Do Shutters Increase Home Value

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There are many ways to increase your home’s value, but most people do not have the money to hire contractors to make large-scale improvements to their homes.

Most of us just want a quick fix that will easily increase the value of our homes without too much cost or inconvenience. The question is, can something as simple as installing shutters in your home increase its value?

Installing shutters, more specifically plantation shutters, can increase the value of your home. If installed properly, shutters add a lot of functional and aesthetic value to your home, which can significantly increase the demand for your home and something buyers are willing to pay more for.

Woman with backpack opening shutters outside doors on window

So, why do shutters increase the value of your home? Is it just an unquestionable rule, or are there good reasons for it?

Also, are there ways in which shutters can actually decrease your home’s value that you should be aware of? All of this we explore!

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Do Shutters Increase Your Home Value?

Shutters are a very good alternative to curtains if you wish to add something to your windows to control the light that passes through them. T

he question is, however, are shutters a good investment? Some shutters do increase the value of your home, one of them being plantation shutters.

Plantation shutters are like traditional shutters, except their louvers are wider than traditional shutters’ louvers.

Where your traditional shutters’ louvers normally have a width of 1.25 inches, plantation shutters have louver widths that can range from anything between 1.875 inches and 5.5 inches.

Adding plantation shutters to your home has the potential to increase the value of your home instantly in the same manner that getting a haircut can improve your appearance instantly.

The public generally favors plantation shutters and these classic ‘décor pieces’ attract more buyers than outdated window treatments.

Plantation shutters tend to make very good first impressions, often convincing buyers to put in offers faster.

Because plantation shutters are made for a specific house and a particular window, they remain with the house once the house is sold, which most buyers appreciate.

Thus, shutters make buyers enter and leave with a bang: seeing how gorgeous they make the house look and knowing that they will possess them if they purchase the house.

Given that the shutters will most probably increase the number of potential buyers to come and look at your house and increase the number of offers you will receive, you can be assured that plantation shutters do add value to your home.

White plantation shutters blinds in a bedroom

Different ways in which plantation shutters add value to your home

It is now a bit clearer that buyers like to have their windows decorated with plantation shutters and are more willing to look at or even make an offer on a home if they have them, but how do shutters exactly increase the value of the home?

Why do they make buyers believe that the house is worth more with them than without them?

Shutters are designed and built to last a long time

First and foremost, shutters are designed and built to last a long time (up to 25 years!). Be it blinds, curtains, Venetians, all of these items tear, wear, break, discolor, or any myriad of things.

This is not good because buyers or even tenants see these window covers as expensive and may require replacing, maintenance, or repairs.

Plantation shutters have almost none of these disadvantages and immediately cause buyers or tenants to breathe easier.

Shutters provide much more privacy and light

Secondly, shutters provide much more privacy and light control for your home compared to other window treatments.

This is a great positive because this adds an additional layer of protection which other window treatments don’t.

People attach a lot of value to security, which is why this is immediately seen as a value-booster. In addition to security, you still receive a lot of light through the shutters.

Shutters increase the appraisal value of your home

Thirdly, shutters add value because of the customized beauty they add to your home.

These window treatments increase your home’s appraisal value because they can be customized to such a large extent: they can be bifold, stacked, sliding, the various sizes they come in, etc.

Because shutters are so flexible, they can fit into most home interiors, and they look good, and flexibility and beauty are things most buyers want.

White window shutters in window in stone house

Shutters are considered to be timeless and classic

Fourthly, shutters are considered to be timeless and classic. Because shutters mostly come in neutral colors and are often elegant in design, they hardly ever date.

Curtains, blinds, and other window treatments can go out of fashion because of design or color trend changes.

Shutters are timeless and classic, which will allow you appeal to a very large audience and, thus, you will potentially receive more potential buyers.

Shutters are easy to maintain and clean

Fifthly, shutters are one of the easiest window treatments to maintain and clean. Think about it, how difficult is it to wash and maintain curtains?

It often takes very long, causes many inconveniences, and can be a bit expensive, depending on the type of curtains you have. Shutters, on the other hand, merely need a sponge and a bit of water!

Shutters are eco-friendly

Finally, shutters are considered to be very eco-friendly. Nowadays, there are many trends and cultural shifts to becoming more environmentally-aware and live ‘greener’ lifestyles.

A shutter is very eco-friendly in that it blocks out the sun and the cold, providing you with a comfortable temperature without the usage of cooling units.

Thus, this adds a lot of value to your home in that it might replace an expensive ac unit.

Mistakes people make causing shutters to not increase home value

It is beyond doubt that a shutter increases your home’s value, but sometimes people make mistakes that cause the shutters to not add value to your home.

Not prioritizing quality

Window shutters of a mediterranean house

Sometimes people focus on the price and not on the shutter’s quality—one of the reasons people like shutters is because they are meant to last very long.

If you choose shutters that are not made of durable materials, they will crack and break easily, and buyers will see the shutters for the maintenance project they will soon become.

Installing your shutter improperly

Even if you buy shutters that are the most beautiful on the market that also provide the best insulation against very warm and cold weather, you still will not increase your home’s value if these shutters are not installed properly.

Usually, problems resulting from shutters are due to improper installation.

Here are common mistakes you should avoid to let your shutters add the most value to your home:

Having a shutter that is too tightly fixed. If you fix the shutter too tightly, it will not allow for contraction or expansion due to heat and cooling. Thus, it might crack if you are located in a place that experiences drastic weather changes.
Applying the wrong paint to your shutter. The idea is to go with neutral, timeless colors, so you don’t want too extravagant colors on your shutters. More importantly, if you don’t choose the right type of paint, it could peel off your shutter not long after it is applied. Consult a professional on which paint to use for your shutter.
Not cleaning your shutters properly before painting. It is strongly recommended that you use a heavy-duty trisodium phosphate cleaner before applying primer and paint to your shutter.
Installing a shutter while allowing moisture to enter. If you install the shutter, you allow moisture to enter when the fastening systems penetrate the wall. Accordingly, it is better to pre-drill a hole in the wall before you install the fasteners. Use silicone to fill the holes up after installation.

Conclusion

It is very simple; shutters do add a lot of value to your home. These timeless, classic, beautiful window treatments have so much functional and aesthetic value that it is almost difficult not to add value to your home when installing these.

They look stunning and can eliminate the need for temperature control devices in your home.

That said, be careful not to install them incorrectly because that can have the opposite effect of what you intended.

If you have not been installing shutters properly for years, rather consult a professional to ensure that your home’s value increases the way you intended!