Blinds in IP

Discussion in 'Renovation & Home Improvement' started by Angel, 16th Jan, 2017.

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  1. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    Hi, we are going to kill the dusty pink 1980s Verticals.
    We have three bedrooms and a kitchen. Shall I get block out to keep out the sun?

    Mark said to get the cheapest, plain white roller blinds or would you go for a more expensive, textured look. I want to improve the look of the place, but I also don't want them falling apart after a year like the last blind I bought from Bunnings a few years ago for the lounge room/balcony glass doors. It was replaced last year with thick white textured blockout curtains, heaps cheaper than a decent quality blind to cover the same area.

    We want to attract an employed tenant. It is a lower-priced rental.
     
  2. JacM

    JacM VIC Buyer's Agent - Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat Business Member

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    Get the white pvc cut to size with scissors rollerblind from Spotlight. Tenant can clean it with spray n wipe and a sponge. I installed one on a kitchen years ago and it still looks perfect :D
     
  3. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Jacqui
     
  4. neK

    neK Well-Known Member

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    I've installed these before

    Hudson - These felt cheap - Plastic roller, plastic bracket
    Platinum - These felt better - Plastic roller (sturdier plastic), metal bracket

    The other very key differential was the bottom weight.
    The hudson was sewed in (and very light - borderline useless), whereas the Platinum could be cut and reused.

    The reason i have found this to be important is for the follow reasons:
    • These roller blinds come with a 210cm drop.
    • Most windows are approx 100cm drop
    • Majority of people don't let the blind down beyond the window itself
    • Therefore only 100cm of the blind is exposed and the remaining 110cm is rolled up (and remains new).

    So instead of buying a new blind, i cut the old part of the blind off (ruler + blade) and reattach it to the bottom weight.

    BAM! New blinds :) (and you don't need to drill anything again)
     
  5. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    Thanks neK. So the platinum is good? that is the basic one I was considering :)

    There isn't anything there currently to cut off, plus we would have to get all the attachments. But we would use your plan another time!
     
  6. neK

    neK Well-Known Member

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    @Angel I've found the Platinum to be decent quality.

    It feels difficult to rip (the Hudson felt thinner) and it has a coat on it that makes it easy to wipe clean. The Hudson also felt and looked "cheap".... but the worse looking were the $10 vinyl ones.

    The wall brackets were metal (with a plastic covering) and the blind brackets were plastic though, but felt durable.

    But they aren't on special at the moment. They were 40% off when I picked them up. ($70 -> $41).

    Also, get it delivered to save yourself grief - they never seem to have sufficient numbers blinds when the special comes in the store that is local to you.
     
  7. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    Im not a fan of the roller ones as it's either open or closed. I like venetians, especially for a kitchen. Bedrooms you could do the rollers but i guess it depends on the light and privacy needed.
    We ordered some venetians online, 50mm wide pvc type ones white. They've done 3 years no issues with tenants and in good new condition still.
    I think they've changed their name it was cheapablinds. Com.au my wife found the new site because we are going to order more but she's "busy" trying to have a baby so we'll have to wait :(
     
  8. neK

    neK Well-Known Member

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    Busy with who?
    Cos you're on the computer typing :p
     
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  9. Perthguy

    Perthguy Well-Known Member

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    We put blinds in our rental that do not automatically roll up. There is a cord on the side that allows you to set the blind in any position. They are great!

    They were comparable to curtains at spotlight in price and amazingly the tenants have not managed to break them yet. They are about 3 years old? Not sure exactly, I have lost track.

    They are like these but from a different shop that I can't remember the name of :oops:

    Custom Made Blockout Blind Classic Latte
     
  10. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I reckon if you put up eyelet curtains they soften the windows more than a roller blind. If the tenants trash them, you buy new ones. I have a stash here and bought quite a lot on sale or on eBay when I saw them cheap.

    I got some good quality but cheap ones at one of the "cheap" shops at Carindale, about $20 a pair I think. The curtain rods will cost you more than the curtains but you can go cheapish but sturdy.
     
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  11. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

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    Eyelet curtains get a +1 from me. Very easy.
     
  12. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    The windows are 1500 and 1800 wide. By the time I get enough matching curtains, plus brackets and rods, even the cheapest, they end up costing just as much, or more than, matching blinds. The ladies are voting for curtains, but I just don't imagine too many blokes are into curtains.

    The curtains I got last year to cover the sliding glass doors were good for the purpose. Blinds that cover sliding doors are very exxy, about $400 - $500 dearer than we paid for blockout curtains. But to get reasonable prices, I ordered online from Melbourne which took about ten days to arrive. We want to source and fit these by this weekend.

    I must be the fussiest landlord. I seem to think that my tenants wont want flimsy anything on their bedroom windows when the hot summer sun pours in there for most of the afternoon.
     
  13. Depreciator

    Depreciator Well-Known Member

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    I like venetians - except on doors.
    I put some timber venetians in a rental flat last year. I ordered them online and was impressed with how the company operated and the quality of the product. I also liked the fact that they are based in a tiny country town (Millthorpe) about 4 hours drive west of Sydney.
    I have just ordered two more blinds for the windows in at bedroom at home.
    They are basswood, stained dark cedar.
    900mm wide x 1500mm drop.
    Cost per blind $132 with $20 delivery.
    The company is Timber Blinds Express. Nice, easy website, too. And you can call them! The bloke I have spoken to a few times is Randall.
     
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  14. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    The problem with timber venetians (and we've had them in our own house plus IPs) is they make everything so dark. With exposed brick I'd be avoiding anything dark anywhere.
     
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  15. Depreciator

    Depreciator Well-Known Member

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    So, you'd be going the white ones then.
     
  16. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

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    I think given 5 years, curtains tend to still look good. Other window coverings can look bad. And if the curtains don't look good, they are easy to replace whereas for other window treatments often the fittings have to be replaced too at the end of their lives (which can be just 5 years) but curtain rods usually don't need changing.
     
  17. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I'd go white over timber but they will get dirty. I'd actually go eyelet curtains over blinds.

    They soften the living area. It comes down to personal taste of course, and I've ditched curtains in all our rooms except one TV room where we have a french door and if we want to darken the room, we pull the eyelet curtain across.

    Every other window in our house is clear of any covering, or has secure plantation shutters. I guess that means I've not "softened" our own house, so it comes down to what suits the function and look of the place.

    For rentals, we use eyelets and the last lot of timber venations were removed by the tenants and replaced with curtains for more light and a bit of warmth and character that they desired and felt was missing.

    I have to say it helped a lot.
     
  18. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    We have timber venetians throughout our PPOR, I love them. I am slowly transferring the cedar ones to white.

    Hubby wants blinds with a flat surface for a change. We have experienced the strings deteriorate long before the actual blinds die and we have just replaced seven sections of aluminium slimline venetians in the other IP. Tenants there complained about the dust too.

    I'm going to Spotlight now for a look in their "sale" bins.
     
  19. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I've just searched "eyelet curtain" on eBay and chose "cheapest price + postage". The first page and a half is very sheet and probably not suitable. Then you get to something like this -

    2 Panels Sheer Window Curtains Eyelet 170x140 / 170x185 /170x230 /230x230CM-AU | eBay

    They are coming from China but I have bought these from The Reject Shop and picked this link from their catalogue. When you buy this cheaply, as long as you have good solid curtain rods you can just change curtains when they get grotty.

    Eyelet Curtains 2pk 137x213cm
     
  20. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    I was on the telephone while i had some free time ;) we got it out so no PC except for designated toilet breaks! :p

    Baby girl 5310g!:cool:
     
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