Shutters and blinds protect against sun, wind, rain and prying eyes, and contribute to a home’s thermal comfort. In Western Switzerland they are found everywhere: hinged shutters on village houses, roller shutters on apartment buildings, slatted or arm-type blinds on balconies and terraces.
This guide covers the most common jobs, when to call a professional, the rules that vary from one canton to another and how to prepare a quote request.
Hinged shutters, roller shutters and terrace blinds: what the trade covers
The trade covers several product families, each with its own constraints.
- Hinged shutters: in wood, aluminium or another material, mounted on hinges. They need regular surface maintenance and ironmongery in good condition.
- Roller shutters: a curtain of slats that rolls up into a box, operated by strap, crank or motor.
- Slatted blinds: adjustable slats held in guide rails, useful for controlling light without closing completely.
- Terrace and balcony awnings: fabric stretched on arms or in a cassette, often motorised, with or without a wind or sun sensor.
- Interior blinds and other solar protection: lighter, sometimes fitted without any work on the façade.
The most frequent jobs are new installation, replacement of a worn set, repair of a strap, shaft, fabric or motor, motorisation of a manual installation, adjustment of a control, and repainting or treatment of wooden shutters.
When to call a professional for your shutters and blinds
Some tasks remain within reach of a careful DIYer: cleaning slats, greasing a guide rail, replacing an accessible strap. Others call for a tradesperson:
- any work at height, from a ladder or outside an upper-floor window;
- replacing a motor or an automatic control, which involves an electrical supply;
- a box that lets in air or noise, which affects the insulation of the façade;
- fixing into old masonry, fragile rendering or an externally insulated façade;
- a large blind exposed to wind load.
A badly fixed or badly adjusted blind can come loose. For a large size or a high floor, having it fitted by a professional also limits disputes in the event of damage, since liability for the work is then clearly established by a contract.
Training and rules: what is different in Switzerland for fitting blinds
In Switzerland, the solar-shading and blind trades are learned through dual vocational education and training: the blind-fitter (storiste) apprenticeship leads to the Federal Certificate of Proficiency (CFC). Part of the work also falls to other trades: joinery for wooden shutters, sheet-metal or façade work for the junctions, electrical work for powering motors. On a full replacement site, it is not unusual for several trades to be involved.
The works contract falls under the Code of Obligations (CO). The parties may refer in it to the SIA 118 standard (Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects), which then governs the relationship between the client and the company. If your quote or contract mentions it, read that point carefully.
Building rules proper are a matter for cantons and communes. They mainly concern the appearance of the façade, colour, projection over public land and heritage protection. Nothing replaces a check with the commune before ordering.
Shutters and blinds by canton: permits, energy and heritage
A shutter changes the look of a building. That is why colour, material or shape may be regulated, especially in protected neighbourhoods. Here are the useful cantonal pointers; check in each case with the commune or the relevant cantonal department.
Geneva
Building permits are issued by the canton, through the Office des autorisations de construire. The old town and several neighbourhoods are protected, which can restrict changes to façades. On energy, the cantonal energy law (LEn) applies and the Office cantonal de l’énergie (OCEN) is the contact on which subsidies from the Buildings Programme depend. Many rental buildings are managed by property agents (régies), whose consent is an obligatory step for a tenant.
Vaud
The building permit is issued by the commune’s municipality; the file goes through the cantonal permits centre (CAMAC) when cantonal departments need to give an opinion. Energy falls under the Vaud energy law and the cantonal energy directorate, which runs a subsidy programme. The old towns and the Lavaux vineyards, a World Heritage site, call for particular attention to the exterior appearance of buildings.
Valais
The building permit is issued by the commune within the building zone, and by a cantonal commission outside it. The cantonal energy and hydropower department runs a subsidy programme. For chalets and second homes, the federal law on second homes applies in the communes concerned; the commune can say what is allowed.
Fribourg
Permit applications go through the cantonal FRIAC platform, and the permit is issued by the prefecture or the commune depending on the type of work. The cantonal energy department runs a subsidy programme. The canton is bilingual and has protected old towns, where the appearance of façades may be regulated.
Neuchâtel
Permit applications go through the cantonal SATAC counter, with the decision made at commune level. The cantonal energy and environment department runs a subsidy programme. The watchmaking heritage of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, a UNESCO site, calls for particular caution with any change visible from the street.
Jura and Biel/Bienne
In Jura, the permit is issued by the commune or by the canton depending on the scale of the project, and the cantonal energy section runs a subsidy programme; the old towns of Delémont, Porrentruy and Saint-Ursanne are sensitive from a heritage point of view. In Biel/Bienne, an officially bilingual city (French and German), the canton of Bern sets the framework: the permit is issued by the commune or the prefecture depending on the project, and the cantonal office for environment and energy runs a subsidy programme.
Subsidy programmes exist in every canton, but they are aimed first at a building’s thermal envelope. A blind or shutter does not necessarily qualify: find out before signing, as some grants require prior approval.
Preparing your quote request for shutters and blinds
The more precise the request, the more comparable the quotes. Before filling it in, gather:
- the current type of installation (hinged, roller, slatted, terrace blind) and its condition;
- the number of openings concerned and their floor;
- photos of the façade, the boxes and the fixings;
- the dimensions, even approximate, if you have them;
- whether you want motorisation, remote control or sensors;
- your status: owner, co-owner or tenant, with the landlord’s consent;
- known constraints: protected building, co-ownership regulations, difficult access.
In a co-ownership, the owners’ meeting may have to decide, since the façade is a common part. For a rented home, attach the landlord’s written consent to your file.
What a reliable quote should detail, and what makes the cost vary
A useful quote describes the product precisely: material, colour, type of control, make and reference where they exist. It states what is included: removal and disposal of the old elements, supply, fitting, electrical connection, adjustments, making good the surroundings. It also states what is not: scaffolding, painting or rendering work, an electrician’s visit.
The cost depends mainly on these factors:
- the dimensions and number of openings;
- the material and quality of the components;
- the motorisation and control accessories;
- the accessibility of the façade and the need for scaffolding or a cherry picker;
- the condition of the substrate, which may call for masonry repairs;
- the extent of removal and disposal.
No serious estimate can be made without seeing the site or, at the very least, without photos and dimensions. Compare quotes item by item, not just on the total.
The company’s liability after shutters or blinds are fitted
The Code of Obligations governs defects in the work. For work on immovable property, the period for reporting a defect is five years (art. 371 CO); for movable property, it is two years. Shutters or blinds fixed to the façade are generally treated as part of the building, but the classification depends on the case: ask the company how it handles it in its offer.
If the contract refers to the SIA 118 standard, it applies in addition and may change some rules. In all cases, inspect the installation at handover, note any visible defects in writing and report defects discovered later without delay.
A quote for your shutters and blinds, then tradespeople near you
To get your project started, simply request a quote: you describe your project, your request is passed on to tradespeople and companies in the region, who contact you to draw up a free, no-obligation quote. The service does not impose any contact on you and you remain free to compare.
The canton pages present the local context and the points to check before you begin:
Updated 29 October 2026