In December last year, a picture of an all too common scene (a damaged vertical blind) went viral on Twitter due to an Ohio (USA) mans’ cheeky solution. Rather than purchase another set or a replacement for the missing vertical blind, he substituted it with an exceptionally long receipt from a local pharmacy.
The Fragility of Vertical Blinds
Look closely: The vertical on the right hand side is not what it seems.
Not an uncommon sight – a vertical blind missing in action.
While some observers applauded his frugal approach to the problem, surely the dialogue should shift to, why, despite there being other similarly priced options in the marketplace such as K&B Security Doors and Shutters’ (K&B) AllviewiQ PVC Shutters, people return to a product not designed to last?
Comparing Warranties for Blinds and Plantation Shutters
One of the more well-known curtain and blind companies in Australia cover their vertical blinds for up to 5 years (providing you jump through a number of hoops to “register”). By comparison, our entry-level AllviewiQ shutters are covered for 15 years (3 times as long), and our Infinity Shutters™ are covered for 20 years (4 times as long).
Side note: simply by purchasing any of K&B’s products, you are entitled to the relevant warranty.
How Much Do Plantation Shutters Cost?
Plantation window shutters have a reputation for being out of reach for most consumers due to their cost. While that may have been the case when they first hit the market, due to K&B’s investment in local production facilities (Kingston, South-East Queensland), all of our window shutters are manufactured in Australia. Not only does that mean we can measure, manufacture and install our custom made Infinity Shutters™ or AllviewiQ PVC Shutters within 2-3 weeks, the cost is brought down as well. For example: for a 1.8m wide window by 1.2m high, you’d be looking at between $540 - $821 depending on the configuration, operation and brand of shutter. Vertical blinds at the same size, would be approximately $230 - $280. Both of those prices incl. GST and installation.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Cost-Effectiveness
This raises an important question: does saving a few dollars now by purchasing cheap blinds prove to be a wise investment in the future? Providing your roller, vertical or venetian blinds actually last the full 5 year warranty period unscathed by the everyday perils of small children, pets or tenants; at a minimum, you could conservatively estimate a cost of $690 over 15 years for a single window. As mentioned earlier, an AllviewiQ shutter at the same size is only $540. That’s a saving of $150 essentially being thrown down the drain (without mentioning the time costs involved in organising to have your blinds repaired or replaced) by choosing an inferior product over a more modern window treatment.
AllviewiQ PVC Shutters – Installed in Pimpama, QLD.
Judging by the replies and comments on the viral post, there’s more than just a man in Ohio who wishes they'd chosen a more durable, cost-effective option over the years.
The full article can be viewed here - https://au.news.yahoo.com/god-innovator-man-genius-vertical-blind-hack-goes-viral-041013526.html
