Blinds for Every Budget
Blending local ownership with the resources of a national backer, Budget Blinds empowers clients to make informed decisions about the best window treatments for their homes.
Choosing the right window treatments for a house can be a daunting task, especially for young homeowners who are unfamiliar with the process or the products. In addition to thinking about key facets like privacy, energy efficiency, and protection for furniture and flooring from UV light, making a selection that will complement existing décor and bring together the other elements of a room is crucial.
“Window treatments can be considered jewelry for your house,” says Bill Steiner of Budget Blinds. “They really tie a room together.”
Fortunately, area residents have plenty of help in making those decisions from a company that blends the best of both worlds: strong backing from a national corporation with local franchise owners who are part of the communities they serve. Steiner entered the industry in 2018 by opening Budget Blinds of Newtown and has since added several other franchises in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He is also a member of the Budget Blinds Owners Group of Greater Philadelphia, consisting of 23 owners throughout the Delaware Valley.
Every Budget Blinds location offers a wide variety of products from the leading manufacturers in the industry, including blinds, shades, shutters, and draperies. Everything is custom made and can be tailored to the client’s particular needs.
“One of the things that people misunderstand sometimes is our name,” Steiner says. “Budget Blinds means that we work with every budget. We have the top high-end products, as well as inexpensive, starter-type products, and we install everything that we sell.
“About two-thirds of our customers have an idea of what they want,” he continues. “The other third needs our guidance, perhaps because it’s a young couple who never bought window treatments before. We enjoy working with either and are able to educate people who don’t know about window treatments.”
The process is made easier by the fact that Budget Blinds will send a designer to the client’s home for a consultation. The designers are trained and qualified to help bring out the beauty of a home with new window treatments, without charging the rate of an interior designer.
“Most Budget Blinds franchises don’t have a showroom; we bring the showroom to the customer,” Steiner says. “The designer will bring a fully stocked truck that has samples of different types of window treatments. They can hold up the samples to their windows so they can actually see what the color will look like with sunlight coming through the shade, and with their décor.”
Many customers these days are opting for cordless, motorized products that are safer for young children and pets and can easily be controlled, through a remote or a smartphone app. Budget Blinds also can install a lighting system from Lutron that ties in with the window treatments.
“Motorization is very, very popular,” Steiner says. “You can put your shades on different schedules, and you can have favorite settings at the push of a button. With a Lutron system, you can control the light switches and the window shades for a complete lighting solution. The apps are easy to use. We do the initial set-up and then we show customers how to edit things, and it’s easy to make changes. Anybody can do it.”
Steiner notes two other trends that have been in demand lately: plantation shutters and custom drapery. He’s happy to implement both for clients.
“We do a huge amount of plantation shutters,” he says. “They’re one of the most expensive window treatments, but they are the one window treatment that becomes a permanent fixture of your home, increasing the home appraisal value, where other window treatments won’t. They’re beautiful, too.
“The custom drapery we sell can go floor to ceiling,” he continues. “When made for a tall, great room window, it looks spectacular. A lot of times people will opt for a layered look, with a window shade that covers the glass, and stationary hanging panels to soften the look and add a pop of color.”
Thanks to their corporate support, the local Budget Blinds owners are constantly being introduced to new products and are trained in their operation. That is just one of the many advantages from which clients can reap the benefits.
“We’re also able to get special pricing since 1,400 Budget Blinds are all purchasing from the same manufacturers,” Steiner says. “The pricing is negotiated for us, and we can pass on the savings to the customer.”
He also speaks highly of the Budget Blinds warranty, which he characterizes as unlike any other in the industry. Budget Blinds offers a five-year, no-questions-asked warranty on almost all products, which also covers accidents. Beyond five years, the company offers a limited lifetime warranty.
For all those reasons, plus the unmatched customer service offered by each Budget Blinds franchise, Steiner says he couldn’t be happier with his decision to become affiliated with such a trusted name in the industry.
“We have the backing of a national brand, and it’s a recognizable brand,” he adds. “At the same time, unlike some of our competitors who are run by a nationwide corporation, our owners are all locally based. We live and work right here, just like our customers.”
For a free Budget Blinds design consultation, call (215) 631-9960 or visit BudgetBlinds.com.
Photo courtesy of Budget Blinds
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, April 2024
