Whether it’s a national measure-and-fit brand, a local blind shop or a handyperson fitting blinds you bought online, the same twelve questions flush out the differences between quotes that look identical on the surface. (If you’re still deciding whether to hire anyone, start with DIY vs professional fitting.)
Money
1. “What’s the total price, fitted — and what’s excluded?” Get one number covering supply, fitting, brackets, safety devices and waste removal. Exclusions to probe: minimum visit charges, parking, surcharges for heavy blinds or high windows.
2. “How is that priced — per blind, per hour, or bundled?” You can’t compare quotes without knowing the model. The three models and their typical ranges are laid out in the cost guide.
3. “How much is the deposit, and when is the balance due?” Ask for the amount and payment dates in writing, including whether you can pay the balance after checking the fitted blinds operate properly. Before transferring money, work through the deposit and payment checks below.
4. “Is the quote fixed once you’ve measured?” The whole point of professional measuring is that sizing surprises are their problem. A quote that can drift after their own survey is a flag.
Before paying a deposit
Agree the amount and due dates before committing. Then check what protection the payment method provides.
- Get the payment schedule in writing. Confirm the deposit amount, balance deadline and what happens if the order is delayed, changed or cancelled. Made-to-measure blinds normally have no automatic 14-day change-of-mind right; check the cancellation guidance before agreeing.
- Check the price that qualifies. Section 75 can make the credit-card provider jointly responsible for a supplier’s breach of contract or misrepresentation. The cash price must be more than £100 and no more than £30,000 for an individual item or a set sold and priced as one. Several separately priced blinds costing £100 or less each do not qualify just because the bill exceeds £100. A credit-card deposit can be enough; the amount paid on the card need not itself exceed £100. See MoneyHelper’s Section 75 guidance.
- Check how the payment reaches the supplier. Payment arrangements and other parties involved can affect eligibility; ask your card provider about your purchase if unsure. Debit cards do not have Section 75 protection. Chargeback is a separate card-scheme process which may help with debit or credit payments, with conditions and time limits; recovery is not guaranteed. The Financial Ombudsman Service explains both routes.
Record the deposit and payment terms on the quote comparison sheet. Keep the original quote, order terms, confirmation and payment receipt as well.
Payment-protection sources checked on 6 November 2026.
Competence and accountability
5. “Who actually turns up — you, an employee, or a subcontractor?” Any answer can be fine; what you’re testing is whether the person selling stands behind the person fitting.
6. “What happens if a blind doesn’t fit or arrives damaged?” The answer you want: remade and refitted at their cost, with a rough timescale. Get it in writing on the quote or order confirmation.
7. “What guarantee comes with the product and the installation — in writing?” Ask what it covers (mechanisms, fabric fade, re-fitting) and how long it runs; anything only spoken doesn’t exist.
8. “Do you have public liability insurance?” Routine for professionals, and the polite way to find out whether you’re dealing with a business or a bloke with a drill. For fitting-only work on blinds you supplied, also confirm they’ll fit customer goods and on what terms.
The job itself
9. “Will you fit the child-safety devices to current regulations?” Cord and chain tensioners are legally required on UK-supplied corded blinds, and a professional should fit them without being asked. The details — and why they matter — are in child-safe blinds. Anyone who waves this question away has failed the interview.
10. “How will you fix into my walls — and what about tiles, concrete or steel lintels?” You’re listening for fluency: plugs matched to masonry, rated plasterboard fixings, tile bits, self-drillers for steel. Vague answers predict wobbly brackets. (Context in the fitting walkthrough.)
11. “How long from order to fitted — and is that typical or best case?” Made-to-measure lead times stretch in busy seasons. If timing matters to you (a nursery before a baby, a rental changeover), get the estimate in writing.
12. “Can you handle my awkward window?” Name it explicitly — the bay, the stairwell, the tiled bathroom reveal — and ask what they’d do. Bays especially reward experience: blinds for bay windows explains what a good answer sounds like.
Reading the answers
No single answer disqualifies anyone. The pattern does: a fitter who is specific about fixings, relaxed about guarantees in writing, and upfront about pricing model will almost always deliver. Compare two or three on totals for identical specs, and if you’re choosing between a fitter and a full measure-and-fit service, weigh who carries the measurement risk — that’s the real product.
To keep the answers straight, note them on our quote comparison sheet — one block per quote, printable or fill-in on screen.
Frequently asked questions
Should I get multiple quotes for blind fitting?
For anything beyond one or two standard blinds, yes — two or three. Describe the identical spec to each (same windows, same products, same fit type) and compare the total, not the per-blind headline. Quotes for the same house genuinely do vary widely.
Is a deposit normal for made-to-measure blinds?
A supplier may ask for a deposit. Get the amount, balance deadline and cancellation terms in writing before paying. A credit-card deposit may give Section 75 protection where an individual item or a set sold and priced as one costs more than £100 and no more than £30,000. A large order total alone does not qualify; the payment arrangement also matters. Check with your card provider.
What aftercare should a fitter offer?
At minimum: a written guarantee on both product and installation, a stated process if a blind fails or doesn't fit, and a contact that still answers after the invoice is paid. 'We'll sort it if there's a problem' means little unless it's on paper.
A free tool to use with this guide
- Quote comparison sheet Compare two or three quotes: total cost, deposit, guarantee and written terms. Download a text record of your notes or print the sheet.
