How much for a curtain pole???

[Whatashittyweek]

We have a massive bay window in our living room. Very high ceilings. The main part of the window is over 2.5m and then we have the side bits (not straight at an angle). Curtains have always been a nightmare. We have tried the C shaped rings but they really didn't work. I always needed a massive stick to open & close the curtains.

We've just done a massive amount of work on the house, including new windows. I wanted a pole where I wouldn't have these problems. All of our curtains have to be made to measure as you just can't buy them off the shelf.

A guy came out, really nice and brought some samples. So curtain rail needed with 4 bends in to get around the bay. The curtain hooks are below the rail meaning that it works like a dream, curtains on the bay just close with no issue - who knew 😂

BUT and it is a big BUT, for 2 windows to supply & fit the poles its £865!! That does not include the cost of the curtains (but he will come back and fit the curtains as part of that price so I know it will all be done properly)

Has anyone got one of these magic poles - and are they worth the money?

Hi OP. that does sound ridiculous but your windows sound lovely. I reccommend getting more than one quote. can I ask where you are based? I recently had my curtains done and used a company based in Sutton Coldfield (although they do travel all over). they are very good - would you like their details to get a competing quote?

everything to do with curtains seem to be stupid expensive...

Depends on what you value as 'worth the money'.

No way in a million years would I pay that. But I'm a keen DIY-er and handy with a sewing machine too, so I'd be sourcing the pole on the internet, putting it up myself and then making it shortening readymade curtains to fit. That's because I value keeping the money more than I value the saving in time/effort.

If you're not a DIY-er, you may feel very differently. The majority of what you're paying for is to remove the hassle. The mark up on the pole will be significant for example. But if you want it done smoothly and hassle-free that's what it takes.

You could always try sourcing the materials yourself and then purely paying for labour, but that's a job in itself.

If you can afford it, it makes you happy and you won't feel resentment over being 'ripped off', go for it and enjoy! Your home sounds lovely.

I paid £175 per massive Victorian bay window for the same thing about 15 years ago - I honestly can't remember whether this included the actual cost of the curtain poles or not (the whole lot came to around £2k including made to measure curtains) or was just measuring and fitting the curtains.

That wasn't even for the fancy sort of pole you are talking about - ours was just a standard, iron one but because it was fitted correctly by someone who know what they were doing (ie not DH) it worked brilliantly - what we did end up doing was using a silicone coating every so often on the pole which made them easier to open/ shut. I'd totally pay the same again if I had the cash at the time.

At that price surely you could get automatic curtains or blinds?

the automation on a pole came out at £1900

The £875 quote did include it being corded and supplied with silicone as PP mentioned

We went the DIY route with the kind of bendy ones you shape around the bay but the curtains get caught and come off and they are a source of much frustration. Your post has me wondering if its worth £800 to me to fix the problem! Ugh it is a lot but also doesn't entirely surprise me either.

As someone who has sworn at multiple curtain poles in by windows I can say I think I’d see the value in it.

We don’t live in that house anymore but can see that we would have got one by now ourselves if we’d have stayed.

I’m currently looking at Silent Gliss for a 5m wide bifold door. Pole and ‘Wave’ voiles are £1700. I remember looking at a 5m pole for eyelet curtains and that was around the £500 mark at the start of Covid so I don’t think your prices are too outlandish although it is still quite expensive!!! 😬

We have a more easily accessible bay than yours, but also with an awkward bend and a return into the room, if that makes sense. We also have a lintel which is practically impossible to drill into.

I'd tried various curtain/pole combinations and spent a lot of money on configurations that didn't quite work. So eventually I bit the bullet and paid £££s for advice and a rail which was made to measure and fitted, and it was honestly worth every penny.

My dad is a joiner so I've been spoilt with his DIY skills but he's mid 70's now and has a spell of being very poorly so thats no longer an option. My DH isn't into DIY at all (although he's a pro at flat pack furniture 😁) I just need it to go up and work. I'm going to get a couple more quotes but it seems like it's there or there abouts

£865 for two big bay windows doesn't seem too bad tbh, I know you can get a curtain pole for £20 in B&Q but this is a bespoke product including fitting and a return visit to fit curtains.

DH once spent the best part of day putting up a DIY bay window curtain track and said never again. I got made to measure tracks the next time - they were cheaper than poles but I suspect if you're in London/SE that price is not totally ridiculous.

Ignore the windows that clearly don’t fit (that’s a whole other thread) but this is the main window, plus there is another window on the other side that’s nearly 2m long - the £875 is for both poles, fitted. Then they will take exact measurements for the curtains and come back to fit them when they’re ready

Didn't notice it was for 2 windows- even less unreasonable!

Blimey OP. What's holding your windows in place?

grit and spit at that particularly point. I've had a absolute nightmare. What should have been a 3 week project has turned into a 3 month nightmare. Windows didn't fit, structural problems unearthed, the wall under that bay window looked like the bricks had been thrown from 10 feet away and then just cemented in where they landed. If the guy who owned the house before us wasn't already dead I swear to god I'd have wrung his neck for him 😣

thankfully they do fit perfectly now

Honestly OP I don't think it's too bad. It's for two windows and decent curtain poles aren't cheap before you consider fitting.
We good poles you will be able to hang thick heat saving curtains easily.

so it's 3 visits: measuring, fitting and returning to put up the curtains.
Plus hardware.
Plus the time it takes to prepare the hardware and fit it.
for 2 windows.

Plus the time it takes to work out the cost and write it all up. And time to answer your questions. Not to mention time wasted on preparing costs/proposals for jobs that are never commissioned. I mean, you've already said you're planning to get 2 more quotes, so at least 2 potential suppliers are going to lose out. The man is running a business after all!

Seems fair to me. Particularly if it ends up looking great and working as expected. Let's face it, bay window curtains are a PITA, so if someone can provide hassle free curtains I'd say go for it.

We have a very similar window but maybe more rounded . In the end I bought two rails, rather than poles, which are bent into place around the corners . There is a join in the middle which has a small cover piece. But yeah, a nightmare to find anything standard that works.

We have exactly the same issue, oversized bay. Looked at various poles all coming in £1000 approx! The shop recommended Hallis Hudson arc made to measure which ended up being £525 so we are going with that.

it's a very valid point - it's just tough to consider that with curtains on top we could well be looking at nearly £2k

How much are you paying for the flooring for this/these rooms? I bet it's not far off 2k, but much less in your face than curtains.

I've done huge renovation projects. It can get overwhelming. Costs escalate. One always ends up spending WAY more than anticipated.

But it'll look BEAUTIFUL !!

we're going with carpet, we have young twins and an elderly dog. I'd love a wooden floor but DH won't consider it

Carpet is going to cost £700 I think

I had the same issue OP - 3.5m windows - the poles were £600+ each - to be honest I did loads of research at the time and they just don't make extendable poles that length and the ones I saw were a bit flimsy and with the Weight of the curtain (not expensive ones either) I had to have a decent thickness of curtain pole x