Why are some of my windows left out of the accordion shutter quote?
A straight answer first, then what you can do yourself and when to call an installer.
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A window is usually left out of an accordion shutter quote for one of a few reasons: the opening is a size or shape that needs a different product, the installer could not confirm what the wall behind it will hold, or the quote was written only for the openings you asked about. It is rarely an oversight you have to accept. The omission is something to ask the installer about, opening by opening.
The nuance is that a quote with gaps is not the same as a quote with no answer for those gaps. A good quote either prices a different approved product for the tricky opening or states in writing why the opening is excluded, so you know which part of the house stays unprotected.
Why openings get left out
Accordion shutters are measured per opening, and not every opening suits the same unit. A very wide span, an arched or odd-shaped window, or a spot with no room beside it for the folded blades may need a different product than the standard accordion run. If the installer cannot quote an approved accordion product for that opening, it may be left off rather than priced wrongly.
The wall matters too. Concrete block with stucco takes masonry anchors, while wood framing and upper storeys call for different fasteners and embedment. If the installer has not been able to find the block or framing behind the finish at a given opening, that opening may be held back until it is checked. Anchoring into stucco alone is not what the product approval is built on.
Rules and choices play a part as well. Condo and HOA associations commonly set one colour or style across the building, and an opening may be paused while approval is sorted out. Some openings may already have impact glass, which is a different product, so the quote does not repeat it. And if the quote was for chosen openings rather than the whole house, the others were simply never included.
In Miami-Dade and Broward, the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, shutters must carry a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance. In Palm Beach County, a Florida Product Approval is accepted. If no approved accordion product fits an opening's size, that is a legitimate reason it is not on the quote.
What you can check yourself
List every opening
Walk the house and note each window, sliding door and entry, inside and out. Compare your list to the quote line by line to see exactly which are missing.
Note what is already protected
Write down any windows that already have impact glass or another protection. Those may have been left off on purpose.
Look for obstacles
From the ground or inside, note anything beside or above a window that could block the folded blades, like a downspout, a light fixture or a tight corner. Do not climb or lean out to check.
Check association paperwork
If you have an HOA or condo association, find its colour and style rules and any approval form. Pass them to the installer before anything is ordered.
When to call a pro
Call when the quote has gaps you cannot explain, or when you want every opening covered and a span needs another solution. Only an installer who has measured the opening and looked at the wall can say what fits. One Call Accordion Shutters can line up a vetted, independent shutter installer technician for a free estimate; call (754) 432-6449 or send the form on the website.
In Florida, shutter installation is contracting work that must be done by a properly licensed contractor, and the licence belongs to the installer, not to a referral company. The installer pulls the permit and the building department inspects. You can check any contractor's licence status with the Florida DBPR licence lookup, and confirm local requirements with the city or county building department.
Free tools for this
What the technician will do
- Measure every openingThe technician measures each window, sliding door and opening, including the ones left off, and notes which suit an accordion unit.
- Check the wall typeThey identify block, tie beam or wood framing behind the finish, since that decides the anchors and embedment.
- Quote approved productsProducts carry the approval your county requires, in a colour your association allows, with any excluded opening explained in the written quote.
- Handle permit and inspectionThe installer pulls the permit, installs to the product's approval, and the building department does the inspection.
Related questions
- Can I ask for the left-out windows to be added later?
- Usually yes, once the installer has measured them and confirmed an approved product that fits. The price is confirmed in writing before any work starts, and you approve it first.
- Does the quote cost anything to get?
- No. The estimate is free, and the installer gives the price after measuring the openings. Nothing is ordered until you approve the written quote.
- Will my insurer treat shutters on only some windows differently?
- Opening protection may be considered in a wind-mitigation inspection, but what an insurer does with it is up to the insurer. Ask your insurance company or the inspector how partial coverage is viewed.
- What if a window needs a product that is not an accordion shutter?
- Roll-down shutters, impact windows and doors are different products and trades, not part of accordion shutter work. The installer can tell you plainly which openings fall outside what accordion shutters can cover.
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