With the rise in popularity of interior window shutters there are more companies who are now offering DIY shutters. The question is whether it is really so easy to do it yourself if you want a fully professionally fitted finish, as these are not cheap products its not something you want to order and then find you are unable to fit well.
For many years the only option was to order a fully fitted service, where the company you contacted would measure, supply and fit, and take full responsibility for any errors or issues with the products you received. However, as our DIY skills are growing many people are more than confident that they can do it themselves, having tackled a range of tasks in the home, and may also not want to pay the higher prices for something they view as a task they could complete themselves. With the recession tightening the strings on everyone's purse going the DIY route also saves money, so purchasing DIY shutters is increasing significantly in popularity.
Shutter companies have had to recognise this and offer not only the products, but in many cases share their knowledge to allow people to fit their products. While some still prefer to maintain that it should be the exclusive role of specialised fitters, many are happy to help customers through the entire process, providing advice and guides to make it simple. If a company is not prepared to do this then my advice is to look elsewhere, fitting DIY shutters need not be difficult and like me there are a number of companies who specialise in the DIY option.
The key to a good fit is measuring. Make sure that the person who is helping and advising you has a range of fitting experience so that they will know how to fit shutters onto your type of window and be able to predict or spot any issues that might affect fitting. I offer a photo upload service so that I can see what you are dealing with and advise you as if I was in the room with you. If this stage is done properly there will be only one way everything will fit – the right way.
There are also a range of shutter fitting kits, many with pre-made products so that all you need to do is assemble the frame and pop in the panels. It's worth seeing what's available so that you are assembling a minimal range of items and there is less room for error.
Remember, you can always start small and do one window at a time so that you can start with something simple to get the hang of it.
Finally make sure that the company you are dealing with are willing to provide on-going advice during the fitting process. Some are happy to sell you their products but aren’t always so keen to provide advice post sale.
While there are exceptions to every rule, and some unusual windows may be a little more difficult, if a company tells you that DIY shutters are too difficult and you should have them fitted, find someone who specialises in DIY and will spend time to make it possible for you.
Peter Charles is is a freelance author who has the vast knowledge in Shutters and DIY Shutters. For more information on Shutters she suggests you to visit: http://www.opennshut.co.uk/.