6 reasons to choose custom-made blinds

1. Get exactly what you want

There’s no need to compromise when you choose to have your blinds custom-made; you’ll get exactly what you want and it will be the perfect fit for your space. A good blind company will send a consultant to meet with you at your home who will bring with them a wide variety of actual fabric samples so you can see how different colours, patterns and textures look in your space.

2. The right blinds for the right rooms

You’ll get experienced, professional advice about which type of blind is best for certain rooms and purposes. For instance, if you want blinds for bedrooms where blocking light is the main priority, your consultant will be able to talk you through the different lining options to achieve this.

3. A perfect fit

Another benefit of having your blinds custom-made is that your window measurements will be taken by someone who really knows what they’re doing.

4. Excellent quality

There’s no doubt the finished product will be impeccably made with special attention to detail. And there’s peace of mind knowing your blinds are backed by a decent product warranty.

5. Finance

By choosing a specialist blind manufacturer there may be the possibility of a finance option to help make it affordable.

6. Professional installation

And the service will be end-to-end with professional installation also often included.

Things to consider when choosing custom-made blinds

Good things take time; from consultation to having the finished product installed you could be looking at a 3 to 4 week wait if not longer.

How much do custom-made blinds cost?

The initial cost of having custom-made blinds would likely be a more expensive option over ready-made. However, this cost is easily justified by the quality of the product.

The following is an estimation only and based on a $39.95 per metre fabric with a $9.95 per metre polyester block out lining. These prices are provided by Russells Curtains and Blinds and are correct as of March 2017.

• 3 bedroom house with approx. 10 average sized windows - from $2,580
• 4 Bedroom house with approx. 12 average sized windows, including two living areas – from $3,180
• 6 reasons to avoid ready-made blinds

Things to consider when choosing ready-made blinds

Whether online or from a store, ready-made blinds are often seen as a fast and cost effective option, however there are limitations to consider.

Potentially limited options

The first thing to know about buying ready-made blinds is that you might not get what you want OR what you need. Unlike Russells’ custom-made blinds, most ready-made blinds are not made in New Zealand. They are mass-produced in a finite number of sizes. These can be quite common sizes so you may get lucky and find something that fits your window. However, most people find ready-made blinds are either slightly too wide and overlap the frame, or not wide enough, letting through light. Be prepared to dedicate some time to shopping around to find blinds that are just the right colour, pattern and size for your home.

Measurement mishaps

You will need to measure your own windows; do so carefully. How to measure for blinds differs depending on what kind of blinds you want too so be sure to research the best method. You’ll also need to consider whether you want the blind to be mounted inside or outside the window frame, as this will affect your measurements.

Inferior quality

Cheaper ready-made blinds may seem like a good deal initially, but long term (and blinds are a long term household item) inferior quality will end up costing you. Considering this is a household feature you are likely to use daily the cord or chain mechanisms used to draw the blinds up and down tend to wear quickly, stop functioning properly and even break.

The slats of Venetian blinds in particular are known to bend out of shape. Not only does this look bad, it stops them functioning well, and affects the others. In the case of roller blinds, cheap ready-made versions are prone to fraying because of substandard cutting techniques.

Difficulties replacing parts

Because parts are difficult to source, and ready-made suppliers offer no after sales service, you will most likely end up having to replace the entire blind.

Misleading offers

Be wary of online providers who claim to provide custom-made blinds at very cheap prices. They ask for your window measurements not so they can make your blinds from scratch, but so they can simply cut down the already produced blinds.

No professional installation

And finally, when buying ready-made blinds, you may also need to budget for professional installation if you’re not confident in your own skills.

For everything you need to know about choosing the right blinds for your home, download our helpful guide.