Updated July 2026. Prices are typical installed prices to help you budget. Every project gets a free, exact, itemized quote.
The Numbers Most People Are Looking For
Most standard windows run $310 to $480 installed depending on the shade type you choose, with small windows starting around $170 to $220. As a rule of thumb, budget roughly $300 to $450 per window across a whole project. A recent 20-window home we completed, large windows and a sliding glass door included, came in right at $7,000 with all shades, remotes, and installation.
Installed Prices for a Standard Window
All prices below are for a standard 48x60 inch window, fully installed and programmed. Small windows cost less and large windows cost more, and pricing scales faster as windows get bigger, so oversized windows are quoted individually.
| Shade Type | Installed Price (48x60 window) | Common Upgrades |
|---|---|---|
| Roller shades | From $310 | Upgraded fabric adds $10 to $40 (most people choose this). Valence adds $20 and is highly recommended for a clean, finished look. |
| Cellular shades | From $375 | Double cell construction adds $20 for extra insulation. No valence needed, it's built into the design. |
| Zebra shades | From $375 | Premium materials add $20 to $30. Valence adds $20 and is recommended. |
| Roman shades | From $415 | Fabric selection adds $10 to $50. No valence needed. Prices scale faster with size than other types. |
| Woven wood shades | From $480 | Premium materials can bring the same window to about $537. No valence needed. |
| Motorized drapery | From $800 (48 inch wide, 8 ft ceiling) | Includes motorized track and drapes, installed. Premium fabrics and decorative rods (vs a track) increase the price. |
For small windows (under about 23x29 inches), entry prices drop: vinyl roller shades start around $200 installed, Roman shades around $170, and woven wood around $220.
Remotes, Solar Panels & Smart Home Options
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Remotes | $20 to $100 | From a basic 5-channel up to a helix dial remote (great for fine adjustments on zebra shades). There's also a wall remote the size of a decora light switch that blends into an extended faceplate, and a light-sensing remote that adjusts shades based on sunlight. |
| Window solar panel | Varies | Mounts directly on the glass to keep the battery charged full time. Great for high-use shades that can't be hardwired. |
| Smart home hub | $200 | The manufacturer's hub connects your shades to app and voice control. |
| Integrated smart motors | $25 to $170 per shade | Upgraded motors with Zigbee, Z-Wave, or Matter built in (including Matter over Thread and Matter over Ethernet). No hub required, and they work with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, Hubitat, Homey, and more. |
| Old blind removal | $15 per blind | Includes disposal. |
| Pre-wire (new construction) | $100 to $140 per window | Run during the building phase, the cheapest time to hardwire. |
| Hardwiring (existing home) | $100 to $300 per window | Possible in finished homes, but usually not worth it (more on that below). |
What a Whole Home Actually Costs
Numbers in a table are one thing. Here's a real, recently completed project: a Utah home with 20 windows, all roller shades, with blackout in the bedrooms and light-filtering everywhere else. Many of the windows were large, including a sliding glass door. With every shade, all remotes, and full installation and programming, the total came to right around $7,000.
That's a middle-of-the-road project: not the budget floor, not the luxury ceiling. If your home has fewer windows or smaller ones, you'll land under that. More glass, specialty shapes, or premium fabrics push it up.
Speaking of specialty shapes: arched windows, trapezoids, skylights, dual shades (blackout plus light-filtering in one), and top-down/bottom-up shades are all available. Each is priced individually, and each is fantastic in the right situation.
The Power Question, Answered Honestly
Here's something most people don't expect: battery and hardwired shades cost exactly the same. What you're paying extra for with hardwired is the wire itself. During new construction, a pre-wire runs $100 to $140 per window. In a finished home, running that wire costs $100 to $300 per window depending on access.
My honest advice: in an existing home, hardwiring usually isn't worth it. Modern rechargeable batteries typically need charging about every 6 months, and less often on shades you don't move much. For a heavily used shade that you never want to think about, a small solar panel on the window keeps the battery topped off permanently.
Building a new home? That changes the math. Pre-wiring during construction is cheap insurance, and it means shades that never need charging for the life of the house. If you're at that stage, we also handle the low-voltage pre-wire for the rest of the house at the same time.
SmartWings vs Polar Shades: What I Recommend
After meeting with reps from many, many shade companies, I chose to carry two brands, and they serve different buyers.
SmartWings: the value pick (and my usual recommendation)
SmartWings delivers phenomenal value for the money. The quality-to-price ratio is the best I've found in the industry, they cover every shade type in this guide, and they come with a 3 year manufacturer warranty. When people ask what I'd put in my own house, this is the answer. Compared to the big names you may have gotten quotes from, SmartWings generally blows them out of the water on price and value.
Polar Shades: the premium option
Polar Shades is a significant step up in price, and a great product. They're built in the USA, offer a huge range of fabrics and options, and run on Somfy motors, one of the most established names in shade motorization. If you want maximum fabric selection or US manufacturing matters to you, this is the one.
That said, I almost always recommend SmartWings. If your project calls for Polar, I'll tell you why.
Could You Do This Yourself? Honestly, Yes.
You can order motorized shades online and install them yourself. So what do you actually get by hiring me?
- Professional measurement with a guaranteed fit. If I mis-measure, that's on me, not you. With custom-made shades, a measuring mistake is an expensive one to make yourself.
- Samples in your space. I bring fabric samples to your home so you can see color, texture, and opacity in your actual light before you commit.
- Experience across every shade type. You get my knowledge of what actually works for your specific windows and situation, not a guess from product photos.
- Full programming. Grouping, scenes, schedules, and remotes set up and working before I leave, including the tricky special cases.
- Ongoing support. Questions after the install? You have my number.
- Some bad jokes along the way. No extra charge.
What's Included, Timelines & Warranty
- Every installed price includes: professional measurement, installation, programming, and any setup required.
- No trip fees and no minimum job size. One window is a real job to us.
- Old blind removal: $15 per blind, disposal included.
- Lead time: every shade is custom made to order, so plan on 2 to 3 weeks from order to arrival. Most homes are then installed in a single visit.
- Warranty: SmartWings shades carry a 3 year manufacturer warranty, and our workmanship is warrantied for 6 months.
Want the deeper dive on shade types, control options, and how the process works? Read the full motorized shades service guide.
Recent Motorized Shade Projects
Real installations for Utah homes and businesses.
Motorized Shade Pricing Questions
How much do motorized shades cost for a whole house?
As a rule of thumb in Utah, budget roughly $300 to $450 per standard window installed, depending on shade type and fabric. A recent 20-window whole-home project we completed, with many large windows including a sliding glass door, came in right at $7,000 for roller shades with all remotes and installation. That's a middle-of-the-road project.
Do you install motorized blinds?
We install motorized shades, not slatted blinds. Most people searching for motorized blinds are actually looking for what the industry calls shades: roller, cellular, zebra, Roman, and woven wood styles. These cover the same needs (light control, privacy, automation) with cleaner lines and quieter motors.
Is it cheaper to get battery or hardwired motorized shades?
The shades themselves cost the same either way. Hardwiring adds the cost of running wire to each window: about $100 to $140 per window as a pre-wire during new construction, or $100 to $300 per window in an existing home. For existing homes, battery shades are usually the smarter buy.
How often do motorized shade batteries need charging?
Roughly every 6 months with typical use, and less often for shades you rarely move. For high-use shades, a small solar panel that mounts directly on the window can keep the battery topped off so you never think about charging.
How long does it take to get motorized shades installed?
Every shade is custom made to order, so plan on 2 to 3 weeks from order to arrival. Once they arrive, most homes are fully installed and programmed in a single visit.
What warranty do motorized shades come with?
SmartWings shades, our most recommended brand, come with a 3 year manufacturer warranty. Our installation workmanship is warrantied for 6 months on top of that.