Roller shutters, awnings and external blinds for your home in Ireland

Roller shutters are slatted curtains, usually aluminium, that roll into a box above the window. Retrofitted shutters sit in a box on the outside wall or in the window reveal; on a new build the box can be hidden in the lintel.

Awnings shade a patio or a large window and fold back when not needed. They have to be retracted in strong wind, so motorised awnings are often fitted with a wind sensor. External venetian blinds have adjustable slats, so they block direct sun while letting daylight in, and are mostly found on contemporary houses and offices. Insect screens are a separate product and are fitted to the frame or reveal.

For a south or west facing room that overheats in summer, external shading is usually more effective than tinted film on the glass or internal blinds.

Electric shutters and awnings need a power supply at the box.

A shutter over a window that is a fire escape route, typically an upstairs bedroom, must be openable quickly from inside in a power cut. Ask for manual override or battery backup, and think about how a smoke alarm going off at night would play out before choosing a shutter that can only be opened with a remote control.

• product type, slat or fabric material, colour and box size for each window
• whether the box is surface-mounted, in the reveal or concealed
• manual or motorised operation, controls, sensors and manual override
• who provides the power supply and how the electrical work is certified
• fixings suitable for the wall, especially on rendered walls or external insulation
• wind rating for awnings and external blinds, guarantee on motor and fabric

Fixing a heavy shutter box or awning to a wall covered with external wall insulation needs special brackets, otherwise the fixings crush the insulation and let water in behind the render. On old solid brick, fixings need to go into sound masonry, not soft mortar joints. A fitter should look at the wall before quoting, not just the window sizes.

Whether the replacement needs planning permission depends on what is built and where. Many small works on a house are exempted development within set limits, but that exemption does not apply everywhere, for example to protected structures. Ask your county or city council's planning office before you commit if you are unsure.

Electrical work in homes is carried out by Registered Electrical Contractors, and gas work by Registered Gas Installers; ask to see the registration before work starts. Check whether the quote includes VAT, which Revenue charges at different rates depending on the goods and services involved.

Source: revenue.ie

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