How to choose window treatments
Window treatments are a measurement and product-selection job before they are an installation job. A great install on the wrong product, or the right product cut a half-inch too narrow, both end in the same place — light gaps, sagging headrails, and a homeowner who is going to live with it for ten years.
Faux wood blinds run $75–200/window installed. Cellular shades $120–400. Roman shades $250–700. Motorized shades $400–1,200+. Plantation shutters $350–900/window. Whole-house packages on a 12-window home typically land $1,800–8,500 depending on product mix.
Product line and motorization drive 80% of the variance. Window size, mount type (inside vs. outside), and how many out-of-square openings you have move the rest. Stock vs. custom matters more than most homeowners think.
See what drives priceHow we price it
These are the factors that move a quote up or down. Knowing them helps you share the right context upfront so we can quote your specific situation accurately — and so you can compare bids on apples-to-apples scope.
Faux wood (polymer-composite) blinds are the value floor — durable, moisture-tolerant, $75–200/window installed. Real basswood plantation shutters are the ceiling — $350–900/window because of the milling and finish. Cellular (honeycomb) shades sit in the middle and earn back the spend with R-value: a double-cell cellular adds R-3 to R-5 over a single-pane window. Roller and solar shades are simple and cheap; Roman shades cost more because the fabric stack and lift system are more involved.
Stock blinds (cut down at the store) are 20–40% cheaper but only work on standard openings that are perfectly square. Most older New England homes have at least a few windows that are 1/4 to 1/2 inch out of square — stock blinds in those openings bind, leave light gaps, or wear the lift mechanism out in a year. Custom-ordered from Hunter Douglas, Levolor Custom, Norman, or Graber adds 2–4 weeks of lead time but the product fits and lasts. The installer cannot fix bad measurements after the order ships, so this is one place to spend.
Battery-powered motors (Hunter Douglas PowerView, Lutron Serena) add roughly $150–350/window over the manual version of the same shade — the motor and battery wand are the cost, not the install. Hardwired motors save the battery-swap hassle (every 2–4 years) but require an electrician to pull low-voltage to each window before drywall closes up. Smart-home integration (HomeKit, Alexa, Matter, Z-Wave) is typically included with PowerView Gen 3 and Serena via their hubs; bridge devices run $200–400.
Per-window install labor drops as count goes up — the truck roll, consultation, and measurement appointment amortize across the order. A single window install often carries a $150–250 minimum; an 8-window package pulls the per-window labor down to $40–80. Hard-to-reach windows (above stair landings, vaulted living rooms, transom windows) take longer and may need scaffolding or a 12-ft ladder — expect a $50–150/window upcharge.
Inside-mount looks cleaner and is the default for plantation shutters and cellular shades, but it requires at least 2 inches of jamb depth and a square opening. Outside-mount hides out-of-square problems and gives better light blockage, but the mounting surface (casing or wall) has to be solid. If the installer finds an out-of-square opening on measurement day and the shade is already ordered for inside-mount, you are eating either a re-order or a compromise — which is why pre-installation measurement is non-negotiable.
Federal law (ANSI/WCMA A100.1, mandatory as of December 2018) bans corded stock window coverings. Custom orders can still spec cords for accessibility reasons, but any reputable installer will refuse to put corded products in a home with kids under 8 unless the customer signs a written acknowledgment. Retrofitting old corded blinds to cordless is rarely worth it — the lift mechanism is integral to the headrail. Replace them.
Most installers remove old blinds free if they are doing the replacement same-day. Standalone removal (no new product) runs $15–35/window. If old blinds are screwed into plaster with anchors, expect to patch — usually a quick spackle fill, occasionally a real repair if the casing is split.
What else might come up
Most projects touch more than one trade. Here's where this one usually overlaps with others — so you can plan ahead instead of scrambling.
Measuring through dirty glass and old film is harder, and the installer wants to see the actual opening clearly. After install, clean the inside surface one last time before the new shade goes down for good — once the headrail is mounted, getting at the upper corners is awkward.
New windows change the jamb depth, casing dimensions, and sometimes the rough opening. Custom shades ordered to old windows will not fit new ones. If a window replacement is in the next 3 years, do the windows first — and use cellular shades as an interim energy upgrade.
Painters work around blinds badly — overspray on slats, drops on fabric, hardware that has to come down. Order treatments 3–4 weeks out so the paint is fully cured and trim is done before the installer arrives.
Hardwired motors (Lutron Sivoia, hardwired PowerView) need low-voltage to each window. Pull the wire before drywall closes; running it after means fishing through finished walls, which is 5x the labor cost. Even if you are not motorizing today, wire while the walls are open.
A PowerView Gateway or Lutron Caseta hub connects the shades to HomeKit/Alexa/Google/Matter. Scene programming (sunrise wake-up, sunset privacy close, summer heat-rejection) takes 1–2 hours per home and turns expensive shades into a system that actually changes how you live with the house.
- Window count and rough room locations (kitchen, primary bedroom, kids rooms, living room)
- Approximate window dimensions (width × height) — even rough numbers help with sizing the quote
- Whether you want inside-mount or outside-mount (or "installer recommends")
- Whether children under 8 live in the home (drives cordless / cord-free requirement)
- Light-control needs per room — light filtering, room darkening, or full blackout
- Photos of each room from the doorway showing the window in context (with current treatments if any)
- Existing window treatment situation — keeping, replacing, or first-time install
- Smart-home setup (HomeKit, Alexa, Google, Matter, existing Lutron) for motorization compatibility
- Budget range or product preference (faux wood, cellular, Roman, shutters, motorized)
- Age and type of windows (single-pane, double-pane, aluminum frame) — drives the cellular insulation conversation
- Any visibly out-of-square windows (slanted casing, gaps at corners) — affects mount strategy
- Plaster walls or older homes (1900–1950) — installer will spec different anchors
- Reach challenges (windows over stairs, vaulted ceilings, transom windows) — affects labor pricing
- Wet rooms (bathroom, kitchen, basement) — drives composite-vs-wood material choice
Cities we serve
Pros we work with are licensed, insured, and matched to your specific project. Tell us what you need and we'll do the matching.
Call or Text for Expert Help
Get personalized guidance for window treatment services from our team of experts.