How Much Do Window Treatments Cost in the Twin Cities?
Almost every window treatment conversation we have starts with the same question, and most companies dodge it: what does this actually cost? We have been measuring and installing custom window treatments across the Twin Cities since 2003, and here is the honest version. Custom window coverings are priced per window, and the range is genuinely wide because the number depends on the size of the opening, the product you choose, the fabric or material grade, and whether you add motorization. A single stock-sized cellular shade can land under a hundred dollars, while a room of premium motorized shutters can run into the thousands. This page walks through real per-product ranges for Twin Cities homes so you can plan a budget before we ever step through your door. For an exact figure on your windows, the in-home consultation and measurement is always free. Call 952-895-0618.
One distinction matters more than any other line item: custom versus stock. A stock blind is a fixed size trimmed down to approximate your window, and it is cheap because it is made for no one in particular. A custom treatment is fabricated to the exact width, height and mount of your specific opening, which is why it fits, seals and operates the way the stock version never quite does. Custom costs more per window, but on an odd-sized or older Twin Cities window it is often the only thing that actually works. Where a stock roller might run forty to eighty dollars and gap at the edges, a custom equivalent that fits cleanly typically starts higher and climbs with fabric and lift choices. We will tell you plainly, window by window, where stock is fine and where custom earns its price. We never quote a number that does not reflect what your home actually needs.
What Is the Average Cost for Window Coverings in a Twin Cities Home?
For a typical Twin Cities home, plan on a broad range of roughly 150 to 1,500 dollars per window installed, with most rooms settling somewhere in the middle. That spread is not vague pricing, it is honest math: a small cordless cellular shade in a bathroom and a wide motorized shutter panel over a great-room window are simply not the same product.
Four things move the number more than anything else. Size comes first, because material and labor both scale with the square footage of the opening. Product type is second, since a basic pleated shade and a hardwood plantation shutter are built from very different materials. Fabric or material grade is third, where a light-filtering polyester and a premium woven or solid hardwood can differ sharply per yard or per louver. Operating system is fourth, with cordless, continuous loop and motorized each adding cost in that order.
We break the whole project down at the measurement visit so you see exactly where every dollar goes.
How Much Do Professional Window Treatments Cost?
Professional means two things are baked into the price that a big-box box does not include: precise in-home measurement and expert installation. When you buy custom through us, the quote covers the product fabricated to your exact window, the labor to hang it level and gap-free, and the accountability that the person who measured is the person who installs. That is why a professional custom project generally runs higher per window than a self-measured online order, and why it also lasts far longer without the crooked bottom rails, side-light leaks and binding lifts that plague trimmed-down stock. Across a full home, most Twin Cities projects we handle span a few hundred dollars per window for simple shades up to several thousand for premium shutters or fully motorized rooms. The consultation, the measurement and the quote itself cost you nothing.
Price Ranges by Product: Cellular, Roller, Roman, Blinds, Shutters and Drapery
Cellular and pleated shades are usually the value end of custom, commonly landing around 150 to 500 dollars per window depending on cell type, opacity and lift. Roller shades run a similar starting point and climb with solar, blackout or premium fabrics. Roman shades sit higher because of the fabric and fabrication involved, often 250 to 900 dollars per window, more with designer fabric or motorization.
Faux wood blinds are the practical, budget-friendly choice for kitchens and baths, typically 100 to 400 dollars per window, while real wood blinds run higher for the material. Plantation shutters are the top of the range and the reason is honest: they are a built-in, furniture-grade product custom milled to your opening, so they commonly run 250 to 500 dollars per window and well beyond for large or specialty shapes. Custom drapery is priced by fabric yardage, lining, fullness and hardware, so a pair of simple panels and a layered, fully lined treatment are worlds apart.
These are general Twin Cities market ranges to help you plan, not a fixed price list. Your exact numbers come from the free measurement.
How Much Does It Cost to Install Blinds and Shades?
Installation is not a separate line you get surprised by later. When you buy custom window treatments through us, professional measurement and installation are part of the project, not an add-on tacked onto the receipt. That is a real difference from ordering online and either fighting a YouTube tutorial yourself or hiring a handyman who never saw your windows. The install itself typically takes a few hours for a standard room, longer for a whole home or for hard mounts on plaster or tile. Because the same person measures and installs, nothing gets lost in translation between the workroom and your living room. Every headrail goes up level to the fraction of an inch, every cord is dressed, and every lift or motor is tested before we leave. That labor is already reflected in the per-window ranges above.
What Does Motorization Add to the Price?
Motorization is the single upgrade people ask about most, and the honest guidance is that you do not need it on every window. Expect it to add roughly 150 to 400 dollars per shade over the manual version, depending on the motor, the battery or hardwired power, and whether you add a hub for app and smart-home control. It earns its cost on tall or hard-to-reach windows, over a kitchen sink, on banks of shades you want to move together, and anywhere loose cords near children are a concern. On an easily reached bedroom window, a good cordless lift does the job for less. We carry reliable, quiet motor systems through the Graber line, and we will point out plainly which windows are genuinely worth motorizing and which are not.
Get an Exact Quote: The Free In-Home Consultation
We come to you anywhere in the south metro and across the Twin Cities, and the visit is free with no obligation. We bring physical samples, operating-system demos and a tape measure, walk the rooms with you, and take every measurement ourselves. From that we build a clear, itemized quote so you see the real cost of your specific windows rather than a range off a website. Our work is backed by a 5 star Google rating across our reviews, and we have been fitting Twin Cities windows since 2003. If you are weighing a budget, start with one room. Call 952-895-0618 and we will give you honest numbers you can actually plan around.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the least expensive window covering?
Faux wood blinds are usually the least expensive custom window covering, commonly around 100 to 400 dollars per window depending on size and lift. They deliver the look of real wood at a lower price and hold up well in kitchens, baths and other humid rooms where natural wood can warp. Basic cellular and pleated shades are the next step up and are the value leader among fabric shades. If your only goal is the lowest possible spend, faux wood blinds or a simple cordless cellular shade are where we would start, and we will tell you honestly which one fits your window and light better.
What is the cheapest way to cover your windows?
The cheapest way to cover your windows is a stock, ready-made blind or shade in a standard size, and for a rental or a temporary fix that can be a reasonable call. The catch is that stock sizes almost never match a real window, so you get side-light gaps, uneven stacking and lifts that wear out quickly, which means you often pay twice when you replace them. Within custom, the most budget-friendly routes are faux wood blinds and basic cellular shades with a simple cordless lift. We are happy to point you toward the lowest-cost option that will actually perform in your space rather than one you will be redoing in a year.
How much do motorized shades cost?
Motorized shades typically add about 150 to 400 dollars per shade over the equivalent manual version, so the total per window depends on the base shade plus the motor, the power source, and whether you add a hub for app or smart-home control. A single motorized cellular shade lands well below a wide motorized shutter or a bank of coordinated shades on one remote. The upgrade pays off most on tall, wide or hard-to-reach windows and anywhere you want scheduled or one-touch operation. At the consultation we price the manual and motorized versions side by side so you can decide window by window.
How much do custom window treatments cost overall?
Because custom treatments are priced per window and per product, the honest answer is that it varies widely, from roughly 150 dollars for a simple stock-sized cellular shade to several thousand for a room of premium motorized shutters. Size, product type, fabric or material grade, and operating system are the four factors that move the number. That is exactly why the in-home measurement matters and why it is free: we build you an itemized quote based on your actual windows rather than a guess. Call 952-895-0618 and we will give you real numbers for your home.
Do you charge for a window treatment estimate in the Twin Cities?
No. The consultation, the in-home measurement and the written quote are always free and carry no obligation. We come to you anywhere across the Twin Cities and the south metro, bring samples and demos, measure every window ourselves, and hand you an itemized estimate. You decide from there. There is no charge to find out what your project would actually cost.
How much for window treatments in the Twin Cities?
For a typical Twin Cities home, plan on a broad range of roughly 150 to 1,500 dollars per window installed, with most rooms settling somewhere in the middle. A small cordless cellular shade in a bathroom and a wide motorized shutter over a great-room window are simply not the same product, so the spread is wide on purpose. Four things move the number: the size of the opening, the product type, the fabric or material grade, and the operating system. The only way to replace that range with a real figure is the free in-home measurement. Call 952-895-0618.
Can I get a window treatments quote without a home visit?
You can get a ballpark from the per-window ranges on this page: faux wood blinds commonly run 100 to 400 dollars, cellular and pleated shades around 150 to 500 dollars, roman shades 250 to 900 dollars, and plantation shutters 250 to 500 dollars and up. Those are honest market ranges, not a firm figure for your windows. For an exact, itemized quote we need to measure in person, because the number depends on the actual size, product, fabric grade and lift of each opening. The in-home visit and the written quote are free. If you want a rough idea before scheduling, call 952-895-0618 and describe the rooms and we will talk you through what to expect.
Do you charge for measuring windows?
No. We never charge for measuring. When you buy custom window treatments through us, the in-home measurement is part of the project, and even if you are only gathering numbers the measurement and quote are free with no obligation. The same person who measures is the person who installs, so every headrail goes up level and gap-free. That labor is already reflected in the per-window ranges on this page, not billed separately. Call 952-895-0618 to book your free measurement anywhere across the Twin Cities and the south metro.