Plantation Shutter Help, Guides and FAQs
Straight answers on plantation shutter pricing, materials, measuring, installation, care, warranty, and repairs.
Practical guides
Plantation shutter guides for common questions
Read these before booking a survey or after installation. The answers we give over the phone, written down properly.
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Contact Information
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0777 612 3386Email Us
info@shuttersdesign.co.ukAddress
20 Wittering CloseKingston upon ThamesKT2 5GAOpening Hours
Monday - Saturday: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday: Closed
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Verified reviews from customers who have had shutters measured, supplied, and fitted by our team.
Inspiration
See real installations across Surrey
See how fitted shutters change the room: cleaner lines, better privacy, and a more finished look around the window.
Full Height, Living Room
Richmond
Full height shutters fitted to a wide bay. Louvres set to diffuse afternoon light while keeping the room private from the street.
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Service Areas
Areas We Cover
We measure and fit plantation shutters across Surrey and South West London. These are some of the areas we cover most often.
View all areasFAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
The things homeowners actually ask us, set out plainly: styles and materials, the survey, installation, aftercare, and the guarantees. Cannot see yours? Ask us any time, you will always reach the team that does the fitting.
The total depends on window size, style, material, and how you order. We price standard shutters per square metre: Express Polycomposite is £315/sqm, Express Hardwood is £380/sqm, and Plan & Save is £260/sqm for both materials. Bays, tier-on-tier panels, shaped windows, and tracked doors need a survey before we can price them properly.
Book a free home survey at /contact or by phone. We visit, measure every window, show you physical samples, and leave you with a written quote. No deposit is taken at the survey.
Yes. 50% on order confirmation, 50% on the day of installation after the finished walkthrough.
No. We bring physical samples of materials, colours, louvre sizes, and tilt mechanisms to the survey, so you make decisions in your own light and your own room rather than under showroom lighting.
Yes. The home survey is free and no obligation across our standard service area in Surrey and South West London.
Full Height, Tier on Tier, Cafe Style, Bifold, Tracked Door, Shaped, Solid Panel, and Bay Window. See the full breakdown at /shutter-styles.
Two materials: Hardwood (basswood timber) and Polycomposite (a waterproof composite for wet rooms). Comparison at /shutter-range.
A large range of standard whites, off-whites, greys, and stained-wood tones across both ranges. Custom colour-matching is available on Hardwood, including specific paint references where needed.
Hardwood: 47, 63, 76, and 89 mm. Polycomposite: 63, 76, and 89 mm. We bring physical samples to the survey so you can compare proportions on your actual window.
Polycomposite. It is waterproof, reinforced, better insulated, and the material we recommend for bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms, and any space with steam, splashes, or regular condensation. Hardwood is for dry rooms where real timber character matters.
Bar tilt has a visible rod down the middle of each panel. Hidden tilt moves the linkage inside the louvres for a clean unbroken face. Both available on both ranges; decided at the survey.
It depends which way you order. The Express range is made in the UK and is usually ready about 2 to 3 weeks from survey to fitting. Plan & Save is made overseas to the same specification and takes around 8 to 9 weeks at the lower Plan & Save rate. Shaped work and complex tracked systems can take longer, which we confirm at survey.
Usually a single day for most homes. A single window is 60 to 90 minutes, a whole room is 2 to 4 hours, a whole-house install across 6 to 10 windows is normally one full day.
Clear the sills and immediate area around each window. Take down existing curtains or blinds if you want us to dispose of them. We bring our own dust sheets and tools.
Yes. We need access to every room being fitted, and we walk through the finished installation with you at the end before any final payment.
No. We use dust sheets, contain any drilling, and tidy thoroughly before leaving.
Dust regularly with a dry cloth or microfibre. Wipe marks with a lightly damp cloth and warm water if needed. Avoid solvents and abrasives. That is the whole routine.
A small drop of silicone lubricant on the hinges and tilt-rod connection once a year keeps everything smooth. Most shutters do not need anything else.
Avoid solvents, bleach, vinegar, and any abrasive cleaner. Warm water with a tiny amount of mild washing-up liquid on a damp cloth is more than enough.
Yes. The shutter itself has no dangling cords or chains. If a blackout blind is fitted behind a shutter, we specify the blind with the correct child-safety devices.
A properly fitted set can last for many years with sensible care. Material choice matters: Polycomposite belongs in wet rooms, while Hardwood should stay in dry rooms.
A manufacturer guarantee against defects (warping, splitting, paint failure, mechanical fault): 5 years on Hardwood, 10 years on Polycomposite. Confirmed in writing at order and not dependent on the fitter staying in business.
Damage from misuse: panels slammed shut, louvres pulled rather than tilted, water damage to Hardwood from being fitted in a wet room, and general accidental damage. Wear and tear over normal use is not a defect.
Get in touch by phone or contact form with photos and a description. We confirm whether the issue is a covered defect and arrange the manufacturer fix.
Surrey and South West London, roughly 50 towns. Core area is Kingston, Richmond, Wimbledon, Twickenham, Teddington, Esher, Cobham, Weybridge, and the surrounding villages.
No. Surveys, fitting visits, and repair assessments within the standard service area are free of travel charge.
Sometimes, for larger projects. Single-window jobs further out are not always practical. Ask directly and we will be honest.
Yes. We repair plantation shutters from any brand, including from suppliers who no longer trade.
Most single-window repairs sit around £90 to £180, depending on the fault. We assess on site and confirm the figure in writing before any work starts.
Yes, this is one of the most common repair requests. We adjust frames, trim where needed, and refit to the new geometry.
Same-day or next-day for urgent issues within the core service area. Non-urgent visits booked within a week.
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