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?” Deposit on order and balance on completion is a healthy pattern. Balance due after you’ve seen the blinds operate is your leverage for snag fixes.

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.

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.

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?

Yes — made-to-measure goods are cut for you, so a deposit (often around half) or full prepayment is standard. Pay at least part by credit card where possible for Section 75 protection on larger orders, and be wary of full-cash-up-front from anyone without a trading history you can check.

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.