<p>Let me start by saying I don’t think, I’m cheap and I do like things - especially my home - to look nice. I am willing to pay REASONABLE costs. (guess my idea of reasonable is, not reasonable!)</p>
<p>Called a local “budget blinds” place to get an estimate on plantation shutters for my living/dining rooms. Looking at initially 6 windows and then more later on. Cannot do long drapes because of radiant heat registers, like to most of the time have lots of light coming in and only “close” windows when the burning summer sun is up in the morning and if it’s subzero to help at night. I thought shutters would be a great look for my circa 1925 New England Colonial home.</p>
<p>The “budget” guy just left. Estimate? $500 per window. Insert shocked face here! Seriously? Am I being out of line to think that cost is out of line?! The windows typical 1925 size, nothing out of the ordinary. We over the last few years have replaced our actual windows in most of our house (LOTS of windows) and the actual window itself was not THAT much more!!!</p>
<p>I’m shocked. No way can I spend $3000 on 6 windows knowing that there are a minimum 6 others that would eventually need to be done. Will def call someone else in, check other avenues. </p>
<p>Try Smith and Noble - I’ve used them (did my own measurements but I think you can also have someone come out), and I was pretty happy all around.</p>
<p>My foray into replacing drapery in my living room (3 window width) and dining room (2 window width) also made me think the world has changed since my last such venture. I had a Penney’s rep come do measurements and picked out materials (not the highest end, but the drapes were to be lined and I need sheers; no new hardware, though) which were supposedly 50% off. The cost would have been almost $6000! So I’m glad I still like the old ones, even though they’re not particularly up-to-date.</p>
<p>I spent about $500 a window for plantation shutters. They* are * pricey. </p>
<p>I’m not sure how you would do them yourself. When they installed mine, they custom fitted them to the existing window frame and install them in such a way that they look like they were a part of the original window frame. The shutters are flush with the original window frame (inside mount). I can’t remember what all they did but it took the guy over half the day to install them on 4 windows.</p>
<p>My beef is with custom drapes/curtains. They’re just fabric and, yet, can easily cost $500 - $1,000 per window. Over the years I have bought various window treatments in the stores and then customized them for my windows by adding trim, valances, cutting them down, etc. I’ve even made my own that looked way better than the stuff you can buy in the stores.</p>
<p>This is a big time of year for Smith & Noble specials. I have their faux wood blinds in our playroom and they have been a good choice. However, I have wood plantation shutters in our family room (only windows on that side of the house or it would look strange) and love them. Remember that while expensive, you can add this cost to the basis of your home for tax purposes.</p>
<p>Shop around-don’t places like Lowe’s and Home Depot offer plantation shutters? Check the yellow pages; I certainly would not stop with just one estimate.</p>
<p>Any kind of custom window treatments are very expensive. I got an estimate for the windows in my formal living and dining rooms 12 years ago, and they were so expensive that I just rebelled and said forget it. Those windows are still uncovered, but we rarely use those rooms, so I’ve gotten used to them being bare.</p>
<p>Any type of custom window treatment is exceedingly pricey. I don’t want to even say what I paid ten years ago for custom work for 30+ windows. I’d like to redo a few of them now, but it just seems like such a waste of money. </p>
<p>Smith and Noble is a good option, although you may find with all of the options, they are not cheap either. If you do it yourself, agonize over the measurements before you order!</p>
<p>The estimate for plantation shutters for the back of our house was $10,000. Even though we have three sets of sliders, and two that are four doors wide, I was shocked at how expensive they were.</p>
<p>I think $500 is quite reasonable. Custom work, installed with a warranty. They come to your house, they measure, they make it locally, if they make a mistake THEY eat the cost, not you. What’s not to like? I’ve gotten cheap window treatments and well, they look cheap.</p>
<p>We had plantation shutters put in our living room a while back. $450 per window. Love them. So I think it was worth it. We also put them our bedroom. I would NOT try doing it yourself.</p>
<p>I agree that having them cost more than the window itself is outrageous! The windows are custom made to (and hopefully energy efficient, weatherproof, etc.).</p>
<p>$500 per window is a reasonable price for plantation shutters. We have them in several rooms in our house and I like them a lot better than drapes. I know you said you have new windows, abasket, but for others, one word of caution - don’t order inside the frame shutters for any windows if there’s a chance that you’re going to have to replace those windows at some point. They won’t be able to reinstall them to the new windows in most cases.</p>
<p>Yes, these would be like you described MomLive - the shutters actually fit inside a custom fitted frame for the window. </p>
<p>We just cannot/will not pay that much - trouble is, likely we could get nothing off a shelf since the windows are old enough not to be a “standard” size (the actual frame I mean, the windows are new). </p>
<p>I’m just so disappointed because I thought I had finally come up with a good option. :(</p>
<p>What about the “venetian” style blinds with the bigger wood slats. They look a lot like plantation shutters. I don’t know the cost but it’s got to be cheaper. Or what about the older style shutters that henge and have narrow slats. They would probably be in keeping with the style of your house.</p>
<p>Plantation shutters are stunning but very expensive. You can often pay less regionally if there is a manufacturer local. Our neighbor paid $23k to have the entire house done. A comparable house in the Atlanta suburbs is half that. We couldn’t justify the cost based on other expenses, so we had 2.5" blinds made at Lowes. They are not nearly as nice as the shutters, but it’s what we could do.</p>
<p>Abasket, I know that after dealing with your son’s computer Costco would probably be the last place you would want to look for blinds, but our friends said that that’s where they got the best price for their window treatments.</p>
<p>JC Penneys also has a large selection of sizes in blinds. If you want something slightly more formal, I’ve done Roman shades on a lot of windows. If you can find some that work with your window size, it’s very easy to embellish them with trim or a fringe. I have some in my kitchen that stay up most of the time.</p>