Blind and Window Treatment Installation in Fort Collins
Blinds are quick to fit and easy to fit badly. The whole job is squareness, because a blind that is a few millimetres out of level shows against a window frame from across the room.
This is a job people do themselves and then quietly regret, usually for one reason.
Level to what
Windows are square to themselves and not to anything else. Ceilings slope. Floors slope. Walls bow. If you level a blind bracket with a spirit level against the ceiling, it will look wrong against the window frame, and the window frame is what your eye compares it to.
So brackets go level to the frame, which sometimes means a blind that is very slightly off true level and looks perfect. It is counterintuitive and it is the whole difference.
Inside or outside
Inside mount sits within the window reveal. Cleaner, shows the frame, needs enough depth and a reasonably square opening.
Outside mount sits on the wall above and beyond the opening. It covers an out-of-square window, blocks more light at the edges, and makes a small window look bigger.
Older houses near Old Town frequently need outside mount because the openings have moved over eighty years. Newer builds in Windsor and Timnath are usually square enough for inside mount. I will measure and tell you which yours are before anything gets drilled.
Cords
Corded blinds are a real hazard for small children, and it is the part of this job worth being firm about. If there are young kids in the house, buy cordless. If you already have corded blinds, tensioners and cleats to remove any hanging loop are cheap and I will fit them.
Do the whole house in one go
This is the clearest case on the site for booking a block. The first window is a minimum call-out. Every window after that on the same visit is $35. Ten to fifteen windows fits inside a half or full day, which is a fraction of what the same job costs spread across three separate visits.
While I am at each window it is also the natural moment to look at screens, since they are the same trip.
What is included
- Measuring and confirming inside or outside mount before anything is drilled.
- Fitting brackets level to the window frame rather than to the ceiling or floor, which are rarely level.
- Curtain rods anchored into studs or with rated anchors, because loaded curtains pull hard.
- Cutting standard blinds to width where the product allows it.
- Fitting cord safety devices, or steering you to cordless where there are young children.
- Testing full travel and tilt before I leave.
- Taking the packaging away.
What it costs
| Job | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First blind or shade | $125 | Minimum call-out |
| Each additional, same visit | $35 | Whole-house fits are much cheaper together |
| Whole house, 10 to 15 windows | $340 to $640 | Half to full day block |
| Curtain rod, per window | $45 | Into studs or rated anchors |
| Cutting blinds to width | included | Where the product allows it |
Full rates, block pricing and the minimum call-out are on the pricing page.
What I do not do here
- Motorised blinds that need hard wiring. Battery and plug-in units are fine.
- Custom manufacture or made-to-measure fabrication.
- Shutters that need the window reveal altered.
- Anything requiring a new outlet at the window.
Who to call instead: a blind specialist for made-to-measure and shutters, and an electrician for hard-wired motorised systems.
The full list is on what I do not do.
How it works
- Send a photo. Text or email a picture. Most jobs get priced without a site visit.
- Get a flat price. Written and fixed before I start.
- I show up and finish. On the day I said, parts in the truck, swept up after.
Why a solo operator
The same person quotes the job, does the job and cleans up after it. There is no call centre, no dispatcher and no rotating crew who have not seen your house. The price you were given is the price, because the person who quoted it is the person holding the tools.
Related work
Blinds & window treatments questions
Inside mount or outside mount?
Inside looks cleaner and shows off the window frame, but it needs enough depth in the reveal and a reasonably square opening. Outside mount covers a window that is out of square, blocks more light at the edges, and makes a small window look larger. I will measure and tell you which your windows actually suit before drilling anything.
Can you cut blinds to fit?
Standard faux wood and aluminium blinds, usually yes, and it is included. Cellular and roller shades generally cannot be cut and need ordering to size. Measure before you buy, or send me the opening sizes and I will tell you what to order.
Is it worth doing the whole house at once?
Considerably. The first blind is a minimum call-out and each one after that on the same visit is $35. Ten to fifteen windows fits in a half or full day block, which works out far cheaper than the same job spread over three visits.
What about cords and small children?
Corded blinds are a genuine strangulation risk and it is worth taking seriously. If there are young children in the house I will recommend cordless, and where you already have corded blinds I will fit tensioners and cleats so no loop hangs loose.
Will the rod hold heavy curtains?
It will if it is anchored properly. Lined floor-length curtains pull hard, especially when somebody yanks them closed. Into studs where possible, rated anchors where not.