Choosing roller shutters: operation, wiring and fitting

What the job involves

Roller shutters are made to measure for each opening, then fitted to the outside of the window with the shutter box mounted above. Operation is the big fork in the road: manual winder or strap shutters are the cheapest and need no power; standard electric motors add a switch or remote; and battery, solar or smart-home-connected motors sit at the top, controlled by app or automation. Wide windows and sliding doors need larger slats and stronger motors.

Because each shutter is priced individually, most homes order several at once — which brings the per-window price down, since the measure, delivery and installation visit are shared across all of them. Installation is usually straightforward, but second-storey windows, brick cutting or non-standard reveals add fitting time.

How the cost works

Roller shutters are priced per window supplied and installed, with the size of each opening and the operation type setting the price. A single manual shutter sits at the low end; a set of motorised shutters across the bedrooms and living room in the middle; and a whole-home fit-out with smart or solar motors and a wide sliding-door shutter climbs from there. The calculator on this page gives indicative per-window bands.

The biggest lever after size is operation. Manual is cheapest, electric adds a motor and wiring, and smart or solar motors cost the most. The one that catches people out is the electrical work: hard-wired motors need a licensed electrician, and that cost is sometimes in the quote and sometimes a separate extra. Always ask which.

Choosing an installer

Fitting the shutters themselves is a specialist but unlicensed job — you're choosing on measuring accuracy, product quality and a clean install. The licensed-trade element is the wiring: any hard-wired motor must be connected by a licensed electrician, so confirm whether that's included or on top before you compare quotes, because it's a common hidden cost that makes a cheap quote less cheap.

Battery and solar motors sidestep the wiring entirely, which makes them well suited to retrofits and second-storey windows where running mains cable is awkward and expensive. If you're in a bushfire-prone area, ask for shutters tested to the relevant BAL rating. And get the slat material, box size and motor type in writing so you're comparing like with like.

Mistakes to avoid

Roller shutter regrets usually come from a quote that quietly leaves out the electrician, or from ordering shutters one at a time and missing the saving of a shared install. A couple of questions up front avoid both.

• Not checking whether the electrician for hard-wired motors is in the quote or extra
• Ordering shutters one at a time instead of together to share the install visit
• Choosing hard-wired motors for a retrofit where battery or solar would avoid the wiring
• Forgetting BAL-rated shutters if you're in a bushfire-prone area
• Comparing quotes without matching slat material, box size and motor type
• Overlooking the extra fitting time for second-storey windows and brick cutting