Side by side
Traditional custom vs. Prime View DIY
Same look on the window. Completely different experience getting there — and a completely different number at the bottom.
| Traditional custom shutters | Prime View DIY | |
|---|---|---|
| Wait time | 6–8 weeks from measure to install | Most shutters delivered in as little as 48 hours |
| Measuring | A measuring appointment — on their schedule, in your home | Measure yourself in 10 minutes with a tape measure |
| Installation | Installation charge on top of the shutter price — plus the install appointment | DIY with basic tools, or a handyman in about an hour per window |
| How they're built | Custom-manufactured to your exact opening | Factory-built standard RS sizes that fit standard openings |
| Price | Custom quotes that run into the thousands | From $18.95 per square foot — straight line pricing, no quotes, no surprises |
“Traditional custom” describes the standard industry model — in-home measuring appointments, individually manufactured shutters, and separate installation charges. No specific company is referenced here; that's just how the trade has always worked.
The math, worked
Two windows. One short receipt.
No quote, no sales rep, no haggling — pricing is straight line math off the size chart, and every line shows its square footage before you commit.
Window 1 — 17″ wide × 35″ tall
Falls in the RS-15X3 range (15″–19″ × 33″–37″). Manufacturer square footage: 5.00 sq ft.
$94.905.00 sq ft × $18.98
Window 2 — 35″ wide × 47″ tall
Falls in the RS-3X4 range (33″–37″ × 45″–49″). Manufacturer square footage: 12.74 sq ft.
$241.8112.74 sq ft × $18.98
Both windows, plus Southern California local delivery
$336.71 in shutters + $200 flat delivery — not per window
$536.71
Square footage is the manufacturer's per-unit sq ft straight from the size chart — not your window's rough width × height, which can be off by a foot or more. Delivery is a flat $200 per order within 100 miles of Ontario, California — most orders delivered in as little as 48 hours.
Where your money goes
You keep the appointment money.
No measuring appointment
Their measuring visit costs you time and costs them payroll — both land in your quote. You measure in 10 minutes with a tape measure.
No installation charge
Install day means a crew, a truck, and a line item on your invoice. Our shutters go up with a screw gun and a level — an afternoon, not an invoice.
No 6–8 week factory queue
Custom manufacturing means your shutters wait in line behind everyone else's. Standard sizes ship from stock — most shutters delivered in as little as 48 hours.
The DIY advantage
Same look. Very different receipt.
| Prime View | DIY custom shops | Full-service custom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per sq. ft. | from $18.95 | from $27 (their published prices) | $45+ (their published prices) |
| Measuring | You — 10 minutes, free | You | Sales appointment, billed into the quote |
| Installation | You — basic tools, no charge | You | Pro crew, scheduled, billed |
| Lead time | Most delivered in as little as 48 hours | Built to order — weeks | 6–8 weeks typical |
Same plantation-shutter look. No 6–8 week wait. Beauty Privacy Value.