How much do integrated blinds for bi-fold doors, French doors or windows cost? The price you pay for these blinds depends on the color, sizes and whether you choose the manual, magnetic or fully electric models. There are also several brands of blinds and these vary from the basic to the better brands, also reflected in the price.
Read on for an explanation of integrated blind prices and get some budget prices for some typical arrangements with integrated blinds.
Are integrated blinds worth it?
Integrated blinds perform a valuable function. But they also come with pros and cons. Before we get to these, we also recommend a completely different solution. It’s the Centor Screening System. It removes virtually all the disadvantages of integrated blinds and you may find this a better solution for you.
Our advice is to at least find out more as an alternative and get a quote for these. And if you’re worried about quality, the Centor brand is one of the best in the world for bi-fold doors, and their screens are pretty special too. The significant advantage of Centor blinds and curtains is that they easily cover sliding doors, where most integrated blinds don’t work with them due to sliding panel size or door configuration.
Are integrated blinds reliable? It depends on how they are used. Some installers will not offer them with their bifolds due to historical issues. Others love them and never have a problem. Where problems do occur, it’s usually due to not using these blinds correctly (and carefully). But someone unfamiliar with their operation can quickly break them or cause a failure. Generally, it comes down to the quality of the product and the company that makes them.
Benefits of integrated blinds
The convenience of not having aftermarket curtains or blinds and enjoy the aesthetics of your modern new bifolds. The exaggerated marketing messages don’t collect dust, blow in the wind and never need cleaning. It’s true, it’s true. The convenience of manual, automatic and solar collectors.
Disadvantages of integrated blinds
An ugly frame around the glass unit that compromises vision when the blinds are open
The warranty on these blinds varies greatly and is typically only five years
The reliability of these blinds is good, but also not good when user error breaks them, which can often be. When the blinds fail, you will also need to replace the entire glass unit in most cases
Finding spare parts is a nightmare on older products where the brand is not known.
Figuring out how much integrated blinds cost.
Before we give an indication of how much you can expect to pay for integrated blinds, there are some key things about the product that all affect the price you pay.
First of all, the size of the blinds affects the price. Older blinds were only possible for doors with a minimum of 28mm glazing cavity. Now integrated blinds come with thinner slats, which means more types of doors and windows can fit them. For example, Pellini Screenline blinds come with 10 mm slats. As a result, you now get blinds in composite doors or any glass cavity as narrow as 16 mm.
Generally, the maximum size of an integrated blind is 2.5 m wide and 2.5 m high with most systems. The smallest integrated blind size is approximately 450mmx450mm. Blind sizes vary considerably from supplier to supplier and across different brands. So it’s possible that your glass size may not be suitable for blinds if the sizes are too wide or too high.
How much do integrated blinds cost
As a general rule, we take a typical integrated blind fitted in quality bifold doors with the following specification. Over two square meters in area.
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- Manually operated with a magnetic controller and optional Solar Controlled
- Integrated blinds in a standard stock color, e.g. white or grey.
- The glass specification is a 28mm tempered glass unit with a Low-E coating and a warm edge spacer bar.
- It is important to note that the price of our integrated blinds is approximate and is only a general guide.
- The examples use popular systems
- The above recommended prices are for doors with a standard width and a maximum height of 2100 mm.
Prices include VAT and installation.
Factors that affect the price you pay for integrated blinds
The above prices are for guidance only. There are other factors that affect the price of integrated blinds.
Why the integrated blind brand affects costs
There are a number of integrated blind systems with no “bad” product on the market. However, manufacturing quality and individual features vary with the different brands. Above all, quality is everything with integrated blinds. The best integrated blind product is from Pellini.
Our research shows that the price of integrated blinds is in line with the major manufacturers. However, buying power, profit margins and other commercial factors all affect the final selling price.
In addition to this, how the blinds are manufactured, the glass specifications, color and operating method also affect the price. Above all, the general supply route is the major manufacturers of integrated blinds, all of whom supply their products directly to home improvement companies. These companies purchase blinds from their chosen supplier and then install them on the door or window.
Also remember that your double door supplier buys blinds, not makes them.
How color affects the price of integrated blinds
Integrated glass curtains come in a selection of colors, some of which are stock colors. Typically, integrated blinds come in the following popular colors.
- white
- Black
- Several grey colors such as anthracite
- Silver as well as metallic silver
- Green
- Beige
Other colors are available by special order and an increase in price compared to standard stock colors.
How integrated blinds open and close affects the price
Integrated blinds are available with multiple opening, closing and tilting options. There’s corded, magnetic, electric, remote opening and even solar. All these different opening methods will affect the price paid.
Why your project also affects the cost of integrated blinds
We live in a commercial world where good companies want to secure your order.
It’s often the case that the window company wants to keep their prices competitive, so the price of integrated blinds can also be affected by the total order value. This is usually good news for the homeowner who receives a competitive price with integrated blinds included or at a reduced price.
It’s also worth remembering that there are large and small door and window companies. Some people get better discounts from integral curtain manufacturers than others because they buy more. Again, this can affect the price the homeowner will pay.
How to get a quote for doors and windows with integrated blinds
Many great showrooms around the UK show how products are fitted with integrated blinds and we can help put you in touch with them.
Some installers will discourage you from these claims of unreliability and operational issues. It’s true for them, as we’ve explained earlier in this article.
Don’t buy the cheapest, always ask what brand of integrated blinds you’re buying and who makes them. So do your research on them or contact us. The overwhelming feedback is that the products, used correctly, are reliable.
Remember to ask about the warranty on the curtains specifically and then check your contract – you’ll find that it’s not the same as your doors.
