Window treatment installation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering window treatment installation

Window treatment installation is a level-and-anchor job where the bracket line and the wall anchor decide how the room looks and how the treatments hold up. Your win is measuring the clearances, leveling the line and leaving the homeowner with treatments that run smooth.

What customers ask

  • Will the blinds sit level across the whole room?
  • Will the brackets hold in my plaster or brick?
  • Do the drapes need a center bracket?
  • Can you wire the motor for the shades?
  • Will you patch the holes you make?
  • Can you hang the treatments higher than the window frame?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask how many windows, the treatment type, the wall type and whether the homeowner wants motors, so you bring the right brackets and anchors.
  • Bring a bracket and anchor sample to the visit, and show how the anchor holds in the wall type on site.
  • Measure the clearances on the site visit, including sill, trim, radiator and the treatment's stack space, and photograph each window.
  • Put each window, the treatment type, brackets, anchors, hardware and any motor or power work in the quote as separate lines.
  • Set a level line across the room and show the homeowner the line before the brackets go in.
  • Test the operation of each treatment with the homeowner and adjust the stops and cords before you leave.
  • Send a closeout note with the bracket locations, the anchor types used and the motor or controller settings.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of finished treatment installs that show the level line, the bracket detail and the clearance
  • Treatment types you install, such as blinds, cellular shades, shutters and drapery
  • Wall types you anchor into, such as drywall, plaster, brick and tile
  • Service area and whether you do motor setup and smart-control programming

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a check of the brackets and the operation after the first season, since heavy drapery can pull on the mount.
  • Suggest a motor or smart control upgrade for the windows that get the most daily use.
  • Recommend a patch and paint pass after the treatments are moved, so the wall stays clean.

Licenses and permits

Window treatment installation is commonly done by specialists, interior installers or general home service companies, and hard-wired motor or new power work commonly goes to a licensed electrician. Check your state and local licensing requirements before you bid.

Questions

Who handles the power for motorized treatments?

A licensed electrician should handle any fixed wiring or new outlet. The installer can set up the motor and the controller once the power is in place. Put that split in the quote.

How do I handle a wall that will not hold an anchor?

Stop, test the anchor, and tell the homeowner. Recommend a different mount or a backing repair before the treatment goes up. Do not hang heavy fabric on an anchor you have not tested.

Do I need a permit to hang treatments?

Usually not for blinds and drapes. Motorized or wired treatments can need an electrical permit where the work is wired. Check with the local building office for the wired work.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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