Hear from Our Customers
Your patio stops being that space you avoid between May and September. You can sit outside during the hottest part of the day without sweating through your shirt or squinting at your phone screen.
The furniture you spent good money on stops fading. Your AC stops running constantly because the sun isn’t beating through every west-facing window. And if you go motorized, you’re adjusting everything from your couch.
Outdoor roller shades block up to 95% of UV rays before they hit your windows. That’s not just comfort—that’s the Department of Energy saying exterior shading is the most effective way to stop solar heat gain. You’re looking at real temperature drops and real savings on your energy bill, especially during Hudson Bend summers when the sun reflects off Lake Travis and hits your home from every angle.
A Plus Shutters & Shades grew out of A Plus Home Remodel, a construction company that’s been working in the Austin area for over 10 years. We’re not new to Texas homes, Texas heat, or what works around Lake Travis.
We opened our shutter and shade showroom because we kept seeing homeowners struggle with the same problems—unbearable patios, faded furniture, energy bills that spike every summer. We focus on outdoor roller shades and exterior window treatments because they actually solve those problems.
Hudson Bend has unique challenges. You’ve got lake views you don’t want to block, older homes that need custom sizing, and weather that swings from 105°F to sudden storms. We measure for that. We install for that. And we use Texas-made products that hold up to it.
We start with a free consultation at your home. We’ll measure your space, look at sun exposure, talk about whether you want blackout roller shades or something that keeps the view, and show you fabric samples. If you’ve got a covered patio or outdoor living area, we’ll walk it with you and point out what makes sense.
Once you pick your materials and operating system—manual, motorized, or smart home integrated—we order everything custom to your measurements. Most outdoor shade blinds are ready within a couple weeks.
Installation usually takes a few hours depending on how many windows or how large the patio area is. Our installers mount the exterior window blinds to your structure, test the operation, and make sure everything’s level and secure. If you went with Somfy motorized shades, we’ll program them and show you how to use the app or voice controls. Then we clean up and you’re done.
Ready to get started?
Every exterior roller shade we install is custom-measured for your home. You’re not dealing with stock sizes that almost fit—we’re building these for your exact openings, whether that’s a standard window or a 20-foot patio span.
You pick from fabrics that range from light-filtering to full blackout. If you want to keep your view of the Colorado River while blocking heat, we’ll show you the mesh options. If you’re trying to create a dark, cool outdoor room, we’ve got heavier materials that do that.
Motorization is available on most installations, and around Hudson Bend, it’s worth considering. When you’re entertaining outside and the sun shifts, you’re not getting up to crank down four different shades. You’re hitting a button or telling Alexa to lower them. A lot of homeowners program their outdoor patio blinds to drop automatically during the hottest part of the day, which saves energy even when they’re not home.
We also install with wind ratings in mind. Quality motorized systems handle 85-105 mph winds, which matters when storms roll in off the lake. And because we’ve been doing construction in this area for years, we know how to mount to different structures—stone, wood, metal—without causing damage or creating weak points.
Most homeowners see temperature drops between 15 and 30 degrees, depending on sun exposure and fabric choice. If your patio faces west and gets full afternoon sun, you’re on the higher end of that range.
The reason exterior shades work better than interior blinds is simple—they stop the heat before it hits your glass. Once solar energy passes through a window, it’s already inside and your AC has to deal with it. Exterior roller shades block it outside, which is why the Department of Energy calls them the most effective shading option for hot climates.
The fabric you choose matters. A light-filtering mesh might block 70-80% of heat while keeping your view. A blackout roller shade blocks closer to 95% and drops the temperature even more. We’ll talk through what makes sense based on how you use the space and what direction it faces.
Yes, if they’re installed correctly with the right hardware. We use commercial-grade mounting systems and fabrics designed for exterior use—UV-resistant, water-resistant, and built to handle temperature swings.
Wind is the main concern around Hudson Bend, especially near the lake. Quality motorized outdoor shades are rated for sustained winds between 85-105 mph. That doesn’t mean you leave them down during a severe storm, but they’re not going to rip apart in normal windy conditions.
Manual systems are even more durable because there’s less to break. But if you go motorized, we install Somfy systems that have been tested in harsh climates. The motors are sealed, the fabric tracks are reinforced, and if something does go wrong, parts are available and we can service them. Most of our installations in the Austin area have been up for years without issues.
Depends on the fabric. If you want to keep your Lake Travis view while blocking heat and glare, you’ll want a solar shade fabric—it’s a mesh weave that filters light and reduces UV but still lets you see through.
The tighter the weave, the more privacy and heat blocking you get, but the less visible the view becomes. A 5% openness fabric blocks more sun but dims your view. A 10% openness fabric is a middle ground—good heat reduction, decent visibility. We bring samples to your consultation so you can hold them up and see what the view looks like through each option.
If the view doesn’t matter—like on a front porch or a side patio where you’re just trying to create shade and privacy—then blackout roller shades make more sense. You get maximum heat blocking, full privacy, and a cooler space. A lot of Hudson Bend homeowners mix both types depending on which side of the house we’re covering.
Motorized systems typically add $200-$400 per shade depending on size and the level of automation. If you’re doing one or two windows, it’s a noticeable jump. If you’re covering a whole patio with four or five large shades, the convenience usually justifies the cost.
Manual outdoor shade blinds work fine—they’re durable, reliable, and there’s nothing to break electronically. But if your shades are hard to reach, or you’re covering a large outdoor living area, or you want to integrate with your smart home system, motorized makes sense.
The other benefit is automation. You can program motorized exterior roller shades to lower during peak sun hours, which saves energy even when you’re not home. Around here, that’s usually 2-6 PM in the summer when your AC is working hardest. Some homeowners set them to rise at sunset so they can enjoy the evening view. You can’t do that with manual shades unless you’re home and remember to adjust them.
Yes, measurably. Exterior shading stops solar heat before it enters your home, which means your AC doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain temperature. The Department of Energy says exterior shades are significantly more effective than interior window treatments for exactly this reason.
How much you save depends on how much glass you’re covering and how much sun exposure you have. If you’re shading large west or south-facing windows during summer, you could see a 10-20% reduction in cooling costs. That’s real money in Texas, especially during July and August when your bill spikes.
The other savings is indirect—your furniture, floors, and artwork aren’t getting blasted with UV rays, so they last longer. You’re not replacing faded cushions or refinishing sun-damaged wood as often. And if you go with motorized outdoor roller shades that you can program, you’re maximizing efficiency without having to think about it.
Most installations take 2-4 hours depending on how many shades and how large they are. A single window might take 30 minutes. A full patio setup with four or five large outdoor patio blinds might take half a day.
We’re mounting hardware to your exterior structure, running wiring if it’s motorized, and making sure everything operates smoothly. If your home has stone or brick, that takes a bit longer than wood because we’re drilling into masonry. But we’ve done hundreds of these installations and we know how to do it right without damaging your siding or trim.
After installation, we test everything, show you how to operate the shades, and program any motorization or smart home features. If something needs adjustment, we handle it on the spot. Then we clean up and you’re ready to use your patio the same day.
Local Resources
