Hear from Our Customers
Right now, your outdoor space probably sits empty from May through September. The sun makes it unbearable, your furniture fades, and the heat radiates straight into your house, spiking your energy bill.
Exterior roller shades change that. They block UV rays before they hit your windows or outdoor furniture. Your patio stays 15-20 degrees cooler, which means you can actually sit outside without sweating through lunch.
Your AC doesn’t work as hard because the sun isn’t heating up the glass. Most homeowners in West Lake Hills see a noticeable drop in cooling costs during peak summer months. The shades also protect your outdoor furniture from fading and weather damage, so you’re not replacing cushions every two years.
You get your outdoor space back, and it’s comfortable enough to use year-round.
A Plus Shutters & Shades comes from a construction background. We’ve been doing this for over 10 years, and we run a dedicated showroom where you can see materials and operating systems before you buy.
We’re not a franchise or a national chain. We’re local to the Austin area, and we know what works in West Lake Hills homes. The heat, the sun exposure, the architectural styles here—we’ve installed outdoor shade blinds on hundreds of properties like yours.
You’ll work with the same team from consultation through installation. No handoffs, no confusion. Just straightforward service from people who know what they’re doing.
It starts with a free consultation at your home. We measure your windows or patio openings, talk about what you’re trying to solve, and show you fabric samples so you can see the difference between light filtering and blackout options.
Once you pick your materials and operating system—manual, motorized, or smart home integrated—we place the order. Most exterior roller shades are custom-made to fit your exact measurements, so there’s a short lead time while they’re built.
When your shades arrive, our installation team comes out and mounts them. We handle the brackets, the alignment, and any wiring if you’re going motorized. The install usually takes a few hours depending on how many windows or openings we’re covering.
After everything’s up, we walk you through how to operate them and make sure they’re working the way they should. If something needs adjusting, we handle it before we leave.
Ready to get started?
You’re getting custom-fit outdoor roller shades made from weather-resistant fabric. These aren’t indoor blinds moved outside—they’re designed to handle Texas sun, wind, and rain without warping or fading.
The fabrics come in different openness levels. If you want to block heat but still see outside, you’d go with a light-filtering option. If you want full blackout for a covered patio or outdoor TV area, we have that too. All the materials are UV-resistant and water-resistant.
For operating systems, you can go manual with a crank or cord, motorized with a remote, or integrated with your smart home system. Motorized is popular in West Lake Hills because it’s easier to adjust shades on second-story windows or large patio openings without climbing a ladder.
The installation includes all mounting hardware, brackets, and any wiring for motorized systems. If you’re covering a large area, we can set up multiple shades on one control so you’re not managing six different remotes.
It depends on the size of your openings, the fabric you choose, and whether you want motorized controls. A single standard-sized window might run $400-$800 installed. A large patio opening with motorized blackout fabric could be $1,500-$3,000.
The price reflects custom manufacturing, weather-resistant materials, and professional installation. You’re not buying off-the-shelf blinds from a big box store—these are made to fit your exact measurements and built to last in Texas weather.
Most homeowners in West Lake Hills are covering multiple windows or a full patio, so the total project cost varies. We give you an exact quote after measuring your space and understanding what you need. No surprises, no upselling—just a clear number based on what you’re actually getting.
Yes, but the amount depends on how much sun exposure your windows get. If you have west-facing glass that bakes in the afternoon, exterior shades can cut heat gain by 60-80%. That means your AC isn’t fighting against hot glass all day.
Most homeowners notice the difference in comfort first—the rooms behind the shades stay cooler without cranking the thermostat. The energy savings show up over time, usually a 10-20% reduction in cooling costs during summer months.
Exterior shades work better than interior blinds because they block heat before it enters your home. Once the sun heats up the glass, interior treatments can’t do much. Exterior roller shades stop the heat outside, which is why they’re more effective for energy efficiency in West Lake Hills.
Quality outdoor roller shades typically last 10-15 years with minimal maintenance. The fabrics are designed to handle UV exposure, heat, and occasional rain without fading or breaking down.
The key is using materials made for outdoor use. Indoor blinds moved outside will fail quickly—the fabric fades, the hardware rusts, and the mechanisms jam. Exterior-grade shades use UV-resistant fabric and corrosion-resistant hardware that holds up in Texas conditions.
Maintenance is simple. Hose them off once or twice a year to remove dust and pollen. If you have motorized shades, the motors are sealed and weather-resistant, so they don’t require special care. Most issues we see come from improper installation, which is why professional mounting matters.
Yes, blackout outdoor roller shades are common for covered patios, outdoor kitchens, and spaces where you want full sun control. They block nearly all light and heat, which makes your patio usable even during peak afternoon sun.
Blackout fabrics are thicker and provide more privacy than light-filtering options. If you’re setting up an outdoor TV area or you want complete shade for entertaining, blackout is the way to go.
The tradeoff is visibility—you won’t see through blackout shades when they’re down. Some homeowners use a mix: blackout on the west-facing side where the sun hits hardest, and light-filtering on other sides where they want airflow and a view. We can walk you through what makes sense for your space during the consultation.
If you have large openings, multiple shades, or second-story windows, motorized controls make sense. You’re not wrestling with crank handles or pull cords every time you want to adjust the shade.
Motorized systems also let you set schedules. Your shades can lower automatically during peak sun hours and raise in the evening without you touching anything. If you have a smart home setup, you can control them from your phone or integrate them with your existing system.
The upfront cost is higher—usually $200-$500 more per shade depending on the system. But for most West Lake Hills homeowners, the convenience is worth it. You’ll actually use the shades more often when they’re easy to operate, which means you get more benefit from the investment.
Yes, we install exterior roller shades on existing covered patios, pergolas, and window openings. As long as there’s a structure to mount the brackets, we can fit the shades.
For open patios without a roof or overhang, we’d need to add a mounting surface or recommend a different shade solution. But most covered outdoor spaces in West Lake Hills are ready for installation without major modifications.
During the consultation, we assess your structure and let you know if any prep work is needed. In most cases, we’re mounting directly to existing beams or fascia. The install is straightforward, and we handle everything from brackets to final adjustments so your shades operate smoothly.
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