Curtains and Blinds Guide UK: Complete Cost Breakdown 2024

Introduction

Choosing window treatments transforms how a room looks and feels, but navigating the pricing landscape for curtains and blinds can be bewildering. This comprehensive curtains and blinds guide UK will help you understand what you'll actually pay, from budget-ready-made options to bespoke made-to-measure solutions. We've analysed pricing from businesses across our directory to give you realistic figures for 2024.

Key Takeaways

• Ready-made curtains start from £20-£50 per pair, whilst made-to-measure typically costs £150-£400+ per window depending on fabric and complexity
• Thermal or blackout linings add £30-£80 per window but can reduce heating bills by up to 25% according to the Energy Saving Trust
• Roman blinds generally cost 20-30% more than roller blinds but offer superior insulation and a more luxurious appearance
• London and South East prices typically run 15-25% higher than other UK regions for installation and made-to-measure services
• Choosing mid-weight fabrics with standard pencil pleat headings offers the best value for most UK homes

Understanding Made to Measure Curtains vs Ready Made Cost

The price difference between ready-made and bespoke curtains is substantial, but it's not always as straightforward as it appears.

Ready-made curtains from high street retailers like Dunelm, John Lewis, or Next Home typically cost £20-£150 per pair. You'll find decent quality lined curtains in standard sizes (66x72 inches, 90x90 inches) for around £40-£80. The limitation? They rarely fit perfectly, and fabric choices are limited to current trends.

Made-to-measure curtains start around £150 per window and can easily exceed £600 for larger windows with premium fabrics. According to businesses listed in our soft furnishings directory, the typical cost breaks down as follows:

• Basic made-to-measure with standard fabric: £150-£250 per window
• Mid-range with quality lining: £250-£400 per window
• Premium fabrics with interlined construction: £400-£800+ per window

Making up your own fabric (supplying material to a workroom) costs £80-£150 per window for labour alone, which can be economical if you've found designer fabric at a discount.

What Affects Made-to-Measure Pricing?

Fabric weight drives much of the cost differential. Lightweight cotton or polyester blends cost £15-£30 per metre, whilst heavy velvet or designer prints reach £60-£120 per metre. A standard window (150cm wide) requires approximately 3-4 metres of fabric at standard fullness.

Heading styles matter too. Pencil pleat remains the most economical option, whilst eyelet, pinch pleat, or wave headings add £20-£40 per window in labour costs.

How Much Do Made to Measure Curtains Cost? The Complete Breakdown

Let's examine a typical three-bedroom semi-detached house with eight windows requiring curtains:

Budget Approach (Ready-Made)

• 8 pairs of ready-made lined curtains: £320-£640
• Curtain poles and brackets: £120-£200
• DIY installation: £0
• Total: £440-£840

Mid-Range Approach (Mixed)

• 5 pairs ready-made for bedrooms: £250-£400
• 3 pairs made-to-measure for living spaces: £600-£900
• Quality poles and finials: £200-£350
• Professional installation: £150-£250
• Total: £1,200-£1,900

Premium Approach (All Made-to-Measure)

• 8 windows fully bespoke with quality fabrics: £2,000-£3,500
• Designer poles and hardware: £400-£700
• Professional measuring and installation: £300-£450
• Total: £2,700-£4,650

These figures align with data we've gathered from London and Manchester based soft furnishing specialists, though London prices typically run 20% higher.

What Curtain Fabric Is Best for Insulation?

Energy efficiency has become crucial for UK homeowners, particularly with rising heating costs. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that appropriate window treatments can reduce heat loss by up to 25%.

The best curtain fabrics for insulation UK homes should have these characteristics:

• Dense weave or pile: Heavy cotton, velvet, or wool fabrics trap air effectively
• Thermal lining: Adds R-value of approximately 0.7, significantly boosting insulation
• Interlining: Bump or domette interlining between fabric and lining creates additional air pockets
• Full length: Floor-length curtains that touch or puddle slightly prevent air circulation

Velvet performs exceptionally well, with a natural density that blocks drafts. Expect to pay £35-£80 per metre for quality velvet suitable for curtains. Cotton duck or heavy linen (£20-£45 per metre) also provide excellent insulation at lower cost.

How to Choose Curtain Lining Types

Lining selection dramatically affects both performance and price:

Standard Cotton Sateen Lining (£8-£12 per metre)

• Adds body and protects main fabric from sun damage
• Minimal thermal benefit
• Best for: Summer rooms, decorative purposes

Thermal or Blackout Lining (£12-£18 per metre)

• Acrylic foam backing or tightly woven construction
• Blocks 90-100% of light
• Improves insulation by approximately 25%
• Best for: Bedrooms, rooms facing busy streets

Interlining with Standard Lining (adds £15-£25 per metre to total cost)

• Layer of bump or domette between fabric and lining
• Superior insulation and sound dampening
• Creates luxurious weight and drape
• Best for: Living rooms, period properties, cold-facing windows

According to specialists in our directory, approximately 60% of customers now request thermal linings as standard, compared to just 30% five years ago.

Should Curtains Touch the Floor?

This question divides opinion, but practical considerations should guide your decision.

Curtains that just kiss the floor (within 1cm) offer the best balance. They look intentional, prevent drafts at the bottom, and won't collect dirt. This length works for 90% of UK homes.

Floating curtains (2-5cm above floor) suit kitchens, bathrooms, or homes with underfloor heating where fabric touching the floor might block heat circulation. They're also practical with pets or small children.

Puddling curtains (5-15cm extra fabric on floor) create a luxurious, traditional appearance. They're impractical for high-traffic areas but work beautifully in formal dining rooms or master bedrooms. Expect to add £40-£80 per window for the extra fabric required.

Building Regulations Part L doesn't mandate specific curtain lengths, but does require reasonable provision to limit heat loss through windows. Floor-length curtains contribute to this when properly installed with pelmets or closed at the top.

Roman Blind vs Roller Blind Comparison: Which Offers Better Value?

Blinds offer a sleeker alternative to curtains, particularly suited to modern UK homes and smaller windows. The roman blind vs roller blind comparison reveals distinct cost and performance differences:

Blind Type	Cost Range (Made-to-Measure)	Durability	Best Use Case
Roller Blind (standard fabric)	£60-£150 per window	5-7 years	Kitchens, bathrooms, contemporary spaces
Roller Blind (blackout)	£80-£180 per window	5-7 years	Bedrooms, media rooms, offices
Roman Blind (unlined)	£120-£250 per window	7-10 years	Living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms
Roman Blind (lined/thermal)	£180-£350 per window	7-10 years	Any room requiring insulation and style
Venetian Blind (aluminium)	£50-£120 per window	8-12 years	Bathrooms, kitchens, offices
Wooden Venetian	£120-£280 per window	10-15 years	Living rooms, studies, quality installations

Roman blinds cost more initially but offer superior insulation—important for UK climates. The fabric folds trap air when raised, and when lowered, a lined roman blind performs similarly to lined curtains. We've seen them reduce condensation issues in single-glazed properties.

Roller blinds excel in humid environments. Their simple mechanism makes them reliable in bathrooms and kitchens where fabric curtains might develop mould. Ready-made roller blinds from B&Q or Wickes start at just £15-£30 for standard sizes.

Businesses in our soft furnishings category typically recommend roman blinds for living spaces and roller blinds for practical areas, unless budget is particularly tight.

Upholstery Fabric Durability Ratings Explained

Understanding fabric durability prevents costly mistakes. The Martindale test measures how many rubs a fabric withstands before showing wear—crucial for curtains in high-traffic areas or homes with children.

Upholstery fabric durability ratings explained:

• Under 10,000 rubs: Delicate, decorative fabrics. Acceptable for curtains in low-use rooms
• 10,000-15,000 rubs: General domestic use. Fine for most curtain applications
• 15,000-25,000 rubs: Heavy domestic use. Recommended for curtains in busy households
• 25,000-30,000 rubs: Contract/commercial grade. Excellent for family homes with pets
• Over 30,000 rubs: Heavy commercial use. Unnecessary for residential curtains

For curtains specifically, 10,000-15,000 rubs suffices since they experience less abrasion than upholstery. However, if you're considering curtains in the same fabric as sofas or chairs, matching durability creates visual cohesion.

The British Standards Institute (BSI) publishes BS EN 14465:2003 for fabric coating resistance, though this applies more to commercial applications than residential curtains.

Money-Saving Strategies for UK Homeowners

After years working with soft furnishing specialists across the UK, we've identified genuinely effective ways to reduce costs without compromising quality:

Buy During Sale Periods: January and July sales at John Lewis, Laura Ashley, and independent retailers offer genuine discounts of 30-50%. Made-to-measure services rarely discount, but fabric pricing often drops significantly.

Mix Ready-Made and Bespoke: Use ready-made curtains in bedrooms and made-to-measure in your main living spaces. Nobody notices the difference once they're hung.

Choose Simpler Headings: Pencil pleat costs £20-40 less per window than pinch pleat or wave systems. The visual difference is minimal once curtains are drawn.

Install Yourself: Curtain poles are straightforward to fit with basic DIY skills. Save £150-£300 on installation across a whole house.

Consider Unlined Curtains: In rooms that aren't used in evenings (home offices, spare bedrooms), unlined curtains cost 30-40% less and still look substantial in heavier fabrics.

Source Your Own Fabric: Designer fabrics appear on eBay, fabric outlets, and end-of-roll sales. Having these made up costs £80-£150 per window rather than £250-£400.

You can browse all categories on HouseJester to compare soft furnishing specialists and read reviews before committing to expensive made-to-measure work.

Regional Price Variations Across the UK

Location significantly impacts curtain and blind costs. Our directory data reveals clear patterns:

London and South East: Made-to-measure curtains cost 15-25% more than national averages. A window costing £250 in Birmingham typically costs £290-£310 in London. Installation charges particularly inflate—expect £200-£300 for jobs costing £150 elsewhere.

Scotland: Competitive pricing, especially in Glasgow and Edinburgh, with made-to-measure work typically matching or slightly undercutting English Midlands prices. Traditional heavy curtains remain popular, which some specialists attribute to colder winters.

Northern England: Generally offers the best value, with Manchester, Liverpool, and Leeds businesses providing quality made-to-measure work at 10-15% below national averages.

Wales: Prices align closely with Northern England, though choice is more limited outside Cardiff and Swansea.

These variations reflect property costs, business overheads, and local competition levels. For identical specifications, shopping around regionally makes sense if you're near boundaries.

Finding Quality Soft Furnishing Specialists

Quality varies enormously in the soft furnishing sector. We recommend:

• Check qualifications: Guild of Master Craftsmen membership or Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (AMUSF) registration indicates professional standards
• Request samples: Reputable businesses provide fabric samples and show you lining options
• Get itemised quotes: Proper quotes separate fabric, labour, hardware, and installation costs
• Ask about guarantees: Most quality workrooms offer 12-month guarantees on making-up work
• Verify insurance: Public liability insurance matters if they're installing in your home

You can list your business on HouseJester if you're a soft furnishing specialist looking to reach more UK homeowners.

Comparing Fabric Types and Their Costs

Fabric Type	Price per Metre	Insulation Rating	Maintenance	Best For
Cotton (lightweight)	£15-£25	Low	Easy—machine washable	Summer curtains, casual rooms
Cotton (heavy/duck)	£20-£40	Good	Easy—dry clean recommended	Living rooms, insulation
Linen/Linen blend	£25-£60	Moderate	Moderate—creases easily	Contemporary interiors
Velvet	£35-£80	Excellent	Difficult—dry clean only	Period properties, luxury
Wool	£40-£90	Excellent	Difficult—specialist cleaning	Traditional homes, cold rooms
Polyester blend	£12-£30	Low-Moderate	Very easy—machine washable	Rental properties, budget projects
Silk/Silk blend	£50-£150	Poor	Difficult—fades in sunlight	Formal rooms, lined and interlined

These prices reflect mid-range quality from soft furnishing specialists. Designer or branded fabrics command premium pricing—Liberty prints, for example, start around £45 per metre.

Installation Considerations and Costs

Professional installation ensures curtains and blinds function properly and look their best. UK installation costs typically break down as:

Curtain Poles and Tracks:

• Basic installation (per window): £30-£50
• Complex installation (bay windows, high ceilings): £60-£120
• Supplies typically included in quote

Blinds:

• Roller blind fitting (per window): £25-£40
• Roman blind fitting (per window): £30-£50
• Venetian blind fitting (per window): £25-£45

Many made-to-measure services include installation in their pricing. Always clarify whether quotes include fitting before comparing.

DIY installation saves money but requires the right tools: spirit level, drill, wall plugs suitable for your wall type (masonry, plasterboard, or lath-and-plaster in period properties), and measuring tape. The most common mistake? Drilling into hidden cables or pipes. Always use a cable detector.

Making the Final Decision

Your budget should align with room importance and usage. We recommend investing in made-to-measure curtains with quality lining for your main living spaces—rooms where you spend most time and where visitors gather. Ready-made or budget made-to-measure works perfectly fine for bedrooms, especially in children's rooms where tastes change quickly.

Thermal efficiency deserves serious consideration in the current UK energy market. The initial premium for thermal linings (£30-£80 per window) pays for itself within 2-3 years through reduced heating bills, according to Energy Saving Trust calculations.

For rental properties or homes you plan to sell within five years, ready-made curtains and roller blinds offer the most sensible approach. For your forever home, quality made-to-measure window treatments are investments that last 15-20 years with proper care.

Browse soft furnishings businesses on HouseJester to compare local specialists, read verified reviews, and request quotes from professionals in your area.

Sources & Further Reading

• Energy Saving Trust: Energy Efficient Windows - Official guidance on improving home insulation including window treatments
• Which? Guide to Buying Curtains and Blinds - Independent consumer advice on specifications and quality
• Historic England: Window Treatments in Period Properties - Guidance on appropriate curtains for listed buildings and conservation areas