You're finally preparing to move to your new home and want everything ready, but does that mean you need to buy blinds for the windows? Does a new or new-to-you house come with blinds? It would be horrible to get there on your first night and have no way to keep out the light from the streetlamp. We've done some research to find out if new homes come with blinds as a standard feature.
If you're buying a new home, blinds will be an additional cost. Your builder might add them into your construction package, but that will need to be negotiated upfront. If you are moving into a pre-owned home, the breakdown typically works like this. Blinds and curtain rods that are affixed to the walls and window frames stay, but curtains might be taken. If you want to be sure those things are in place before you move, negotiate them into your sales contract.
We'll look at this more closely in this post. In addition, we'll explore the cost to put blinds in a new house, if they come with blinds, and if having blinds can increase the resale value. We'll also look at blind installation and see if it's difficult or easy. And finally, we'll look at window treatments and the thoughts on if they should be the same throughout the home.
Will Your New Home Come With Blinds On The Windows?
When you went to go look at your home, one of the things you loved about it was the gorgeous window treatments. Maybe it had amazing remote-controlled blinds or just some really pretty bamboo rollups. But it left you feeling relieved to know you didn't have to worry about choosing those elements. But is that a correct thought?
Do Pre-Existing Homes Always Come With The Window Treatments As Part Of The Sale?
If you know you want the window treatments that are in the home you've put an offer on, then it's best to ask for those to stay as part of the sale. The reason for this is that the line of whether blinds or curtains stay can be murky.
Typically, things like remote-controlled blinds or those affixed to the window framing will stay because they are now considered a physical attachment to the home. However, curtains and curtain rods might leave with the previous homeowners. One way to ensure that you have no unfortunate surprises is to make it clear you want them to remain in the home as a condition of the sale.
Do New Build Houses Come With Blinds?
If you're having a home built or have bought a new home in a builder's subdivision, your home will not come with blinds as part of the baseline package. Some subdivision builds might include them as part of an upgrades package, but you'll need to check with your builder to be sure. This is considered one of the hidden costs of a new build, so go in with your eyes wide open.
How Much Does It Cost To Put Blinds In A New House?
Obviously, the cost of installing blinds directly relates to how many windows you have in your home and the type of blind you choose. Say you have four faux wood blinds to go on four 27" windows; the average cost would be about $350. The same configuration in vinyl would cost about $100. If you wanted to go for high-end motorized blinds, you could spend as much as $2,500 for just four windows.
On average, you're probably looking at spending anywhere from $25 per window up to $800 per window, depending upon what type of blinds you choose.
Cordless vinyl mini-blinds like these are very cost-efficient, often ringing in at well under $50 per window. This one can be seen here on Amazon.
Real wood blinds, like this set, are a mid-range to upper-end value in blinds. Click here for these on Amazon.
Do Blinds Increase Resale Value?
On a purely monetary level, blinds will not add that much value to an appraisal. Even the most expensive blinds have a life span, typically around seven to ten years, before they can start to glitch. Because of this, their value is more of an intrinsic value.
If your home is staged beautifully, including the window treatments, the homebuyer is going to perceive that as valuable. Anything included in your home that is a cost the homebuyer doesn't have to deal with is a bonus.
Custom remote-controlled blinds in an on-trend color can add intrinsic value to your home. Click here for this on Amazon.
Of course, the flip side of this is if your house is full of wonky, broken blinds and out-of-date window treatments, your home may seem less valuable. Suddenly, those window treatments aren't an asset but a liability. The homebuyer will have to figure out a way to remove them and dispose of them, which can negatively impact overall value.
Are Blinds Hard To Install?
Horizontal window blinds, which are the most common type of blind, are not difficult to install. Usually, all that is required is a drill, drill bits, a pencil, and a screwdriver. A great video from the Home Depot site shows an easy installation process for outside mount installation.
The other way to install blinds is inside of the window frame. This will require blinds that fit inside of those measurements and it will come with brackets for the blind to slide in. We've included an easy-to-follow video for this type of installation as well.
If the installation is not your thing, or you're simply not handy, you may want to check with your local window treatment store, your builder, or even your realtor to see if they may know a professional who can help you hang the blinds.
Should Window Treatments Be The Same Throughout The House?
Design is definitely personal, and window treatments don't need to be the same throughout the house. You want them to work with your style, and sometimes that may be eclectic. However, if you are installing blinds throughout your home, sometimes it can be cost-effective to choose one thing for each window. It can also make installation easier as there's no new learning curve for a change in styles.
You also want to think about the exterior of our home when blinds are involved. Why? Because blinds can be seen from the outside as well as from the inside. If you have a hodgepodge of styles and designs in each window, it might look disjointed on your exterior view of your home, and you might not like the look.
See our post here: "Should Curtains Match In An Open Floor Plan?"
The Bottom Line Is, Check The Bottom Line About Your Blinds
Our takeaway from this is that it's always good to check in with your realtor or construction company in reference to blinds and other window treatments. Make it clear if you expect them to stay or be part of your building package. Otherwise, you might be exposed to all of the neighbors when you first move into your home. And that would be no fun.
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