Why We Walk Away from Some Blinds Jobs

Why We Walk Away from Some Jobs and Why That’s a Good Thing for You

We love helping people find the right blinds and shutters for their homes. It’s what we’ve been doing in Leicester for over 135 years. But here’s something that might surprise you… we regularly walk away from jobs.

Not because we don’t want the work but because we don’t believe in selling blinds or shutters that aren’t right.

That might mean the product wouldn’t last, wouldn’t be safe, or simply wouldn’t do what you hoped it would do. And when that happens, we’re upfront about it. We’ll always give honest advice, even if it means losing a sale.

Here are some of the most common reasons we say no:

1. Blackout Fabric Isn’t Always Blackout

We often get asked for vertical blinds with blackout fabric, especially for bedrooms. And yes the fabric might block light. But vertical blinds always have small gaps between the louvres, so they’ll never give you full darkness.

If true blackout is what you need, we’ll recommend better options, like cassetted roller blinds or cellular blinds with side channels. The last thing we want is for you to be disappointed after they’re fitted.

Our survey teams now carry photos of various types of blinds at the same window so you can compare directly how much light you can expect. It is probably the most common compliant blind companies get.

2. Wooden Venetians on Patio or French Doors

Wooden Venetian blinds look stunning but they’re not always the right choice for some windows and doors. On wide openings, they can be very heavy to lift, and the stack at the top can block your view or make it difficult to walk under without hitting your head..

We’ll always talk through how you use the space before making a recommendation. If something looks great but won’t work in everyday life, we won’t fit it.

3. Child Safety Can Make Some Blinds Awkward to Use

By law, certain blinds with cords must be fitted so the cords are at least 1500mm from the floor and secured to the wall.

That can create problems—especially with kitchen windows above a sink, where reaching up and across to operate the blind becomes awkward or even unsafe. In these cases, we’ll guide you toward safer, more practical options, like cordless blinds or motorised controls.

4. MDF or Wooden Shutters in Bathrooms

Moisture and steam don’t mix well with wood. Yet we still see MDF and wooden shutters being sold for bathrooms (with some people being sold ‘waterproof shutters’ only to find out a couple of years later that they aren’t).

We won’t install them. They might look fine at first, but humidity will eventually cause swelling, cracking, or peeling. If you want the shutter look in a bathroom, we’ll always recommend a fauxwood shutter and nothing else. It will cost a little more but it will last.

5. Awnings Where the Sun Never Shines

A patio awning can be a brilliant investment—if the sun actually reaches that part of your garden. We’ve met people who’ve spent a lot on an awning, only to discover the sun comes in the side of the awning, giving them very little shade.

A recent appointment with a potential awning customer who had solar panels on the FRONT of his home, and wanted an awning on the back. Totally pointless and a waste of £1000s, but the other 3 companies who quoted didn’t say that.

The very first question we ask is “when and where your garden gets the sun?”. If an awning won’t give you what you’re hoping for, we’ll say so and help you find something better.

It’s Not About the Sale. It’s About What’s Right for You.

We’ve built our reputation on honest advice, practical solutions, and always doing what’s right not what’s easy.

My Grandad’s favourite saying “ It is not our job to find customers for our blinds, it is our job the find the right blinds for our customers”

Sometimes, that means walking away. And that’s OK.