There is a vast price range when it comes to blinds. It seems crazy that one set of blinds can cost 10 times the amount of another. You may be thinking how different can they really be? What warrants the price difference from one blind to another?
It can be very tempting to skimp out and go for the cheaper options. If you find a great deal on a quality product, then fair enough, but here are 5 signs of poor quality blinds to look out for. Don’t miss these red flags – better to find a good, reputable blind company instead.
1. Bad Fit For Your Window
A perfectly fitted blind has many benefits, including blocking out the sun’s glare, reducing external noise, preventing heat loss and providing comfort and privacy from the outside world. But if your blinds do not fit your window, you won’t be able to properly reap these benefits.
Windows are not a standard size or shape. Many DIY stores offer off-the-shelf stock blinds. This can be a tempting option as they will be cheaper than custom-made blinds. But when it comes to windows, you will find the ‘one size fits all’ ethos doesn’t really work.
It is more than likely your poor quality blinds won’t fit the window, and there’ll be gaps between the blind and the window frame, with light sneaking through from every corner. Custom-made blinds offer a much more effective solution for covering your windows as they will be made to measure.
When buying made-to-measure blinds, the first part of the quoting process is for a specialist consultant to come and take exact measurements of your windows so that any awkward shapes or sizes are catered for. This ensures there’s no chance of any gaps or light creeping through when your custom-made blinds arrive.
2. Low Quality Fabric
Good quality fabrics are built to last. You should be able to see the quality of a material just by looking at and feeling it. The colours will appear more vibrant, even and solid. This is particularly noticeable when it comes to blackout blinds. A good quality fabric will block out 100% of the outside light, whereas, with cheaper fabrics, some light will still filter through.
Poor quality blinds using a cheap fabric will also be more vulnerable to rips, tears or sun bleaching. This will make your blinds a lot more difficult to clean as you risk damaging them in the process. High quality blinds can be simply wiped or dusted clean and are also a lot easier to repair if you do encounter any damages.
Though good quality material comes at a price, you may find it saves you money in the long run. Cheaper, poor quality blinds will need repairing and/or replacing more often. Whereas a high quality blind using durable, strong fabric could last for years.
3. Damp Patches
This comes down to the quality of the fabric again. If you’re choosing blinds for a moisture-rich room such as the kitchen or bathroom, they should be damp-resistant.
If you opt for cheaper, thinner, poor quality blinds, you’ll find they won’t last long in these environments. A low quality fabric will soak up the moisture and be more susceptible to damp. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up with a lovely mottled effect where the mould is growing and staining your blinds. Not quite the classy look you’d probably hoped for!
4. Third-Party Manufacturers
Something else to watch out for when it comes to cheaper, off-the-shelf blinds, is the blind manufacturers. Many brands that are well known and considered high quality may put their name to blinds which are not actually manufactured by themselves. This helps reduce in-house costs for the company, but inevitably can lead to poor quality blinds, as they are not there to oversee their production.
Any reputable, custom blind company has a lot more at stake. It is not worth them risking a cheap, third-party manufacturer as it is their reputation on the line, and customers will not be returning if they provide poor quality blinds that don’t meet their expectations.
Here at Just Blinds, we guarantee high quality, locally sourced products. Many of our blinds are manufactured at our own workshop here in Staffordshire, and any outsourcing is carried out by qualified, third-party providers.
5. No Parts Warranty
If the blinds you are purchasing do not come with a manufacturer’s warranty, there should be alarm bells ringing. Any company that believes in the quality of its blinds should be happy to provide a parts warranty. If they’re not, it’s more than likely that something is up! Is it really worth the risk of ending up with poor quality blinds?
At Just Blinds, we offer a 3-year warranty; that’s how much we believe in the quality of our products! We want you to rest assured that if you have any problems down the line with your blinds, we’re here to help. And as the majority of our products are manufactured in-house or locally, any repairs can be carried out swiftly.
You Get What You Pay For
These five signs of poor quality blinds may be more common than you think. If you don’t do your research, it can be very easy to fall for the temptation of a ‘bargain buy’. However, 9 times out of 10 when it comes to blinds, you get what you pay for. Look out for these signs, and you should end up with the low-maintenance, beautifully fitted window coverings you’ve dreamed of.
If you’ve been unfortunate enough to end up with some poor quality blinds, request a home visit from us, and we’ll see how we can help.
