Hear from Our Customers
Right now, your west-facing patio is probably sitting empty between 2 and 7 PM. The glare’s too much. The heat’s worse. You spent money on outdoor furniture that barely gets used half the year.
Exterior roller shades change that. They block direct sunlight before it turns your patio into an oven, dropping the temperature by up to 30 degrees in the shaded area. You get airflow, you keep your view, and you actually want to be outside again.
The same shades that cool your patio also cut the heat coming into your home. Less solar gain means your AC isn’t fighting the sun all afternoon. Your energy bill drops, your furniture stops fading, and your outdoor space works the way you wanted it to when you bought the house.
We’ve spent over ten years installing custom window treatments across Central Texas. We’re based locally, we understand what Leander weather does to exterior materials, and we only install products that hold up.
We’re a branch of A Plus Home Remodel, and we focus exclusively on shutters, shades, and blinds. That means we’re not trying to sell you ten different services. We measure, we install, and we make sure it works right the first time.
Leander homeowners deal with intense UV exposure, unpredictable storms, and heat that doesn’t quit until October. We source Texas-made products built for that. You’re not getting something designed for a different climate and hoping it lasts.
You schedule a free consultation. We come to your home in Leander, look at the space, measure your windows or patio openings, and talk through what you’re trying to solve. Heat control, privacy, UV protection—whatever matters most to you.
We show you fabric samples, explain the difference between solar shades and blackout options, and walk through motorized vs manual operation. If you want smart home integration with Alexa or Google Assistant, we cover that too. You’ll know exactly what you’re getting and what it costs before we leave.
Once you approve, we order your custom exterior roller shades. Installation is scheduled around your availability. Our team mounts the shades, tests the operation, and makes sure everything runs smooth. If it’s motorized, we sync it with your system and show you how to control it. You’re using your new shades the same day we install them.
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Every exterior roller shade we install is custom-measured for your space. You’re not adjusting a stock size or dealing with gaps. The fabric options range from light-filtering solar shades that cut glare and UV while keeping your view, to blackout roller shades that block everything when you need full coverage.
Leander’s weather is tough on exterior materials. We use fabrics engineered to handle high heat, heavy rain, and wind without warping or fading. The hardware is rust-resistant and built to last through Texas summers and the occasional freeze.
Motorization is available on every shade. You can control them with a remote, a wall switch, or integrate them into your smart home system through Somfy TaHoma. Set schedules so your shades lower automatically when the sun hits, or adjust them from your phone when you’re not home. If you’d rather keep it simple, manual operation works just fine and costs less upfront.
Yes, but the savings depend on how much sun hits your windows. Exterior shades block heat before it reaches the glass, which is far more effective than interior blinds. Interior shades trap heat between the fabric and the window. Exterior shades stop it outside.
If you have west or south-facing windows in Leander, you’re dealing with direct sun for most of the afternoon. That heat soaks into your home and your AC runs constantly trying to compensate. Exterior roller shades can reduce solar heat gain by up to 80%, which means your cooling system works less and your energy bill drops.
The exact savings vary based on your home’s insulation, window size, and how much shade you already have from trees or structures. Most homeowners see a noticeable difference in indoor temperature within the first week, especially in rooms that used to overheat.
Motorized exterior roller shades are built to retract when wind picks up, but you need to bring them up before a storm. The fabrics and frames are weather-resistant, but they’re not designed to stay down in high winds. Most systems include wind sensors that automatically retract the shades when gusts hit a certain speed.
In Leander, you’ll get sudden storms during spring and summer. If you’re home, you can retract the shades manually or through your phone. If you’re not home and you have a smart system with wind sensors, it handles it for you. The shades themselves are made from materials that resist mold, UV damage, and heavy rain, so occasional exposure isn’t a problem.
The key is not leaving them down during severe weather. Treat them like patio furniture—if a storm’s coming and you’re around, bring them up. If you travel often or want full automation, invest in the wind sensor upgrade. It’s worth it for peace of mind.
Solar shades filter light and block UV rays while letting you see outside. They’re designed to reduce glare and heat without eliminating your view. You’ll still get natural light, but it’s softer and cooler. Most Leander homeowners choose solar shades for patios and outdoor living areas where they want protection but not total darkness.
Blackout roller shades block everything—light, heat, and visibility. They’re better for spaces where you need complete coverage, like a screened porch where you want privacy at night or a pergola where you’re trying to create full shade during peak sun hours. Blackout options also work well if you’re trying to protect outdoor furniture or electronics from UV exposure.
The fabric opacity is measured in percentages. A 5% openness solar shade blocks 95% of UV rays but still lets you see through it. A 1% openness blocks more light and heat but keeps some visibility. Blackout is 0%—nothing gets through. We walk you through samples during the consultation so you can see the difference in person and pick what works for your space.
Quality exterior roller shades last 10 to 15 years in Texas, sometimes longer if they’re maintained. The fabrics we use are UV-stabilized and designed for high heat, so they won’t fade or break down the way cheaper materials do. The frames and hardware are rust-resistant, which matters in Leander where you get humidity and sudden rain.
The biggest factor in lifespan is whether you retract them during storms and clean them occasionally. Dirt and debris can build up on the fabric, especially if you’re near construction or have a lot of trees. A quick rinse with a hose a few times a year keeps them looking good and functioning properly.
Motorized components typically last 7 to 10 years before they need service, depending on how often you use them. The motors we install are built for frequent operation, so daily use won’t wear them out prematurely. If something does go wrong, the parts are replaceable—you don’t have to replace the entire shade.
Yes, as long as there’s a structure to mount them to. Exterior roller shades need a solid overhead beam or frame to attach the mounting brackets. If you have a pergola, covered patio, or overhang, installation is straightforward. We mount the shade housing to the beam and the bottom rail either stays weighted or tracks along side guides, depending on your setup.
If your patio doesn’t have an overhead structure, we can discuss adding a mounting beam or frame as part of the project. Some homeowners choose to install a simple header beam across posts, which gives you a place to mount the shades and doesn’t require a full roof. That keeps costs down while still giving you the coverage you need.
For open patios with no structure at all, freestanding shade systems are an option, but those work differently than roller shades. During your consultation, we’ll look at what you have and recommend the best approach based on your space and budget. Most Leander homes with patios already have some kind of structure we can work with.
Yes, we install motorized exterior roller shades that integrate with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and other smart home systems through the Somfy TaHoma platform. You can control your shades with voice commands, set schedules, or adjust them remotely through an app on your phone.
The integration process is simple. Once the shades are installed and the motor is synced, we connect the system to your home’s Wi-Fi and link it to your preferred smart home hub. From there, you can create routines—like having your shades lower automatically at 2 PM when the sun hits your patio, or raising them at sunset so you can see outside.
If you don’t have a smart home system yet, the shades still work with a standard remote or wall switch. You can always add smart integration later if you decide you want it. The motorization itself doesn’t require smart home compatibility, so you’re not locked into one option. We’ll walk you through what’s available and help you pick what makes sense for how you actually use your space.
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