As the post really. Some shops near me seem to charge an arm and a leg for curtains (ie thousands). Apart from the cost of the fabric whats the big deal in knocking up some curtains? Why so expensive, or am I going to the wrong places?

IKEA!

Mate had the same problem. It's all down to labour costs. A good place to try is Dunelm Mills



We ended up getting ours done in India. Whilst we were in Bangalore, found loads of quality material shops. The material cost us 150 quid, another 20 quid for the lining and all the tailoring/stitching cost 16 quid! and I bet we still got ripped off!

The quotes that we were quoted here in the UK were ranging from 800 to 1200 quid. By the way these were for two big bay windows.

Good luck, make sure you get the colour/material right.

You have boy a really BIG table to put them on to make - or so my wife says.

That is a big capital investment!

I was once in John Lewis with her indoors to get a quote on curtains. The guy totalled it up and the price for one pair of curtains was so much I had to walk out as I was so shocked!

We were £1k for ONE large bay window a few years ago

You can afford it DS

Littlewoods - the best in catalogue shopping You should be able to pay them up

My missus makes curtains, she has a room with a mahoosive table, bigger than you could fit in most houses, 2 sewing machines that need servicing regularly, an overlocker, the room needs heating and lighting so there are costs.

She doesnt make much money, I think she is too cheap, its amazing as its a very skilled time consuming job, most ladies with a sewing machine can knock up some basic curtains but there is a world of difference between that and some massive floor length ones with all fancy bits on. I get annoyed when people mess her about and she ends up doing the measuring and hanging and then doesnt charge for it, every other trade or service nail the last few quid out of us so considering its a wealthy area she should just ramp the price up, there is plenty of work for her.

John Lewis is very expensive but they generally do a good job.

My ex-missus used to make curtains, and as posted above its quite an involved and skilled job. You get what you pay for ...

argoos did it for me.

why spend 1000s on curtains when you can spend it on mods, or debts

£60-70 think mine were for an old school tall thin terrace window in my house

Bad boy!

Lifes to short to be spending mega bucks on curtains

Jacko, where you based then?

Deep,

Wilmslow in Cheshire, Near Manchester airport.

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Would you like to see pictures of my wife's curtains...
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Shame, too far

ps I've already seen your wife's curtains.....

Theres a killing to be had in blinds also , as a mate of mine has illustrated this past 5 years - but he just essentaily does the measuring up/fitting ( or at least his lackys do) whilst he employes the chinese to put them together.

Custom made in britian will cost you more - what do you expect

maybe you could bring Mr.Cinaman half way rould the world to do the work

My wife also does blinds, apparently they pay better.

She just needs to get/do more work and I can retire !

Meat curtains??

Beef curtains to be precise

That too!

yeah
curtains are really expensve

we went to a designer shop local to me and she wanted

£980 for a bay window -


£ 480 for a hall

£ 270 bedroom

£60 bathroom total £1790

so i thought no way so got samples and got in some cases idetical fabric ansd others similar offcuts etc and bought some lining whch was only £1 a metre not £8 "" and 2 days hard work with the misses did them and a pretty good job we did

£ 300 bay window
£150 hall
£130 bedroom
£25 bathroom total £605 !!!


yes they are tricky to do but time/patience wins in the end but it seem like £100 labour per hour to make curtains makes a solicitor good value for money

Basically for various reason's that i won't go into woman no longer find being a seamtriss a good job. Hence the price goes up simple !!

We've done three rooms this year from John Lewis. Most recently my daughters room (big bay window). Used their 7 day service, pinch pleats, blackout lining all made up and delivered for a shade under £400. The local curtain warehouse was more expensive!

I think the quality is excellent. I put the track up and hung/ dressed the curtains. They look fab. My neighbours had John Lewis come round to measure up and they quoted about £1500 to do the track/ make them/ and then hang them.

So the moral is to do a bit yourself and save a bundle.

Howard

I bet that if you were to measure up and stitch together a set of curtains you would not feel so bad about the cost.

Les

Same as us!!

You see ready made curtains for £100-£200 but then you see they dont quite fit the width and the drop is just a few inches too short!! Go and get a quote for some making.....always the most expensive material the wife picks out and then theyve got to be lined!!!

Curtains were the second most expensive items I bought (collectively) when renovating our house!! I think it was about £4000 in total.

Wow, I can't believe some of the prices people are paying for curtains!

Someting I know a little about..

Rough guide for prices lining should cost £2.99 metre max (thats for top quality) or £4.99 for blackout lining. Curtain fabric is available for around £5.00 per metre (top quality designer name or very nice design OR you can pay £20 per metre for something really special (but you will be wasting your money!))

The best curtain tape would be £2.00 metre

So for a 4 metre wide window 90" drop:

fabric would be around 14 metres @ £5.00 = £70

Lining would be also be 14 metres @ £2.99 = £42

Tape 9 metres @ £2.00 = £18

Make up charge would be 6 drops @ approx £24 drop = £144

Total cost for large 4 metre lounge type window = £274

Curtains are overrated!

Does anyone have any pics of these £1000 curtains...I would be intrigued to see what you get for your £1k!!.....I will be needing to buy curtains soon, and I dont anticipate I will pay £1000 for a pair!!......Id think I was splashing out if they cost £200!! But then I am a tight yorkshireman....

less trissful working in asda - + its now demeaning for women to sew ,probably

For foofin curtains My local harry corry or dunelm mill will do me fine.

But then again i am a tight scotsman