Manual vs. Electric Shutters: A Cost Guide for Myrtle Beach Second-Home Owners

If you’re one of the thousands of proud second-home owners in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, or Pawleys Island, you’re familiar with the “second-home anxiety.” You’re hundreds of miles away in Ohio, New York, or Pennsylvania, and you see a hurricane tracking toward the Grand Strand. Your most valuable asset is sitting empty and completely vulnerable.

The “plywood plan” is an impossibility. You can’t drive 10 hours to install it. This has led you to a “smart” search for a permanent, “lock and leave” solution. You’ve likely started by searching for `manual hurricane shutters` or `manual storm shutters` because you’re a practical, budget-conscious person. But this leads to the ultimate question: **is it worth upgrading to electric?**

You have come to the right place. At American Hurricane Shutters, we are the local, insured experts who have specialized in protecting the Grand Strand’s second-home market since 2007. We are a **family-owned, fully insured (with a $2M Umbrella), and approved SC Safe Home contractor**.

This is your expert, transparent cost and convenience guide. We will directly compare the two systems and their *real-world* costs. The angle is simple: for a second-home owner, the “premium convenience” of electric isn’t just a “luxury”‚Äîit’s the entire “peace of mind” solution.

The “Shared” Benefit: Why Roll Down Shutters are the 2-in-1 Solution

First, let’s be clear: both `manual roll down storm shutters` and their electric counterparts are a *fantastic* choice. They are the same core “fortress” for your home. We install elite, high-wind systems from **Alutech United** and **ASSA (Bertha HV)**.

Whether you choose manual or electric, you are getting a system that is:

• Hurricane-Rated: Both are “large-missile” impact-tested to stop flying debris, which FEMA identifies as the #1 cause of catastrophic home failure.
• The Ultimate Security Shutter: This is *critical* for a second-home. When deployed, it’s a solid, heavy-duty aluminum wall. It is the best 2-in-1 storm and intrusion-prevention system on the market.
• “Invisible” & Low-Maintenance: Both retract into a small, “invisible” housing box above the window, preserving your ocean view. And both are made of powder-coated aluminum that will *never* rot, warp, or rust in the Myrtle Beach salt air.

The core product is identical. The *only* difference is the “engine”: your hand, or a motor. For a second-home owner, this choice is everything.

A Deep Dive: The Case for `Manual Hurricane Shutters`

This is where your search began. A manual roll down shutter is a robust, reliable, and affordable entry into the “premium” shutter market.

H3: How It Works & The “Affordable” Cost

The shutter is operated by a simple, gear-driven hand crank or a pull-strap. It’s a reliable, mechanical system that is 100% “power-outage-proof.”

This is the baseline for pricing. A **Manual Rated Rolldown Shutter** from American Hurricane Shutters starts at approximately **$48 per square foot**, fully installed.

H3: The Pros (The “Value” Case)

• Lowest Cost for a Premium System: This is its #1 benefit. You get the same “invisible” look, the same rock-solid aluminum shutter, and the same hurricane *rating* as the electric version, all at the lowest possible price.
• Ultimate Reliability: No motors to fail, no electronics to fry. It’s a simple, powerful machine that will work every time, even if the power is out.
• Secure: It offers the *exact same* 2-in-1 storm and security protection.

H3: The “Second-Home” Cons (The Deal-Breaker)

This is where the “affordable” logic breaks down for a remote owner.

You are 100% reliant on someone *being at your home* to deploy it.

A manual crank is easy, but it takes 2-3 minutes of physical labor *per window*. To secure an entire 3-story beach house, your property manager is looking at 1-2 *hours* of walking and cranking. When a storm is coming and they have 30 other homes to check on, where will you be on their priority list? It’s a slow, labor-intensive, and unreliable plan for a remote owner.

This system is for: The budget-conscious, *full-time* resident who can deploy it themselves, or the second-home owner who has a dedicated, full-time, *on-site* caretaker.

A Deep Dive: The Case for Electric Roll Down Shutters

This is the “premium convenience” upgrade. It’s the same heavy-duty shutter, but with a high-torque, sealed, reliable motor inside the housing box.

H3: The “Peace of Mind” Cost (The Best $700 You’ll Ever Spend)

We are 100% transparent. The cost for the electric system is the base price *plus* an upcharge for the motorization.

(Approx. $48 per square foot) + (A $700 upcharge per opening)

That $700 per-window fee is not a “luxury”; it is the “peace of mind” fee. It’s the “remote-owner” fee. It’s the fee that makes the *entire system* practical for your lifestyle.

H3: The Pros (The “No-Compromise” Case)

• Ultimate “Push-Button” Convenience (SPEED): Your property manager can deploy your *entire* 3-story home in **5 minutes** with a remote control, not 2 hours. This ensures your home is *always* protected.
• The “Remote Owner” Solution (SMART HOME): This is the clincher. Electric shutters can be integrated with smart home systems. This gives you the power to **deploy your shutters from your smartphone in Ohio.** You get a storm alert, you tap an app, and your Myrtle Beach home is secure. This is the *ultimate* “lock and leave” peace of mind.
• 365-Day “Lifestyle” Use: Because it’s “push-button” easy, you will *actually use it*. You’ll deploy it when you leave for the season for security. You’ll deploy it 80% of the way on a hot afternoon for shade. You get 100x more value from the system.

H3: The “Power Outage” Myth: We’ve Solved It

The only “con” is a reliance on power. We eliminate this. **We *always* install our electric systems with a manual override.** This is a small, built-in gearbox that allows you (or your manager) to *also* use a simple hand crank. You get the “push-button” convenience *and* the “power-outage-proof” reliability. It’s the best of both worlds.

Cost Comparison: A Real-World Myrtle Beach Second Home

Let’s look at a typical second home in North Myrtle Beach. You need to protect 8 openings (3 large sliding doors, 5 windows).

• Total Square Footage (Example): 350 sq ft
• Total Openings: 8

H3: Is the $5,600 Difference Worth It? (The “Value” Test)

For a primary resident in Conway, maybe not. For a **second-home owner in Myrtle Beach**, it is **100% worth it**. That $5,600 is the price for *guaranteed, remote, effortless* deployment. It’s the price for real peace of mind.

Now, let’s factor in the “paybacks”:

1. The SC Safe Home Grant: This entire, rated system is eligible for the **SC Safe Home grant**. This program can provide *thousands* in matching funds, dramatically reducing your net cost.
2. Insurance Discounts: A premium, rated system (especially one that’s easy to deploy) can earn you the *highest tier* of wind mitigation discounts. These annual savings pay you back every year.
3. Your Deductible: Your $22,400 investment is a one-time cost. Your hurricane deductible (easily $15,000-$25,000 on a beach house) is a risk *every single storm*.

Your Local, Insured, “Second-Home” Expert

You’re buying a premium system from 500 miles away. You *must* have a local partner you can trust. We are that partner.

American Hurricane Shutters is a **family-owned, disabled-owned company** with a 15-year, spotless reputation on the Grand Strand. We are **fully insured ($2M Umbrella)** and an **approved SC Safe Home contractor**. Our in-house (never subcontractor) teams are *experts* in remote-owner installations. We will coordinate with your property manager or HOA, handle all the paperwork, and send you a full photo/video report of your new, secure home. We are your “peace of mind” partner.

Your Next Step: Get Your Free “Remote Owner” Quote

You’re ready to make the smart, “lock and leave” investment. You’re ready to end the “second-home anxiety” for good.

Call American Hurricane Shutters today. We’ll schedule a 100% free, no-obligation consultation (we’ll coordinate with your property manager). We will provide a transparent, side-by-side quote for both **Manual** and **Electric** systems, so you can make the right, informed choice for your lifestyle and your investment.