For 44 years, Shutter Tech has been providing homeowners in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey with shutters, blinds and shades. With that level of experience, the company has seen it all. Owner Robert W. Miller recently spoke with House & Home about their line of shutters, which are custom-made right in their West Chester factory.  

What are the benefits of having everything made on the premises?
They can come see our shop and the [shutters] are made here in the USA. … I find the No. 1 benefit is that we can fix everything. … When you order some products from outside vendors, the problem is a few years down the road, if something breaks or comes loose, that company may not be in business anymore. … It may have to then be sent to China, which could take months and you have to pay to have it sent over and wait to get it back or get a new one. 

We custom make every shutter here in our West Chester factory. We can  fix everything. If we made it, we can fix it. We have a lifetime guarantee. … We’ve been [in business for] 44 years under the same owner; we’re not going anywhere.  

What is the typical process like for customers?
I would say 80-90 percent of our phone calls come from word-of-mouth or family/friend referrals. A customer will call me, I find out what they want and I set them up with a measure appointment—generally  within the same week. Then I send someone out to measure their windows, taking into [consideration] their privacy needs, what type of sunlight the room gets, whether they need room darkeners, things like that.  

Shutters are pretty easy, there are only a couple of options as far as shutters go, so they pick out the selections   that they want and then we will quote them right on the spot. If they want to place an order, we require a 50 percent deposit. That will get the order started. Typically, shutters custom-made here take six to eight weeks to turn around.  

Just before it hits the build table, I’ll call the customer to set up their installation. That way, usually from the time they are finished being built to the time they are being installed, there’s a three- to four-day lapse. We don’t want the shutters sitting around here collecting dust once they are ready. The installation usually takes about half an hour per window. 

What types of materials do you use?
It’s important to note that we do price match. If people show  us a quote for a similar product, we will match it. … I always tell people … to make sure they ask what’s in the shutter, what is it made of? That is very important.  We have some competitors that charge double the price, but their shutter is hollow inside. If a Frisbee nicks a slat, now you have a hole in your shutter. Some others are made of MDF. If you get a nick in those and any type of moisture gets in there, it’s going to [swell] up like countertops used to back in the ’70s. Our shutters are made of 100 percent  synthetic material; it’s solid foam throughout. It is heat resistant and moisture resistant; it won’t fade, warp, crack, or chip like wood will. … It’s  a quality product that stands up to everything.  

You have to do your homework. Shutters are expensive, it’s a permanent fixture in your home. There is no tax on shutters. A lot of times, you can submit it at tax time and get some energy efficiency credits because they do recognize shutters as an energy saver in your home. 

What are the benefits of installing shutters for your home?
They do stand up to anything. If you’re getting blinds, for example, they’re only going to last you a couple of years at best and it depends on the quality. If you’re getting a shade and it’s made of fabric, that shade is collecting every piece  of pollen and dust in your home. Fabric window treatments [also] fade; they collect all  the pollen so they’re not good as far as allergies are concerned.  

One of the No. 1 things I hear from customers is how easy [the shutters] are to clean, literally a swipe of a microfiber towel and you’re good to go. You really only have to dust them. They’re so low maintenance and they completely change the look of the entire room.

Shutter Tech Inc.
West Chester, Pa. | (610) 696-9322
ShutterTech.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 19, Issue 8 (February 2019). 
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