Four Reasons to Have Your Windows Professionally Measured Before Buying Shades or Blinds

When ordering custom window treatments for your home there are several steps to the process.

The first step is product selection where you look at the options and select the color and style that you want.

The second step is taking measurements of the windows. The last step is installing the new window coverings. The most important step in the process is actually the second step, taking measurements. You can do it yourself, or ask a friend or family member to do so if you are not comfortable reading a tape measure but here are four reasons to have your windows professionally measured before buying shades.

Reason #1 – Accuracy

A tape measure is not a difficult tool to use, but if you are not in the habit of measuring windows, then you may or may not notice potential obstacles to a successful window treatment installation. When you have a window treatment expert measure your windows, you can trust them to measure the window accurately because inaccurate measurements result in shades that will not fit properly. Shades that do not fit will have to be remade and manufacturers do not remake shades for free (usually).

Reason #2 – Measuring is product specific

When measuring for window treatments, the way you need to take measurements and where you need to take measurements (either on or in the window) can vary depending on the type of window coverings you have selected. Measuring for interior shutters is a different process than measuring for Roman shades. Measuring for motorized roller shades is a different process than measuring for vertical blinds.

Reason #3 – There is no such thing as a “standard window”

While is it true that you may have a room full of windows that “look” exactly the same, there can be up to a one-inch variance from one window to the next in either the width or height of the window. Sometimes there can even be up to a half-inch variance between the top of a window and the bottom of the window. This is why a window treatment professional will typically measure in multiple locations to get the most accurate dimensions based on the product you have selected.

Reason #4 – Saves you money

Depending on where you plan to purchase your new window treatments, the company may provide free consultations and a free measuring service. If you hire an independent installer and order your shades from an online retailer or buy at the local home improvement store, the installer may charge a small fee to come to your home or business to measure, but when weighed against the potential cost to reorder a blind or shade that does not fit, you will definitely save money in the long run.

There are probably more than four reasons you should have your windows professionally measured before buying custom window treatments, but these are the most important.

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