Shutter installation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering shutter installation

Shutter installation is a fit and fastening job where the shutter size, the mounting method and the finish decide how the shutters look and how long they last. Your win is matching the style to the house, mounting safely to the surface and leaving working shutters that actually close.

What customers ask

  • Will the shutters look right with the style of my house?
  • Can you mount them to my brick without damaging it or letting water in?
  • Will they close over the window?
  • What hardware keeps them from blowing around?
  • How long will the finish last?
  • Can you match the color to the trim?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask about the house style, the surface type, whether the shutters need to close, and the color they want, so you bring the right samples.
  • Bring a sample shutter and a hinge or holdback to the visit, and show how each one mounts to the surface.
  • Measure each window and check the mounting surface on the site visit, photographing any soft trim or damaged siding to address first.
  • Put each shutter, its material, mounting method, hinges, holdbacks and finish in the quote as separate lines.
  • Explain how the shutters will be fixed to the surface, and how the water path is kept clear at the fasteners.
  • Prime and seal all sides before the install, and list that step in the quote so the homeowner sees the finish work.
  • Send a closeout packet with the shutter product name, color code, hardware list and a photo log of the mounting.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of finished shutter installs that show the style, the mounting detail and the holdback
  • Shutter materials and styles you install, including working and decorative types
  • Mounting surfaces you work on, such as brick, stucco, siding and trim
  • Service area and whether you paint or stain the shutters in-house

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a finish check after the first year, since exposed edges can need touch-up sooner than the faces.
  • Suggest a trim or siding repair if the shutter mounts show soft wood or cracks around the fasteners.
  • Recommend a hardware check on the holdbacks and hinges after the first windy season.

Licenses and permits

Shutter installation is commonly done by general exterior contractors, siding or trim companies, and home improvement businesses, and rules vary by place. Check your state and local licensing requirements before you bid, and the local building office if the work changes the exterior.

Questions

Do I need a permit for exterior shutters?

Usually not for shutters alone. Changes to the opening, the structure or the exterior envelope can need one. Check with the local building office if the work goes beyond mounting.

How do I handle a mounting surface that is rotted?

Stop, photograph the damage, and send a priced change order before you fasten anything. Repair the trim or the sheathing first, so the shutter is fixed to sound material.

Should I offer working shutters when the customer asks for decorative?

Explain the difference in writing. Decorative shutters are fixed in place and will not close over the window. Let the homeowner choose with that in mind.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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