plantation shutters

[blessingshappen]

This may sound really dunb but I have a 1200 sq foot brick tudor "cottage" in Denver and my old, metal windows need to be replaced. I want to put up plantation shutters inside so at least my view from the inside is nice and I can still have light. Can new windows be installed after plantation shutters are installed? The window bid came in at over $12,000 for decent windows so I'm a year or two away from being able to put them in but I could do the shutters soon as an inside beautification solution.
Thanx.

[zuzus_garden]

Hi blessingshappen!

We're neighbors! From Denver, if you look south on a clear day, you can see Pikes Peak. Wave 'Hi', cause I live just a few miles from there. :)

I've not replaced windows, so I don't know the answer to your question. But, if you already have a place in mind to order your shutters from, I'm sure they could help.

If not, you could do a google search for 'plantation shutters', and then email those businesses with your question.

I'd love to hear what you find out, becuase I love the look of indoor shutters too.

Take care,
Zuzu

[blessingshappen]

Thanks for your response. I'm going through Costco, which is similiar to Sam's Club, for my plantation shutters. So I didn't expect them to know alot about what could happen after I bought their shutters and installed them ourselves, as far as new windows after the shutters. Our neighborhood (Historic Montclair) is about $250,000 for the "lots/cottages" which means many cute houses are now being scraped off for new houses. I am not kidding when I say 9 houses near me are now scraped or are having total renovations. It makes me sad. We have Hilltop/Crestmoor on one side and Lowry on the other so I sit on my little gold mine cottage which I love while $649,000 to $1.2 million houses go up all around me. It's depressing. Everyone deserves an affordable cottage, to buy as is or fix up.
Pikes Peak is gorgeous so hoorary for your view.
Enjoy your view and your great view of life!



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[administrator]

Here was my solution for installing shutters without hindering the movement on the windows and allowing for new windows. You can see in the photo that the shutters are attached to a 3/4 x 1 inch piece of clear poplar with two holes bored to accept large wood screws. The screws secure the shutters to the side window casings. When I replace the windows next Spring, (as you can see, they need replacing) I can unscrew those side pieces and replace the window. If the new window casing works out to be just a little bit different width, I just recut the 3/4 x 1 inch pieces to fit.

[Sommer]

I have had new windows installed after having plantation shutters installed, with no problem whatsoever. No special installation required.

[zuzus_garden]

Hi administrator - great solution! I'll add it to my ideas folder! :)


Hi blessingshappen,
You live close to my parents, so I know what you are talking about with all the new construction. :( There is a trend towards building smaller, more efficient homes that I hope will take off soon. I have not read these yet, but understand they are quite good:
The Not So Big House and Creating the Not So Big House -- by Sarah Susanka
Enjoy your little cottage, and I hope your shutters go up easily!
Take care,
Zuzu

[blessingshappen]

Hello Administrator,

Great install of the shutters. Thanks alot. Now I'm pumped to do my project. I have three teenage sons to help me.
I hope all of your holidays are wonderful and 2005 brings you completion of your cottage living projects!

[blessingshappen]

Thanks Sommer And Zuzu. I'll check out your purses on line and I'll look for those books at the library. That's exactly what I want to do, have a classy, smaller house with nice features.

[ashtudor]

Blessingshappen:

About the windows: Are you sure they must be replaced? Repair is often much easier and cost effective, e.g. $250-400 per window, and there are energy saving options that retain your metal windows which often are a key architectural feature of a tudor style home.

However, if you do decide to replace them, I'd be interested in the dimensions, as they may work to replace windows in other structures of similar age.... Thanks.

[blessingshappen]

Hi Ashtudor,

Sorry it took me so long to reply to you. Our windows don't need to be repaired. They work fine. They are just old metal windows that aren't energy efficient. You can sit in the living room on the sofa under a window and feel cold even with the exterior storm windows on. Plus they are embedded in the brick exterior of the house. They really are a trip but I am not going to miss them and would not give them to anyone after they are removed. I will take a picture with our digital camera and post it but my husband is in LA with his job (he does airport and harbor technology) and has the camera. Our windows really are crappy, believe me! :p

[Lisa S]

I live in Oregon, where granted, we have lots of eco-friendly services but I bet Colorado is pretty much the same...

I had an energy audit done by my utility company. The service was free and they really gave me some great and inexpensive tips to better insulate my house ~ especially around my drafty windows. When I could afford to replace my windows, I used a "low E" model and received a substantial rebate from the state, which made the whole process happen much sooner than I had originally thought.

The books that were recommended to you are great! I’m a big fan!