Have you ever moved a rug on a wooden floor and noticed the difference in colour between the exposed flooring and the area hidden beneath the rug?
I remember an installer from the full service end of our business telling me how a piano belonging to a very famous traditional Irish musician had been destroyed by the suns harmful rays.
He was delighted to get his plantation shutters installed, all be it too late to save the finish on his piano. But at least his other furnishings would be saved from discolouring and fading.
Simply by tilting the louvres upwards, you will deflect the sunlight away from your furnishings and upwards towards the ceiling where it will do much less damage.
Hugo Clancy
1 May 2012
For this weekend only, beginning Friday 13th (be careful!), we're giving away an extra 10% on our painted range of premium quality Basswood Plantation Shutters.
Spend up to £750 and you receive a 30% discount on our normal price but spend more than this and we'll give you an extra 10% discount!
That's just £149 per square metre for real basswood plantation shutters. With FREE SHIPPING!
There are two small conditions; the offer excludes the hidden tilt rod option and also excludes the tier-on-tier style.
So don't miss out because this special offer ends midnight Sunday April 15th.
Our DIY Shutters are so easy to install and remember, we always send you drawings of your order so that you can double-check to make sure everything is correct before production commences.
Have you noticed how much brighter the mornings are at this time of year?
If you've got small kids, you might not appreciate it that much as they tend to rise once daybreak arrives!
Shutters are great for blocking out light in bedrooms. And if you've got a Velux window, our Velux Shutters are an ideal solution for bright bedrooms in the morning.
They keep heat in during the winter; they keep the early morning light out during the summer; they're usually available for next day delivery and best of all, they're not as expensive as you might think.
This shutter is fitted to a GGL MO6 window and costs just £99 / €119 plus delivery.
Find out more about Velux Shutters here
Order your Velux Shutters securely in our online store.
Hugo Clancy.
8 March 2012
There's just a few days to go before this weekend's Self Build & Improve Show in Belfast. And one of the features on our stand will be the chance for you to have a go at installing plantation shutters for yourself.
Now it's only a 3' x 4' window with 2 shutter panels, fitted using a Z frame, so it's as easy as it gets.
Nonetheless if you're not standing back admiring your work after 10 minutes (with a little guidance from myself), I'll be very surprised! It's really not that difficult.
And if you're the type that comes out in a rash at the very mention of DIY, don't worry. We have shutter installers who can do the job for you.
Either way, we'll show you how you can get excellent value for your money on your premium quality basswood shutters when you choose Shutterplus.
So if you're in the area this weekend, drop in for a quick chat, and maybe even a glass of wine and a few sweets for the kids!
The Self Build & Improve Show, Belfast
Hugo Clancy.
13 February 2012
With temperatures plunging to as low as -35 in central and eastern Europe, now's probably a good time to remind you of the insulating properties of wooden shutters.
Wood is one of the best insulating materials you can get. And when you install wooden shutters on your windows, you are basically covering your window with this material and providing a barrier against heat loss. After all the majority of heat loss occurs through walls and windows.
Nobody thinks twice about insulating their walls, but what about your windows. Ok most homes now have double-glazing but believe me, fitting shutters on your windows will dramatically reduce heat loss.
But don't just take my word for it.
Take a look at this
Hugo Clancy.
3 February 2012
Shutterplus are delighted to announce their attendance at this years Self Build & Improve Show in The King's Hall, Belfast from 17-19 February 2012.
Come along and see our complete range of CedarWood, BassWood and PolyTherm plantation shutters on display. Attend one of our demonstrations showing you how to measure and install your own shutters or book a home consultation and let us look after everything for you.
Shutterplus already give you the best prices on premium quality plantation shutters and if you drop by our stand, don't forget to pick up your exclusive discount voucher which entitles you to a further 5% OFF!
Contact us for complimentary tickets before they're gone! See you there!
When Jack Charlton was manager of the Irish soccer team, he described his style of play as "putting the opposition under pressure", not letting them play their own game. It was successful up to a point, but at the end of the day, (to use another soccer cliche), it only gets you so far.
When it comes to selling shutters, or anything for that matter, I don't believe in using pressure tactics. Many of our customers tell me of encounters they've had with salespeople, mainly from large UK blinds retailers (who shall remain nameless as I have had my fair share of legal threats from competitors but that's for another post!) who have just stopped short of pinning them to the wall in order to leave with a deposit!
I believe the customer is, first and foremost, looking to deal with someone they can trust. After all they are going to part with a substantial payment before they get their plantation shutters at all. On numerous occassions I have told homeowners that shutters will not be successful in a particular window and they have appreciated my honest advice.
Ok I may have left with a smaller order, but honesty will be rewarded either by further business or a referral to a friend or family member.
So if a pushy salesperson refuses to remove their foot from your door, tell them their display of desperation says more about their pursuit of sales targets rather than the well-being of their customers.
YOU'RE THE BOSS!
Hugo Clancy.
19 January 2012
Yes I know it should be spelled tier-on-tier but I am referring to what happens when you design this style of shutter with too many panels.
I had a case many years ago where a customer with a two metre wide window, which was divided into three sections, wanted tier-on-tier shutters with six panels, three bi-folding left and three bi-folding right. Z frame with protruding cill so three-sided frame.
I warned against such a design as there are simply too many panels involved, far too much going on!
Shutters were fitted as designed and we did our best to make them as stable and functional as we could through the use of extra shutter magnets and they actually turned out quite well.
However I think a much better job in the long term would have been six full height shutters with the option of a mid-rail.
But as they say, "The customer is always right"!
Hugo Clancy.
I have another business called Shuttercraft which offers a full measuring and installation service for plantation shutters in Ireland. This initially involves calling to customers homes with samples and carrying out a survey of their windows.
In the ten years we've been carrying out home surveys, we could count on one hand the number of times we have been asked by customers, one of the most important questions relating to the actual shutters themselves;
WHAT KIND OF JOINT IS HOLDING THE SHUTTER PANEL TOGETHER?
It's understandable. As long as the sample isn't loose around the joints, it isn't an issue many think important. However if you have a six or seven foot wide window with bi-folding shutter panels, believe me it's probably the most important factor in determing the quality of shutter you are buying and how long those shutters are going to last.
Chances are the joint is made using either wooden dowels or it's a mortise & tenon constructed joint. Ask any cabinet maker worth his salt and he'll tell you the mortise & tenon joint cannot be beaten, mainly due to it's increased surface area which allows for greater glue adhesion.
AT SHUTTERPLUS WE ONLY USE MORTISE & TENON JOINTS IN OUR SHUTTER PANELS.
Built strong to last long I suppose you could say.
Don't forget to ask!
Hugo Clancy
5 December 2011
Anything that makes everyday life easier and less expensive has to be applauded. The advances in technology and in particular the internet and increased accessibility for the masses has certainly played it's part in making everyone's life that bit easier. And no where more so than in the area of online shopping. Goods are so much cheaper on the internet than on the High Street. And now custom-made products like plantation shutters can be easily purchased online. At Shutterplus, our online DIY Shutters designer tool allows customers to design their shutters from the comfort of their own home. Free shutter samples allow you the time needed to choose which colour suits best. Not the case when a salesman needs the samples back to move on to his next call. And we understand the biggest obstacle customers have of buying online is making a mistake and the shutters don't fit properly when they arrive. At Shutterplus, once you place your order with us, you will receive drawings of your shutters so that you can double-check, again in your own time, to make sure everything is as it should be. This offers you invaluable peace of mind. And remember you only need to pay a deposit of 50% when placing your order. So don't dismiss the diy shutter route until you at least explore the process and the huge savings to be made. You won't regret it!
|
