When renovating, the question “custom vs ready-made” will inevitably come up. In many of these situations, the answer can go either way, with only snobby elitists arguing solely for the custom option. While we can’t help you with every custom vs ready-made question, we can help when it comes to this decision regarding blinds.
There’s no doubt blinds can be a beautiful addition to any home, especially custom-made roller blinds made with quality materials and an artisan’s touch. But the first consideration must be what you can afford. If you have the budget for custom-made blinds, then go for it! If not, then you may consider ready-made blinds, which can be perfectly satisfactory for many people despite some inherent difficulty. If you don’t want to deal with the inherent difficulties of ready-made blinds, or the cost of custom blinds, have you considered curtains or drapes? These window treatments provide lots of options, many of which are beautiful and highly customisable – some may even be cheaper and easier than blinds! Make sure that you’re considering all your available options before settling.
When looking at custom-made blinds the advantages are staggering. Custom blinds are likely to be made from quality materials, locally sourced and built to fit your country’s code of ethics and practices. Also, custom blinds will be made specifically to fit your home’s windows meaning that no adjustments will be needed, and any error is liable to the manufacturer. Not only this, but the significantly better materials used to make the blinds means they’ll last a long time. The installation will also be factored into the overall cost and handled by an expert. Not to mention you’ll have an expert with you through the design process, meaning you’ll get to see samples of your chosen colours and textures in your room.
There are, however, two caveats when it comes to custom-made blinds. As mentioned above, custom blinds will cost more. The problem with quality is that it costs more, and while the product will be exactly what you want and doubtlessly beautiful, it is possible to ramp up the costs of your renovation by several hundred if you’re not careful. The second disadvantage is time. Building things is never easy, and blinds can be complex. If you’re going down the custom blind route, you need to make sure that you’re consulting with your blind-maker and that you’re happy with their projected turn-around times, also accounting for the fact that things might go wrong, or for one reason or another, your project needs to be put on a lower priority.
As you might have guessed, the pros and cons of ready-made blinds are pretty much equal and opposite to the pros and cons of custom-made blinds. Not having pre-measured or designed for your home means that what you get is what you get, regardless of whether it’s a perfect fit, or if the materials clash with your design scheme. Also, their cheaper cost comes with cheaper integrity – ready-made blinds are generally made with low-quality materials that wear easily and are more prone to malfunction. Also, you’ll have to install it yourself, which takes time and if you’re not a DIY kind of person, can prove difficult.
However, it would be irresponsible of us to deny that there are quality ready-made options out there, you just need to find them. Some of these ready-made options may include their own braces and installation gear, making their installation significantly easier. Also, the biggest pro – ready-made is cheaper! While the design isn’t custom done for you, there are a plethora of ready-made blind choices, even ready-made roller blind designs! So, finding what you like is merely a matter of time and tenacity.
The Final Choice
If you’re undecided, it can be beneficial to do some more research, if however you’re sold on custom blinds then why not get in touch with Blinds and Designers, a premium custom blind designer and retailer in Melbourne. Send us an email, or call us on 1300 801 836, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.