So you decided to buy Accordion Hurricane Shutters for your house in Florida. And now you need to decide where to buy them. You have three options. You can buy them online, from a big box hardware store, or through a local hurricane shutter company. But which is the best option for you? We will cover each option and give some considerations for each one.
Your Options: Where to Buy Accordion Shutters in Southwest Florida
If you want to buy accordion shutters for your home or business in Florida you have 3 main options. These are the following:
- A local shutter company near you
- Online distributors
- Big box hardware stores
We cover each option in more detail below.
1. Buy accordion shutters from a local hurricane shutter company
You may have noticed there are quite a few hurricane shutter companies in Florida. These companies will custom manufacture and install your new accordion shutters for you.
A local hurricane shutter company simplifies the process of buying and installing your new accordion shutters. The same company will measure your home, give you a quote, custom manufacturer your accordions and install them on your home. In other words, they take care of everything from start to finish. So this might be the best choice if you are looking for an easy process without doing all or part of the work yourself.
These companies should also have a local showroom and/or a local sales staff where you can see the products and options before you proceed.
Pros and Cons of buying accordion shutters from a local shutter company
Here are some of the pro’s and con’s of buying your accordion shutters from a local hurricane shutter company:
Pros:
- Simplest, most convenient process: most hurricane shutter companies handle the entire process from measuring, custom manufacturing, and installation of your accordions
- No need to find a separate contractor to install your accordion shutters as the same company will install them as well
- Most have a local showroom or offer in-home consultations where you can see the different colors, options and features in person
- Recommendations: the staff can help you determine the best hurricane shutters for your house
- Your hurricane shutters are guaranteed because they came from the company and were installed by them
- You will be buying from a local company and supporting your local economy
Cons:
- Comparing pricing vs. online retailers and big-box stores can be tricky because local hurricane shutter companies include installation, etc. vs just the cost of the parts.
- Completing the process 100% online is usually not possible; either an in-home consultation or a visit to a showroom is necessary
You may also like our guide: Looking for a Hurricane Shutter Company in SWFL?
2. Buying your accordion shutters from an online seller
Another option is to buy your accordion shutters online and then find a licensed contractor to install them.
In today’s day and age we buy everything online. So this may seem like the easiest solution. But before you jump in and start buying your accordions on a website there are a few things to beware of.
Considerations when buying your accordion shutters online
First, you will essentially be buying your shutters sight unseen. Or in other words you will not be able to see, touch, and get a feel for the accordion shutters before you buy them like you would with a local hurricane shutter company. So you will not be able to tell the quality of the products or what they look like in person (vs. on a screen).
Second, buying your accordion shutters online may seem easy, but in reality it actually requires you to do quite a bit of work. These steps include researching different online stores, measuring for your shutters, placing the order for all the components and parts, and finding and vetting a contractor to install them.
In other words, you will need to do a lot of the work yourself when ordering your shutters online.
Pros and Cons of buying accordion shutters from an online supplier
Here are some of the pros and cons of buying your shutters online for your home in Florida.
Pros:
- Plenty of options: there are many online suppliers to pick from
- You can buy your Florida shutters online from home
Cons:
- You will have to find a licensed contractor to install the shutters you buy online. The process of finding a reputable contractor is extra work and can be frustrating
- You could have trouble finding a contractor to install shutters that aren’t theirs: many contractors will not install products that you as the customer supply. Even worse, many contractors will not warranty the installation of the accordion shutters you supplied
- Measuring for the shutters you need is up to you and you must ensure that you measure and order the correct size
- You will need to place the order with the online store, ensuring you order the correct sizes, components, fasteners and hardware
- You may have to buy your accordion shutters blindly without seeing them in person before you buy
3. Buying your accordion shutters from a big-box hardware store
When you need a tool, hardware or building supplies like plywood or drywall you usually go to a local big-box-hardware store. So it probably seems natural to buy your accordion shutters there as well. Some big-box hardware stores do sell hurricane panels. But finding accordion shutters at one of these stores may be more of a long-shot.
For example, searching the two most common “big-box” hardware stores’ websites for hurricane shutters returns search results for the following:
- Limited options of corrugated storm panels – limited, standard sizes
- Uncut sheets of polycarbonate
- Some hurricane fabric
- Limited types of hardware
So while theoretically some big-box stores may offer accordion shutters you may have to search for a while to find one that does. From our search online neither of the big name stores carry them. Maybe asking at a local store would yield some results.
If you do happen to find accordion shutters at a big-box store you should be aware that the experience of buying them there is very similar to buying accordions from an online supplier. In turn, the considerations and the pros and cons of buying your hurricane shutters at the big name hardware stores are nearly identical to buying them online.
Pros and Cons of buying accordion shutters from a big-box store
Some of the pro’s and con’s of buying your shutters online for your home in Florida include the following:
Pros:
- Competitive pricing
Cons:
- Actually finding accordion shutters at a big-box store may be hard
- You will need to find a licensed contractor to install, which is extra work and aggravation for you
- Many contractors are not willing to install the big-box shutters that you supply
- Many contractors may not guarantee the installation of shutters that they did not supply
- You will need to measure for your shutters yourself, or find a contractor to measure for your shutters
- You will need to make sure you select and buy the appropriate fasteners and hardware can be confusing to untrained individuals
Conclusion
If you live in Southwest Florida there are a few different options for where to buy accordion hurricane shutters. Specifically, you can buy them from a local hurricane shutter company, an online retailer, and possibly a big-box hardware store. Each option of where to buy has its own pros and cons. Which option is right for you will depend on what you are looking for and the amount of work you are looking to put in to the process.
If you are in the Southwest Florida and want to see different options for accordion shutters in person or get an estimate we would love to help! Eurex Shutters is a local hurricane shutter installation company that has been proudly serving Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples and the rest of Southwest Florida since 1986.
