Measuring guide: how a free in-home quote actually works

A free measure visit for blinds and tint at a standard Melbourne family home takes 30 to 60 minutes. We bring sample books for every fabric range, swatch cards for every film, a tape, a laser measure and a UV meter. We walk the house room by room, measure each opening, discuss how each room is used, and leave samples with you to hold against the actual walls and floors. A written quote follows in one to two days, broken down by room. If approved, a 50 percent deposit goes to manufacture and the install date is locked in.

Key takeaways

• Free measure within 40km of Altona, no obligation.
• 30 to 60 minutes for a standard family home; longer for larger homes or full curtain-and-shutter scopes.
• Samples left with you so you can decide in your own light.
• Written quote in one to two days, broken down by room.
• 50 percent deposit on approval, balance on install completion.
• 12-month workmanship warranty plus 5 to 15 year manufacturer warranty.

What happens before the visit

When you book a measure (phone or web form), we confirm the appointment for a two-hour window on a date that suits. Most measures run weekdays during business hours; we accommodate after-hours and Saturday appointments where possible.

Before arriving, we look at the address on a map to get a sense of the orientation. North-facing, west-facing and exposure-to-afternoon-sun all change the recommendations we will be discussing. By the time we knock on the door, we usually have a working hypothesis about what the priority rooms will be.

What the measure visit actually involves

The sequence inside the home:

• Quick walk-through of every room with windows in scope. We get a feel for the home's style, the existing finishes, and the priorities.
• Conversation about what is working and what is not. Bright bedrooms in summer, glare on the TV at certain times, privacy from the street, heat through the western wall: these are the briefs we hear most often.
• Room-by-room measurement. Each window opening is measured for width and drop. Reveal depth is checked for face-fit vs reveal-fit options. Glass type is confirmed for tint compatibility.
• Sample selection. We hand the sample books over and let you hold fabrics and film swatches against the actual walls, floors and furniture in the actual light of the room.
• Discussion of options per room. Bedrooms almost always go blockout (detail in blockout blinds for shift workers). Living rooms usually go either day-night roller or sheer-and-blockout combination (detail in day-night blinds). Bathrooms go decorative film or aluminium shutters (detail in decorative window film).
• Tint discussion. Glass type, orientation and use case drive the recommendation. The conversation in UV damage in Melbourne homes explains how this works.
• Notes back at the van. We capture every measurement, every sample selection and every comment from the conversation.

Samples we bring

The van carries:

• Roller blind fabric books from Shades of Elegance, CW Systems, Speedy Blinds and Total Window Concepts.
• Honeycomb fabric samples in light filter and blockout grades.
• Curtain fabric books including sheer ranges (Nettex Bali, Cannes, others), blockout fabrics and linen-blends.
• Plantation shutter sample doors in painted timber, aluminium and PVC, in 63mm, 89mm and 114mm blade sizes.
• Tint film swatches across solar, ceramic, frosted, decorative, anti-graffiti and safety grades.
• Solar Gard sample chart for residential and commercial film grades.
• Hardware samples (chains, motors, headboxes, side channels).

For heritage homes, we bring additional shutter samples in painted finishes appropriate to period architecture. Detail in plantation shutters for heritage homes.

What the quote looks like

The written quote arrives by email within one to two business days. It is broken down by room and by line item:

• Room name (e.g. "Master bedroom, west-facing window").
• Window dimensions.
• Product spec (fabric range, colour, mechanism, side channels if applicable).
• Price per window.
• Per-room subtotal.
• Whole-of-home subtotal.
• Tint scope and price (separate section).
• Total including GST.
• Lead time, install timing, deposit and balance terms.
• Warranty terms.

The room-by-room format means you can see exactly where the cost sits and adjust spec per room if needed. Common adjustments: dropping side channels on secondary bedrooms, downgrading from sheer-plus-blockout to day-night roller in the living room, removing tint from south-facing windows where it is not needed.

Deposit and lead times

On quote approval, the 50 percent deposit triggers manufacturing. Lead times by product:

• Roller blinds (any type): three to four weeks for stocked fabric.
• Curtains: three to four weeks.
• Honeycombs: three to four weeks.
• Plantation shutters (timber, imported): six to eight weeks.
• Plantation shutters (PVC, locally made): two to three weeks.
• Tint film: install can usually run within one to two weeks of approval.

The install date is set when the deposit clears, against the longest lead-time item in the order. For a mixed order with shutters and blinds, the shutters drive the date.

For builder coordination, see the builder fit-out checklist.

What happens at install

Install day is covered separately in what to expect on install day. The short version: confirmation call the day before, install starts in a 60-minute arrival window, four to six hours for a standard four-bedroom home, balance collected on completion.

Common questions

Is the measure really free?

Yes, no charge and no obligation. We cover the area within 40km of Altona, which runs from Geelong out to Glen Waverley. Outside that radius we charge for travel; we will tell you on booking.

Do I need to be home for the whole visit?

Ideally yes, especially for the sample selection. The conversation about which fabric suits which room is what makes the quote useful. If you cannot be there for the full visit, we can do a measure-only visit and discuss samples by phone afterwards, but the result is usually slower.

What if I want to compare quotes?

Get quotes from other installers if you want. Our quote will be specific enough on fabric ranges and product specifications that a like-for-like comparison is possible. Cheap quotes that do not name the specific fabric are not comparable.

How long does the quote stay valid?

30 days. After that, fabric pricing from suppliers can move and we re-quote. In practice, most clients approve within two weeks.

Can I change the spec after approving the quote?

Before manufacturing starts, yes, no charge. After the fabric is cut, changes incur the cost of the original order plus the new order. The window for free changes is typically the first week after deposit.

A free measure within 40km of Altona is a phone call away. Call Dany on 0468 032 236 or see the blinds range, curtains range, shutters range and residential tinting.