Motorizing is worth considering where reaching a chain is awkward or where you adjust a shade often. Start with a tall window beside the door, a front window you open and close regularly, or a patio door. You can motorize only the shades that need it. Each motor costs extra, while a single remote can serve several shades across the house.
What does motorizing a shade actually cost?
We charge $115.00 more to motorize any shade. The remote costs $50.00 and is bought separately. Keep those charges separate when you compare your choices, especially if you are ordering several shades.
For a patio door, a chain-operated zebra shade at 72 by 80 inches is $547.00. The motorized zebra shade at 72 by 80 inches is $662.00. The remote is extra, once. Those shade prices are before tax, with shipping in Canada included.
The practical change is at the window. A motorized shade has no chain at all. Our chain-operated shades have a continuous loop chain, sold shrouded and anchored to the wall with a tension device. You choose which side the chain hangs on, and we set its drop length. Think about where you would stand to use that chain before choosing the operation.
Can one remote run shades across the house?
One remote costs $50.00 and runs up to 15 shades. You do not need to budget for a separate remote beside every motorized shade. The $115.00 motor charge applies to each shade you choose to motorize.
Here is a chain-operated zebra shade order to start from. A small bedroom window at 24 by 48 inches is $150.20. A tall window beside the door at 30 by 72 inches is $237.00. A front window at 60 by 60 inches is $361.00. A patio door at 72 by 80 inches is $547.00. All four together come to $1,295.20, before tax, with shipping in Canada included.
You can keep some of those shades chain-operated and motorize others. These are common window examples. We price every shade from the measurements of the window it is for.
Which windows are worth motorizing first?
Start with the tall window beside the door if its chain would be awkward to reach. A chain-operated zebra shade at 30 by 72 inches is $237.00. Before ordering, stand where you would operate it. Consider which side you would choose for the chain and how easily you could get to that spot. Motorization removes the chain from that decision.
Next, consider a front window that you adjust regularly. A chain-operated zebra shade at 60 by 60 inches is $361.00. If getting to the chain feels like a chore each time, that is a practical reason to consider a motor. If the chain is easy to reach and you are happy using it, you can keep it.
A patio door is another place to look closely. A motorized zebra shade at 72 by 80 inches is $662.00. Picture using the shade with the room arranged as you normally keep it. If reaching its chain would mean moving around furniture, remote operation may earn its place in your order.
Is a motor worth adding to a small window?
A chain-operated zebra shade at 24 by 48 inches is $150.20. The same 24 by 48 inches as a chain-operated roller blind is $103.80. The motor charge is $115.00 for either type, and a remote is $50.00.
On a small, easy-to-reach window, think about how much you would actually use remote operation. You may prefer to put the motor on a harder-to-reach window elsewhere. There is no minimum order, so you can order a single shade.
Choose the fabric construction as well as the operation. Zebra shades have alternating sheer and solid bands on one roller. A roller blind has a single panel of fabric with no bands. We offer free material samples through the website before you buy.
What should I check before ordering motorized shades?
Check your measurements before confirming the order. We make shades from 9 to 109 inches wide and up to 130 inches high, to the eighth of an inch. Widths of 94 inches and over travel by courier in their own carton, with an $85 charge once per order. Custom shades are final sale once confirmed. That does not cover a shade that arrives faulty, damaged or different from what you ordered.
We make your shades to order in Richmond Hill, Ontario, and dispatch them within three working days of a confirmed order. Transit time comes after that. Prices are before tax, with GST or HST charged according to the delivery province.
We install within 75 km of Elgin Mills and Yonge in Richmond Hill. Installation is $100 per window, with a minimum of three windows. The warranty covers mechanical parts only, including the motor. The free 1 year mechanical warranty is currently upgraded free to 3 years. Mechanical parts are covered for life when our own team installs the shade. Fabric is excluded.
What to do next
Price your window on the website using its own measurements and your chosen material. Add $115.00 for each shade you want motorized and $50.00 for a remote that runs up to 15 shades. Start with the window where reaching a chain would be most awkward.
Made to measure in Richmond Hill and shipped free anywhere in Canada. Or ring us on (289) 210-3254.