Blinds are becoming increasingly common in the UK as summers get hotter and hotter. Blinds are ubiquitous in hot countries, as they’re thinner than curtains and do a much better job of keeping light and UV out of a room.
With that said, blinds often boast better thermal credentials than curtains, too, making them an excellent choice for the entire year.
Not only do blinds boast excellent UV and thermal qualities, but they also look superb and add aesthetic interest to any room.
This article will cover the cost of installing blinds in the UK, factors that affect their cost, and other common questions surrounding installing blinds.
Average Cost of Installing Blinds in the UK
When you’re buying blinds, you can either buy the blind and fit it DIY, hire a handyman to fit it, or choose a specialist blind installer who’ll measure your windows or doors and fit the blind for you.
There are some big names here, like Hillary’s, but you’ll find plenty of local installers that offer competitive prices.
By collecting quotes from 7 primary sources and 8 secondary sources, we’ve found the following costs of installing blinds.
| Size / Type | Vertical | Roller | Venetian | Roman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61cm | £15 - £60 | £20 - £70 | £30 - £80 | £30 - £80 |
| 122cm | £30 - £90 | £40 - £90 | £40 - £100 | £40 - £100 |
| 153cm | £40 - £100 | £50 - £110 | £50 - £120 | £50 - £120 |
| 183cm | £50 - £110 | £70 - £120 | £70 - £130 | £70 - £130 |
| Installation Cost Per 5 windows | £80 - £300 | £100 - £300 | £100 - £350 | £100 - £300 |
| All-In Cost Per 5 to 10 Windows | £400 - £1,250 | £600 - £1,800 | £700 - £2,000 | £500 - £2,000 |
All in all, if you’re looking to install blinds on a few windows, e.g. the windows of all upstairs bedrooms, then it’s sensible to budget around £750 to £1,000 at the very least.
The difference between different types of blinds at the low end is pretty small. However, there’s considerable variation at the high end, especially regarding high-end materials like hardwoods.
Hardwood blinds are among the most expensive, and synthetic fabric blinds are among the cheapest.
High-end options such as hardwood blinds can cost £2,000 or more for 5 to 10 windows.
Factors Affecting the Cost of Blinds
Blinds are certainly not all built the same and range from rudimental vertical blinds that are relatively cheap to high-end hardwood blinds that cost considerably more. Here are the primary factors affecting the cost of blinds:
Size
Larger blinds cost more. This applies to both width and length. While many windows are a similar length, they can be pretty narrow at 60cm or so to very wide for triple or even quad windows.
Quad windows and doors are often divided into multiple blinds.
Style
Generally, simple vertical blinds are the cheapest. They’re commonly used for doors that don’t need to block out light completely.
At the higher end, you can find all sorts of Roman, Venetian and roller blinds divided into different subtypes like cellular blinds, transition blinds and day and night blinds.
The advantage of working with a blind installer is that they’ll help you choose the best blinds for your situation.
Material
The material has a massive effect on price. Blinds range from plastic to cloth and hardwood.
Some common options include:
- Fabric
- Synthetic fabric
- Metal
- Plastic
- Bamboo
- Walnut
- Faux wood
Extras
There are some optional extras to take into account too, such as chrome fittings, coloured chains and specialised mechanical controls. Be ready for an installer to upsell extras to you.
Benefits of Blinds
Blinds are becoming increasingly popular in the UK, here’s why:
Controls Light
Blinds are much more effective at controlling light than curtains. Even blackout curtains often let light through at the sides, top and bottom. Quality blinds are fitted exactly to the window and allow next to no light through at the sides.
Not only does that mean a better night’s sleep, but it also means a cooler interior on hot summer days. Blinds are considerably more effective at blocking UV than curtains and are cooler in summer.
Controls Heat
Some thermal blind models are designed for heat retention in the winter and are considerably better at retaining heat than curtains. This lowers energy bills.
Privacy
Since blinds leave little to no room at the side, bottom or top, they’re more private than curtains and make it tougher to see into a room. This is particularly useful for rooms that are heavily overlooked from multiple sides.
Some blinds can open just at the top, which is ideal for bathrooms.
Adjustable
Curtains have only one direction of movement, opening outwards, whereas blinds allow light in across the entire blind and can be adjusted for variable light levels.
This is especially useful when you want to partially shade a room, for example, when you’re working at a PC or watching TV when you don’t want light hitting the screen but don’t want to shut the light out completely.
Range of Styles
There are many formats and styles of blinds available.
From elegant Venetian blinds to Roman blinds and simple vertical blinds for larger windows and doors, there are blinds for all interior design styles and window or doorway types.
Easy to Maintain
Curtains fade and get dusty or dirty, but removing them to clean them is a pain. Blinds are easy to maintain, as you can usually just wipe them down with a damp cloth.
Hypoallergenic
Curtains sponge allergens from the outside and out and can get very dusty. Blinds are considered hypoallergenic and can help people with respiratory issues, hay fever and asthma.
Types of Blinds
There are many types of blinds, but the four main styles are:
Vertical Blinds
The most common type of blind for doors (e.g. bifold or sliding door) and large windows. They’re usually made from fabric and simply open and close vertically. Most use a wand.
They’re durable and easy to use but can flap about in the wind and perhaps don’t have the same aesthetic qualities as Venetian and roman blinds.
- Vertical blinds cost around £15 to £60 for a small 61cm x 162 cm blind.
Roller Blinds
Roller blinds roll the blind up as you operate them. There are various versions of roller blinds, like day and night roller blinds, which add shutter-like functionality to offer more light control compared to conventional roller blinds.
- Roller blinds cost around £20 to £70 for a small 61cm x 162 cm blind.
Venetian Blinds
Usually feature small two-inch slats which offer excellent light control. New Venetian blinds are very reliable and easy to control. They vary from plastic and composite materials to real hardwood.
- Venetian blinds cost around £30 to £80 for an average-sized 61cm x 162 cm blind.
Roman Blinds
Roman blinds pleat when they pull themselves up. They look great and are reliable, coming in a huge range of styles. They can be inexpensive or high-end. Cost around £30 to £80 for a small 61cm x 162 cm blind.
- Roman blinds cost around £35 to £80 for an average-sized 61cm x 162 cm blind.
What Size Blind Do I Need?
Blinds come in many sizes. Width is more variable than length. Common widths include:
- 61cm: For a small single window
- 91cm: For a medium-sized single window
- 122cm: For a relatively wide single window.
- 153cm: For a wide single or double window.
- 183cm: For double windows.
- Larger sizes apply to blinds for large triple windows or sliding or bifold doors.
Lengths typically vary between 120 cm and 180 cm for windows, and longer for doors. You’ll need to measure the window or door to size up a blind, and sometimes, you’ll need to opt for a custom-cut blind. While windows and doors are relatively standardised, choosing a blind that fits the aperture (opening) perfectly is crucial.
Choosing a Blind Installer
Blind installers range from large companies like Hilarys to local installers. Most installers will make an appointment to measure your blinds and then, if necessary, make them to order before delivering them and installing them.
You can also buy the blinds yourself and hire someone to install them for you. Many handypersons and home improvement tradespeople will install blinds.
They’ll usually charge hourly at a rate of £30 to £50 per hour or so, and you can expect each blind to take 1 to 2 hours to fit.
Get Prices on Installing Blinds Near You
We’ve done our best to give you a good idea of what you can expect to pay to install blinds.
However, our guides are not a substitute for a fixed quote specifically for you.
We work with all the best surveyors ready to price your job. Get free, no-obligation quotes in your local area and compare prices using the form below.
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To Sum Up
For a single window, blinds cost around £20 minimum for the blind only. A good-quality fitted blind will cost considerably more – a minimum of £50 but probably more like £75. To fit blinds to 5 windows of varying sizes, it’s sensible to budget £500 to £1,000 or so. High-end options like hardwoods invariably cost more.
Good-quality, well-fitted blinds will be more reliable and last longer than cheaper blinds. It’s often better to manage the entire process through an installer rather than buy blinds based on your measurements and pay for someone to fit them.
This is risky, and you might waste your time and money if your measurements are wrong.