Why are curtains so expensive?

Most of the price of a made to measure curtain is in what it is made of and the work of making it for one window. A curtain is never made flat to the width of the window. The extra fabric is what forms the folds, so a curtain holds more fabric than the window it covers, and every metre of it is cut and sewn to order.

The fabric: more of it than you might think

Fullness is how much fabric is in a curtain compared with the width of the track. A curtain made with double fullness has twice the track width in fabric. More fullness gives deeper folds and a bigger stack, and uses more metres. On Wave Fold and S Fold curtains the heading tape and the runner spacing in the track set the fullness, so it follows from the heading you choose. Sheers are often made fuller than heavy fabrics, so they give more privacy and do not look thin.

The drop adds fabric too. Each length is cut to the finished drop plus allowances for the heading and the hem. Where the fabric is not wide enough to cover the drop, several lengths are cut and joined side by side. Joins and the pattern repeat of a patterned fabric change how much fabric is used.

Then there is the fabric itself. Fabrics differ in width, pattern repeat, weight and what they cost, so the same curtain in two fabrics can be priced quite differently.

The making: one curtain for one window

A made to measure curtain is made after the order is placed, for one window. In the workroom the order is checked, the fabric is cut, the widths are joined, the sides and the bottom are hemmed and the heading is sewn on. Then the curtain is measured, looked over and packed. Some curtains are also pre trained, with the folds set before packing. That work is part of the price, and it is why made to measure always costs more than ready made.

The heading and the lining

The heading is the top of the curtain. It sets how the curtain gathers and what it hangs from. Wave Fold, pinch pleat and eyelet each use a different amount of fabric and work.

Lining is a second layer of fabric behind the face fabric. It blocks or reduces light, shields the face fabric from the sun and adds body, so a lined curtain has more fabric and more sewing in it. Not every curtain needs one. Sheers are made without it.

The track

A curtain hangs from a track, and the track and its brackets are part of the job. A hand drawn track is simple and flexible. A cord drawn track works from one fixed point and has mandatory safety rules for the cord. A motorised track adds a motor, a power supply and a way to control it. A double track holds two curtains at one window, usually a sheer and a blockout, so it means two curtains and two sets of runners.

The measure and the fitting

Measuring the window, advising on fabric, quoting and installing are the retailer's work. A retailer who measures on site, advises on fabric and installs the curtains is quoting for more than the curtain itself.

Ways to bring the price down

• Look at more than one fabric. Fabrics differ in what they cost.
• Ask what less fullness would look like. It uses less fabric and gives a flatter, lighter look.
• Line only the curtains that need it. Not every curtain needs a lining.
• Match the track to the window. A hand drawn track is simple. A motor earns its place on hard to reach windows and heavy use.
• For a rental, a temporary home or a tight budget, ready made curtains can be the right choice.

Ask your retailer to price the options side by side, so you can see what each choice adds. If two quotes for the same window are far apart, they are usually for different curtains, so compare the heading, fullness, fabric, lining and track first.

Speedy Blinds makes curtains, tracks and roller blinds for retailers. Your retailer can measure, quote and order.