will report back.

Excellent! We'll go with Pac Windecor as well!!  Thank you whome!

 

[whome]

I put in my order with Pacific Windecor (finally!). 

Hopefully everything goes off well. I am getting a mix of woven wood shades and norman shutters. More expensive than I expected (for 12 windows, 1 small balcony door and a slider door) but we have huge windows. And I didn't really negotiate except to ask if he was giving me his best price..lol. His quote was lower than the other company I vetted so I had no basis for bargaining.

Arvind was very patient- we met a few times (even before I said I was going to go with him) so I could confirm my choices of the colors for the shades and the choice of frames. So there was nothing to fault in terms of customer service. Fingers crossed that the installation quality is also as good.

 

[Paris167]

thoughts on doing shutters and having curtains over it in living room?

Thats just too much window treatment, just my 2 cents. Take a look at the model homes, the trend now is to have curtins with bambo type shades underneath.

Just about everyone has white plantation shutters...easier to maintain and good look.  Curtains are quite a pain to clean and problematic if you have little kids.

Agree, I love white shutters but from a design perspective you don't want all your window coverings with shutters, it's too much. It's nice to add some variety. Most of my windows (primarily smaller and bedroom) have white shutters but the large windows I love to keep open esp ones with a view so they have curtains. The mix adds some nice interest tot he interior design

 

[djnick]

thoughts on doing shutters and having curtains over it in living room?

Thats just too much window treatment, just my 2 cents. Take a look at the model homes, the trend now is to have curtins with bambo type shades underneath.

Just about everyone has white plantation shutters...easier to maintain and good look.  Curtains are quite a pain to clean and problematic if you have little kids.

Agree, I love white shutters but from a design perspective you don't want all your window coverings with shutters, it's too much. It's nice to add some variety. Most of my windows (primarily smaller and bedroom) have white shutters but the large windows I love to keep open esp ones with a view so they have curtains. The mix adds some nice interest tot he interior design

exactly what I was thinking

 

[whome]

thoughts on doing shutters and having curtains over it in living room?

Thats just too much window treatment, just my 2 cents. Take a look at the model homes, the trend now is to have curtins with bambo type shades underneath.

Just about everyone has white plantation shutters...easier to maintain and good look.  Curtains are quite a pain to clean and problematic if you have little kids.

Agree, I love white shutters but from a design perspective you don't want all your window coverings with shutters, it's too much. It's nice to add some variety. Most of my windows (primarily smaller and bedroom) have white shutters but the large windows I love to keep open esp ones with a view so they have curtains. The mix adds some nice interest tot he interior design

I agree! Though my dilemma is that my biggest (and only 'kind of view') window is the one in the master window. I like the idea of thick curtains for that window, so I can keep it open if I'm working in there, but my husband wants shutters. I see the convenience and advantages of shutters for that room but it will be such a pain to open them.

 

[monekoko]

thoughts on doing shutters and having curtains over it in living room?

Thats just too much window treatment, just my 2 cents. Take a look at the model homes, the trend now is to have curtins with bambo type shades underneath.

Just about everyone has white plantation shutters...easier to maintain and good look.  Curtains are quite a pain to clean and problematic if you have little kids.

Agree, I love white shutters but from a design perspective you don't want all your window coverings with shutters, it's too much. It's nice to add some variety. Most of my windows (primarily smaller and bedroom) have white shutters but the large windows I love to keep open esp ones with a view so they have curtains. The mix adds some nice interest tot he interior design

I agree! Though my dilemma is that my biggest (and only 'kind of view') window is the one in the master window. I like the idea of thick curtains for that window, so I can keep it open if I'm working in there, but my husband wants shutters. I see the convenience and advantages of shutters for that room but it will be such a pain to open them.

That's why i love Hunter Douglas Pirouette on large windows and french doors with the combination of wood shutters on small windows on the sides
But it's costy!!

 

[irvinehomeowner]

We have a combo of shutters, blinds, cellular shades and curtains.

I like curtains because they are quick to open/close, works on doors, can be either light blocking or filtering, softens a room, and can add color or design to match. They are fairly inexpensive and you can change them to work with your decor.

We have kids/pets and have had no problems with cleaning/maintenance with our curtains.

We are planning to get a quote from PacWin for shutters to replace our cellular shades because I don't really like them... I know a few posters on here  who prefer them but it's just not for us.

 

[whome]

thoughts on doing shutters and having curtains over it in living room?

Thats just too much window treatment, just my 2 cents. Take a look at the model homes, the trend now is to have curtins with bambo type shades underneath.

Just about everyone has white plantation shutters...easier to maintain and good look.  Curtains are quite a pain to clean and problematic if you have little kids.

Agree, I love white shutters but from a design perspective you don't want all your window coverings with shutters, it's too much. It's nice to add some variety. Most of my windows (primarily smaller and bedroom) have white shutters but the large windows I love to keep open esp ones with a view so they have curtains. The mix adds some nice interest tot he interior design

I agree! Though my dilemma is that my biggest (and only 'kind of view') window is the one in the master window. I like the idea of thick curtains for that window, so I can keep it open if I'm working in there, but my husband wants shutters. I see the convenience and advantages of shutters for that room but it will be such a pain to open them.

That's why i love Hunter Douglas Pirouette on large windows and french doors with the combination of wood shutters on small windows on the sides
But it's costy!!

these look great. How expensive are they? (my window is around 54 soft and a clear view norman shutter was a little under 900)