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Honest Pricing

How much do shutters
actually cost?

A standard window in interior shutters typically costs £544 to £1,592 including measurement, supply, and professional installation. The price depends on the material (timber, PVC, aluminium), window size, and configuration. Below are real prices for a real window across all six of our ranges, with honest explanations of what drives the cost.

Real prices for a real window

For a standard bathroom window (approximately 850mm wide by 1,900mm tall, two panels), here is what each of our ranges costs. These prices include professional measurement, manufacture, delivery to your home, and expert installation by our own BBSA certified team.

All prices include VAT. Calculated from our current trade price list at our standard retail margin.

Range Material Price
Antigua Engineered MDF £544
Bermuda MDF frame, ABS louvres £608
Cuba Hardwood panels, MDF frame £646
Fiji 100% premium hardwood £768
Java 100% waterproof ABS £844
Portchester Architectural aluminium £1,592

For a larger window (say a bedroom at 1,200mm wide by 1,500mm tall), expect to pay 10 to 20 per cent more than the examples above. For a full bay window with three or four sections, you could be looking at £2,000 to £4,000+ depending on the range and complexity.

For a whole house (a typical three bedroom semi with eight to ten windows), a complete shutter installation in our mid-range Cuba hardwood could cost between £6,000 and £9,000. In our premium Fiji hardwood, that same house might come in at £8,000 to £12,000.

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What drives the cost up

Larger windows

Shutters are priced per square metre. A floor to ceiling window costs more than a small bathroom window simply because there is more material involved.

Unusual shapes

Arched windows, circular portholes, angled gable ends, and triangular transoms all require specialist hand crafting. Standard rectangular shutters can be cut to precise measurements efficiently. A shaped shutter needs custom frames built by specialists. Expect shaped windows to add 20 to 30 per cent or more to the base price.

Premium materials

Our 100% hardwood Fiji range costs roughly 40 per cent more than our entry level Antigua. You are paying for superior timber, a wider colour palette (30 paint colours plus 24 stain finishes), the ability to do any window shape, and a material that can be sanded and refinished decades from now.

Waterproofing

If your shutters are going in a bathroom, wet room, kitchen, or swimming pool area, you need our Java range. Waterproof ABS construction costs more than standard MDF or timber, but it will never warp, swell, or deteriorate in humid conditions.

Custom colours

Our standard ranges include a generous selection of whites, creams, and popular colours. But if you want your shutters colour matched to a specific Farrow and Ball shade or a bold custom colour, there is a surcharge for the bespoke paint process.

Bay windows and bi-fold configurations

These require additional tracking systems, more panels, and more complex installation. A five panel bi-fold for a set of patio doors is a bigger job than a simple two panel window.

What drives the cost down

Cafe style instead of full height

Cafe style shutters cover only the bottom half of your window. You are paying for roughly half the material, so the cost drops significantly. They are popular in ground floor rooms where you want privacy at eye level but full natural light from the top.

Choosing the right material for the job

Not every window needs our premium Fiji range. Our Antigua (engineered MDF) and Bermuda (MDF with ABS louvres) are excellent products for standard rectangular windows. They look beautiful, they are durable, and they cost 25 to 40 per cent less than full hardwood.

Standard rectangular windows

If your windows are straightforward rectangles, the manufacturing process is more efficient and the cost reflects that.

Doing multiple rooms at once

While we never pressure anyone into buying more than they need, there are efficiency savings when we measure and install an entire floor or house in one project. One survey visit, one installation trip, one set of logistics.

Why some shutter companies charge more

Premium shutter companies (including us) charge more because of several factors that directly affect what you end up with.

Real hardwood timber

Genuine Paulownia, basswood, or engineered hardwood costs significantly more than PVC or vinyl. The difference is visible in the grain, the weight in your hand, and crucially in how long the product lasts.

BBSA certification

The British Blind and Shutter Association sets standards for product quality, installation competence, and consumer protection. David D'Ambrosio, our Technical Director, is the Immediate Past President of the BBSA. That level of involvement reflects a genuine commitment to industry standards.

Employed fitters, not subcontractors

Our installation team are employed by us. They are trained specifically in shutter fitting. Millimetre precision matters. A shutter that is 2mm out will not close properly, will not look right, and will frustrate you for years.

A real five year guarantee

Our guarantee is backed by a company with a physical presence in Scotland, real employees, and a reputation to maintain. If something goes wrong in year four, we are here to fix it.

Why some shutter companies are so cheap

This is the section most shutter companies would never write. But you deserve to know.

PVC and vinyl materials

The cheapest shutters are made from PVC or vinyl. They look passable when new but cannot be repainted or refinished. They yellow over time, especially in south facing windows. They warp in heat. And when damaged, you replace the whole panel. PVC shutters cost 20 to 30 per cent less upfront, but their lifespan is 10 to 15 years versus 50+ years for quality timber.

No showroom, no overheads

Some companies operate from a van and a mobile phone. Lower overheads mean lower prices. But it also means no design studio where you can see and touch the product, no permanent base if something goes wrong, and often no BBSA membership.

Subcontracted installation

Rather than employing their own fitters, some companies use subcontractors who may be fitting shutters one week and hanging doors the next. The quality of installation varies enormously.

Short or non-existent guarantees

A company offering a one year guarantee (or no guarantee at all) is telling you something about how much confidence they have in their product and installation.

We are not saying cheap always means bad. But when the price seems too good to be true, it is worth asking what has been cut to get there.

Where we sit in the market

We are positioned in the premium mid-range to premium bracket.

We are not the cheapest. We never will be, and we do not try to be. We are also not the most expensive (London specialists with bespoke cabinetry workshops charge considerably more).

What we are is honest value for quality. You get precision manufactured shutters from established factories. You get a proper design consultation. You get installation by our own employed, BBSA trained team. And you get a five year guarantee from a company with a physical presence in Scotland.

Entry level

Antigua & Bermuda

From £544 per window

Engineered MDF construction. Excellent for standard rectangular windows where budget is a priority. Limited colour options compared to premium ranges. A great product that looks beautiful and lasts well.

Most popular

Mid-range hardwood

Cuba

From £646 per window

Real hardwood panels on MDF frames. Twelve colour options. The most popular choice for customers who want the look and feel of real wood without stretching to full hardwood pricing.

Premium hardwood

Fiji

From £768 per window

100% hardwood throughout. Available in any shape. Thirty paint colours plus twenty four stains plus custom colour matching. Can be sanded and refinished. The choice for customers who want the absolute best.

Specialist ranges sit alongside these: Java for wet rooms (from £844), and Portchester aluminium security shutters with lock and key (from £1,592).

The real cost: price per year over a lifetime

This is the comparison that changes how most people think about shutters. A quality hardwood shutter lasts 50 years or more. It can be sanded, repainted, and refinished. A PVC shutter lasts 10 to 15 years before yellowing, warping, or mechanical failure. It cannot be refinished.

Option Initial cost Lifespan 50 year total
PVC shutters (competitor) £4,000 12 years £16,000+
SSC Cuba hardwood £7,500 50+ years £7,500
SSC Fiji hardwood £9,000 50+ years £9,000

The "expensive" hardwood shutters are actually less than half the cost of the "cheap" PVC shutters over the life of your home. And that is before you factor in the disruption of having shutters removed and refitted three or four times, the waste going to landfill, and the fact that replacement PVC shutters in 2038 will not cost what they cost today.

Are shutters worth it?

This is the most important question, and we will answer it honestly.

Shutters are worth it if...

  • You are planning to stay in your home for five years or more
  • You value precise control over light, privacy, and insulation
  • You want to add value to your home
  • You are tired of replacing curtains and blinds every few years

Shutters might not be worth it if...

  • You are in a short term rental or planning to move within a year
  • Your budget genuinely cannot stretch to the entry level right now
  • You like to change your window treatment every few years to match new decor

We would rather help you make the right decision than make a sale. If shutters are not right for your situation, we will tell you. We also offer motorised blind ranges at a lower price point.

Pricing questions

Can you give me an exact price over the phone?

Not accurately, no. Shutter pricing depends on the precise dimensions of your windows, the style, the material, and any special requirements. We can give you a ballpark based on rough measurements, but for an accurate quote we need to see your windows. That is why we offer no obligation design consultations.

Why is your quote different from the online calculator?

Our online estimator gives you a ballpark range to help you plan your budget. Your formal quotation is based on a precise, to the millimetre survey of your actual windows. The two should be in the same territory, but the formal quote is the accurate figure.

Is installation included in the price?

Yes, always. Our prices include professional measurement, manufacture, delivery, and installation by our own team. We do not do supply only for our standard ranges because we cannot guarantee the finished result if someone else fits them.

What about VAT?

All our prices include VAT at 20%. The prices shown on this page are what you actually pay. No surprises.

Why do shutters take 10 to 14 weeks?

Because they are precision manufactured to your exact measurements. Every shutter we install is made to order. There is no standard size sitting in a warehouse. Your shutters are built specifically for your windows, which is why they fit perfectly. The lead time is the manufacturing and quality control process, plus shipping from the factory.

Can I get them faster?

Yes. We offer an air freight option for customers who need their shutters sooner. There is an additional cost for this. We also work with a UK based manufacturer who can deliver certain ranges in as little as two weeks for urgent projects.

What happens if something goes wrong after installation?

You are covered by our five year guarantee. We are a Scottish company with a physical presence. If a louvre mechanism fails, a panel warps, or anything is not right, you contact us and we sort it. We have been doing this for years and we plan to be doing it for decades more.

What to do next

You now know more about shutter pricing than most people who call a shutter company. That is deliberate. We believe informed customers make better decisions, and better decisions lead to happier customers.

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Last reviewed: by David Browne, Project Director

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