Blinds that fit
the window.

No. Measuring is the part that goes wrong most often, and a shade cut a quarter-inch wrong is scrap, so it is done in person as part of the estimate. If you want a rough idea before booking, measure the width of the opening in three places (top, middle and bottom) and use the smallest number. That is usually enough for a ballpark conversation over the phone.

An inside mount sits inside the window recess, so the trim stays visible and the whole thing looks built in. It needs enough depth and a reasonably square opening. An outside mount fixes to the wall or trim above the opening, covers more glass, blocks more light around the edges, and is the honest answer for older houses where the frames have moved.

A roller shade is one panel of fabric on a tube. A zebra shade has two layers printed in alternating solid and sheer bands. Line the sheer bands up and you get filtered daylight with the view intact; slide them so the solid bands meet and the room goes private. It gives you a range of light on one shade instead of just up or down.

Transparent fabrics cut glare and daytime visibility while keeping the view and most of the light. Semi-blackout gives real privacy and softens the light without making a room dark. Blackout is what a nursery, a shift worker's bedroom or a media room needs. It stops light through the fabric itself, though a little always comes around the edges unless side channels are fitted.

Yes, and it is the one upgrade worth pushing. Hanging cords and bead chains are a genuine strangulation hazard for small children and pets. Cordless lift and motorised options remove the cord entirely. If a corded option is the right fit for other reasons, cord cleats and tensioners help, but cordless is the better answer in a house with toddlers.

Usually not. Most run on a rechargeable battery inside the tube, and some valance profiles are designed so the motor can be charged without taking the shade down. Hardwired motors are an option in new construction or during a renovation, when there is a wall open. One motor can also drive several linked blinds together, which is how a long run of windows ends up landing on exactly the same line.

The measure and consultation happens in your home and usually takes under an hour, including going through fabrics. Everything is made to your measurements, so there is a production window after that, and installation is typically a single visit. Exact timing depends on the product and the size of the job. You will get a real date, not a vague window.

No. The in-home measure and quote is free, and there is no obligation attached to it. You will get the price for what you asked about, not a package built around something you did not.