When you close up your retail or commercial premises you want to be sure that your premises are as secure as possible. Roller shutters provide security for business premises by protecting the doors and windows with a layer of material that’s hard to break into.
It means your windows and doors are protected from damage by vandals, burglars and, even the weather.
In this guide, we’ll tell you about the costs of roller shutters, what affects those costs, how you can save money on roller shutters, what’s involved in a roller shutter installation, how you can find and hire a roller shutter installer and the questions you should ask them.
Finally, we’ll answer some of your frequently asked questions.
Topics
How Much Do Roller Shutters Cost?
| Size in Galvanised Steel | Spring Lock Opening | Electric Operation Opening | Installation Cost | Total for Spring Lock Opening | Total for Electric Opening |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 m x 1.8 m doorway | £400 to £500 | £700 to £800 | £250 to £350 | £650 to £800 | £950 to £1,150 |
| 2.4 m x 1 8 m shop front | £600 to £700 | £770 to £870 | £300 to £400 | £900 to £1.100 | £1,070 to £1,270 |
| 4.00 m x 1.8 m shop front | £800 to £900 | £970 to £1,070 | £300 to £400 | £1,100 to £1,300 | £1,370 to £1,470 |
The table above shows prices for the purchase and installation of galvanised steel roller shutters.
| Size in Punched Aluminium Slats | Spring Lock Opening | Electric Operation Opening | Installation Cost | Total for Spring Lock Opening | Total for Electric Opening |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 m x 1.8 m Doorway | £500 to £600 | £730 to £820 | £250 to £300 | £750 to £900 | £980 to £1,120 |
| 2.4 m x 1.8 m Shop Front | £850 to £950 | £1,120 to £1,220 | £300 to £400 | £1,150 to £1,350 | £1,420 TO £1,620 |
| 4.00 m x 1.8 m Shop Front | £1,150 to £1,250 | £1,400 to £1,500 | £300 to £400 | £1,450 to £1,650 | £1,700 TO £1,900 |
The table above gives you the price to purchase and install punched aluminium slat roller shutters.
As you can see both tables give you the prices for shop doorway and shop fronts with the two most common types of material used and with manual and electric opening systems.
While installation costs don’t vary much, the fabrication costs do. You need to supply your measurements when making a roller shutter purchase to get an accurate instant quote.
You might also want to consider paying a bit more to have a manual override on an electric opening system in case of problems with the electricity.
When you want to hire a roller shutter installer, use HouseholdQuotes. Simply fill in the online form.
Tell us briefly what you need and we’ll find local roller shutter installers to give you no-obligation quotes.
Click To Get QuotesWhat Affects the Cost of Roller Shutters?
A few different factors are likely to have an impact on the cost of installation for roller shutters. We take a closer look at these factors below.
Type of Roller Shutter
The type of roller shutter you have installed will affect the price. Roller shutters come in the following types which basically are manual or electric.
Manual Operation
This type is the least expensive of all roller shutters. They are typically used in small shops, office fronts and self-storage areas.
Roller shutters with manual operation start at £325 for galvanised steel and £365 for aluminium.
Hand Chain Operation (Manual)
Hand chain roller shutters are used in industrial premises and factory units. Hand chain operated shutters are in the same price bracket as manual roller shutters.
Prices start at £325 for galvanised steel and £365 for aluminium.
Motorised Operation (Electric)
Motorised roller shutters are used in larger offices, shops and commercial business premises. Motorised shutters start at around £1,000.
Industrial Motorised Operation (Electric)
Industrial motor shutters are used in industrial areas like loading bays or warehouses. Prices for these roller shutters start at around £1,650 for galvanised steel roller shutters and £1,800 for aluminium.
Roller Shutter Finishes
The most common finishes for roller shutters are galvanised steel and aluminium. You can also buy them with a polyester powder coating or plastisol which has a wide range of colour choices.
You can have your rollers shutters spray painted. The costs depend on the size of the roller shutters, but prices range from between £200 and £800.
Location
If you live in London or the South East of England then it is likely you will more for roller shutter installation.
Installation
If the installation isn’t included when you buy your roller shutters you will have to add this amount to your budget. The cost of installation will vary according to the size of the shutter.
For example, a shutter on a shop front of around 3400 mm width x 1600 mm height will cost around £658.
Then you need to add the installation costs. These start at around £250 depending on the size of the shutter and the number of tradespeople necessary.
As it is so difficult to estimate industrial-sized installations, the best course of action for loading bay doors and warehouses is to get a minimum of three quotes and then compare prices.
Use HouseholdQuotes when you need to find a roller shutter installer. Fill in our online form and tell us briefly what you need.
We’ll then find roller shutter installers in your area to give you no-obligation quotes, fast.
Click To Get QuotesHow Can I Save Money on a Roller Shutter?
You should try to buy galvanised steel rather than aluminium roller shutters. You can also look at websites like Gumtree and see if there are any discounted roller shutters being sold
Remember too, that comparing quotes will save you money. Obtain at least three quotes with the same scope for comparison.
Let HouseholdQuotes to do the hard work for you and use our easy to use search function to find the best installer for you!
Click To Get QuotesWhat’s Involved in Installing a Roller Shutter?
We break down the steps to take to fit a galvanised commercial roller shutter with support angles of 50mm x 50mm.
Firstly, take the end caps off the roller shutter and measure the width and then add 40mm to your total. This gives you the back of angle width.
Make sure the back end of the support angle is positioned this distance apart. You can make sure they are vertical by using a spirit level.
Now, using a drill, fit the left-hand support angle into its position with appropriate screws into the brickwork.
Repeat this process for the right-hand support angle.
Then you should put the barrel into position and fix the left and the right sides using nuts and bolts. Use a spirit level to make sure it is perfectly horizontal.
It’s time to fix the key unit to the wall using a drill and screws.
Once the key unit is on the wall you can connect the motor wire by passing it through the box section. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions which will have been provided.
The key unit should now be connected to a power supply. Insert the key into the power box and turn the key anti-clockwise as it will go.
Next, slide the roller shutter behind the barrel from underneath and then manoeuvre it up and over into position and then fix the collars with nuts and bolts.
Look at the bottom slat and find the nylon cap on the left or the right. Bend the cap backwards and slide in the second piece of the roller shutter.
Put the nylon cap back into position. Repeat this process if you have more sections to add.
Now it’s time to fit the guide rails. First, turn the key in the upward direction and send the curtain almost to the top of the rail.
Place the guide rails into position. They should be fixed using the pre-drilled holes and countersunk bolts that go into the inside.
Roll the roller shutter up until it is almost at the top of the guides. The roller shutter should sit at around 70mm from the top.
If it doesn’t then it needs to be adjusted using the upper limit dial.
Then take the roller shutter down as far as it will go and adjust the lower limit in the same way. When the limits have been set it is time to fit the manual override head onto the bottom of the motor.
Secure it with the clip and hook in the manual override stick. With this, you can turn the handle to raise or lower the door if there is no electricity.
How Do I Find and Hire a Roller Shutter Fitter?
Start by asking family, friends and work colleagues. You might get a recommendation from someone who has a roller shutter installer in the family or who has recently had similar work done.
You can also search the Door and Hardware Federation (DHF) for members. This is a trade association for companies that are associated with doors and shutters and other hardware.
Let HouseholdQuotes help you. Simply fill in the online form and tell us a bit about your project.
We’ll then find roller shutter installers to give you no-obligation quotes and potentially save you 40% off your project quote!
Click To Get QuotesEnsuring the Professional Is the Right Fit
Make sure each quote you get has the scope for work. If your quotes have different things on each of them it will make it much harder to compare.
Use the questions below to make sure the professional you want to hire is the right fit:
- What experience do you have? It’s always useful to know if they are a well-established company or they are just starting out. You might find that a newer company is slightly cheaper, or you may prefer to pay more for their experience.
- Do you have a website? It isn’t necessary to have a website, but they are useful. Most websites have photographs of previous jobs and testimonials from customers. If they don’t have a website, ask if they have a portfolio with customer feedback and photographs.
- Are you a member of any trade associations? Trade associations will only grant membership to tradespeople with a good work record. They should also have a high standard of workmanship.
- Do you have insurance? Is your public liability insurance up to date? Public liability insurance is vital for all tradespeople as it protects them and you from any injury or damage claims should an accident occur during the installation of your roller shutters.
Final Checklist
Use the checklist below to take the best steps to hire a professional for your roller shutter installation:
- Measure the frontage of your property
- Choose the time of roller shutter you want to install
- Get quotes from an installer (HouseholdQuotes can help you with this!)
Click To Get QuotesFrequently Asked Questions
Can I Install Roller Shutters Myself?
Can You Put a Door in a Roller Shutter?
They are designed so that you can gain entry to your premises without using the roller shutters.
Do I Need Planning Permission or Building Regs Approval for External Roller Shutters?
If you want to install a roller shutter go along or ring the planning department of your local council. They will advise you about the regulations and what you need to do to comply with them.
Will I Need to Service My Roller Shutters?
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