Empowering New Home Buyers

When consumers are ready to make the leap into the real estate market and purchase their first home it is a very exciting, and costly, time. There are so many things to consider if you are building a new home such as lighting, paint, cabinetry…and window coverings that can include blinds, shades, drapery and shutters. The same applies to home buyers looking to buy an established home, for it may have window coverings that are not to their taste, style or perhaps lack any covering on the window. As a professional in the field of window coverings for over a decade I often find that window coverings are the last on the list for budgeted expenses and then the budget is minimal. Perhaps if it is a new build the home builder may have a design center where you can choose your window covering, however there are some questions that you can ask yourself before you dive into the decision making process or before the budget is spent on lighting and various upgrades.

Get Wired for Light

Firstly, if you have the opportunity to build and the home is just breaking ground, do you want to add power to the windows so you can operate them from a remote or Alexa or Google? In this case, it is best to work with a window covering specialist in the building stage who can help you with the proper wiring, location and blind options. Having electrical wired to the window will eliminate power cords to an outlet, changing batteries or having longer cords. It is ultimately the best solution for high two-story windows and if you want the most modern high-tech automated solutions throughout your home.

Get a Second Opinion

Secondly, if there is a design center that is providing window coverings, it is to your advantage to find out allowance for the blinds and their specifications and have another quote done independently from the builder. Their pricing may be on par with industry standards, however there may be other product lines or other manufacturers offering promotions or better value that will provide some savings.

Long Term Savings

Another question to ask yourself before you accept the builders blind package is do you want to add the cost of your window coverings to your mortgage? If you are in a financial position to purchase blinds or shades without adding to your mortgage this could lead to substantial savings over the amortization.

In addition, the design center may only offer one or two choices as a package with no wiggle room for room darkening considerations or no possibility of changing to a product that you always dreamed of having. Would you like to browse through product selections and consider other functions and style other than what the design center is providing? This is another advantage of getting a second quote from a third party window covering expert.

Check Before You Buy an Existing Home

Some new home buyers prefer to purchase in established neighbourhoods in which case the window coverings are generally included in the price of the home. When you are searching the market, consider these small items when you are walking through a home. It will probably not be a deal breaker if you do not like the blinds, however keep in mind that if you chose to switch the window coverings to suit your style or they simply need updating as they are old or broken it may be another investment that you were not considering when you are moving in. Are the existing window coverings something that you replace floor by floor or what are the costs to replacing them all?

From Wish List to Final Touch

Today’s Window coverings offer so many options to consumers from cordless child safe blinds, room darkening top down bottom up cellulars to shades that you can operate remotely on your device. Are these items on your wish list and what will they add to your budget? It is worth your time to consider these questions to feel more empowered when making a new home purchase – window coverings are the final added touch to a room and can make your home reflective of your taste and style.

For experience and knowledge about the right custom window covering solutions for your Cochrane & Calgary home, contact Kirstin today!