You have booked a free home visit and you are wondering what you have signed up for. There is no clipboard-wielding salesperson and no pressure to commit on the spot. A survey for made to measure shutters in Kent is a practical appointment with one purpose: accurate measurements and an honest price.
Who turns up
Barry carries out every survey himself and fits every job himself, without subcontracting. The person recording your measurements is the person building to them later, so nothing is lost between a sales visit and a fitting date.
The conversation first
The visit opens with a short discussion rather than a tape measure. Barry will ask what prompted you to consider shutters, because the reason shapes the recommendation. Screening a bedroom from morning light calls for a different specification to reducing overlooking from a busy road.
Measuring each opening
This is the part that determines whether your shutters sit flush. Every window is measured for width and height in at least three positions. Almost no opening in a Kent home is genuinely square. Period properties in Rochester, Faversham and Canterbury have settled over decades, and newer builds carry small variations from plastering and frame installation.
A 10mm discrepancy between top and bottom will leave a visible gap if a panel is cut to a single rounded figure. Made to measure means the panel is built to the true geometry of the opening.
| What is checked | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Recess depth | Determines whether panels sit inside the reveal or need a face-fixed frame |
| Squareness | Out of square openings require the panel shaped to match |
| Handles and openers | Panels must clear ironmongery when closed |
| Sills, tiles and skirting | These dictate where the frame can land |
Bays receive extra attention, as each facet meets the next at an angle rarely as neat as assumed. Bay window shutters are measured section by section with joining angles recorded independently.
The decisions you are asked to make
Samples come out once measuring is complete. Four choices follow.
Style. Full height panels cover the opening in a single run and remain the most requested configuration across the county. Café style screens the lower half only. Tier on tier splits the window into independently operable sections. Full height shutters are the sensible default if you are undecided.
Material. Hardwood, MDF and waterproof specifications behave differently under humidity. Bathrooms and kitchens need a material that will not swell.
Louvre size. Narrower louvres read as traditional and block marginally more light when closed. Wider louvres give a cleaner sightline. Samples are held against the glass so you can judge in situ.
Tilt. A central rod is the classic arrangement, an offset rod sits to one side, and a hidden tilt removes the visible rod entirely.
Shutters also add a layer of still air between room and glass, slowing heat loss. The Energy Saving Trust publishes independent guidance on windows and heat loss if you want to read further.
The quote
The price is calculated on site and given before Barry leaves. Nobody works on commission, so the recommendation reflects your window rather than the margin. You can meet the family behind The VIP Shutter Co before booking.
Allow twenty minutes for a single window and roughly ninety for a full house.
What to have ready
- Clear access to each window
- A rough budget range
- Anyone else involved in the decision
- Colour references such as a paint sample or photograph
- Questions written down in advance
We survey the whole county, so made to measure shutters across Kent are handled to the same standard wherever you are.
Book your free home visit and we will take it from there.
