Are Roman blinds expensive?

Are Roman blinds expensive? Uh well “expensive” means something different to everyone, but it is fair to say that yes, Roman blinds are generally more expensive than other types of blinds compared like-for-like.

You can get cheap Roman blinds (“cheap” when compared to other Roman blinds) and deeply fancy ones that will cost more than many of us would be willing to spend on a whole room redesign, but if you rank all of the different types of window blinds in order of average costs, roman blinds will be at the top.

As is the case with most things, there may be a wide range of variance between the cost of any two Roman blinds, based on obvious factors like how large they are, and potentially less-obvious factors like whether they were readymade or made to measure, and the quality of the materials and craftsmanship that went into making them.

This blog post will answer the question of “why are Roman blinds so expensive?” And also help to give you some insight into how much you should pay for Roman blinds too.

Why are Roman blinds so expensive?

Roman blinds are expensive (in comparison to other types of blinds) because they’re expensive to produce. Roman blinds are considered to be the most prestigious type of window blinds, and while they may be sold by both high-end retailers and bargain-basement high-street types too, they will tend to be the crowning glory or premium offering within any blinds collection.

Roman blinds are a luxury product, which means that the actual fabric of the blind itself (which will often be shockingly expensive per metre even at cost price) and also the moving parts and fixings and fittings will be the best quality offered within the range.

The cost of the materials themselves is the first factor that dictates why Roman blinds are expensive.

Also, there’s rather more to actually making Roman blinds than there is for other types of blinds too. This applies in terms of the manpower hours and also skills involved thanks to the care and attention to detail required when working with premium fabrics (to avoid damaging them), and the importance of achieving an excellent finish and maintaining a high standard of quality control.

I’m not saying that blinds that fulfil the letter of the description of “Roman blinds” in terms of how they work aren’t run off production lines in the far east for cheap; they totally are, and you can find them today on a high street near you.

But in terms of the “spirit” of the description of “Roman blinds,” that being a prestigious, luxury product, they should be made by skilled experts, and made of excellent quality materials in both the areas you can see and the working parts you can’t.

Why are Roman blinds so expensive?

• The materials required for them cost more than for other types of blinds
• They are more labour-intensive to make and require a higher level of attention to detail.

Are made-to-measure Roman blinds expensive compared to readymade?

Are made-to-measure Roman blinds more expensive than readymade? Oh yes, for sure. We sell made-to-measure Roman blinds (and we don’t sell readymade ones) and we’re not even going to begin to pretend that ours are likely to be less expensive to buy than say, a set from off the shelf at Dunelm or Ikea.

One point I will fight anyone to the death over, however, is that good quality made-to-measure Roman blinds will cost you less in the long term than readymade ones.

They’re far better quality, designed to last for many years (well north of a decade is the norm), and they’re also made just for you and so, will fit your window exactly without the need to finesse them, trim them, or otherwise potentially mess them up.

Also, you get faaaar more choice in terms of the fabrics, finishes, and designs and so on with made-to-measure than you do with readymade, and can choose your lining (from options such as blackout, thermally insulating and so on).

How much do Roman blinds cost? Our own range of Roman blinds for sale start at £39.85, and you will be able to get readymade Roman blinds for rather less than this too (although I caution you not to if you want them to last for more than a couple of years at best)!

Are Roman blinds more expensive than roller blinds?

Yes, like-for-like Roman blinds are more expensive than roller blinds; roller blinds are widely considered to be the least expensive type of blinds overall.

Of course, a low-end readymade Roman blind might cost less than a high-end made-to-measure roller, but based on a direct comparison, Roman blinds are at the top end of the blinds price scale, and roller blinds at the bottom.

This is for a number of reasons; roller blind fabrics are mostly cheaper, Roman blinds use twice as much fabric, if you include the lining, as a roller of the same size too, and the controls and working mechanism of a Roman blind are more complex as well.

Roman blinds also take far longer and require more skill to make than roller blinds, and are often finished with hand-stitching and in some cases, the sort of attention to detail that most people tend to associate with wedding dresses rather than window dressings!

How much should Roman blinds cost?

There is a wide range of potential variance in the cost of any two Roman blinds depending on whether you buy readymade or made-to-measure, the calibre of the retailer, and the individual choices you make while shopping, such as a certain fabric, finish, or method of operation.

If you want to get a broad guide on the average cost of Roman blinds (both readymade and made-to-measure) then check out our earlier blog post, how much should I pay for blinds? For more info.

If you want to know how much our own Roman blind would cost for a specific window of your choosing and in the fabric and finish you’d like, you can find out immediately by inputting your dimensions and choices on any of our Roman blinds product pages and it will tell you instantly!