The Short Answer
On our estimates, fitting a curtain pole costs about £50 to £90 a window in labour and takes 20 to 30 minutes. A track is £60 to £110 and a blind £50 to £90. The pole or track itself is extra unless the fitter supplies it.
The per-window price drops when you have several done at once. Bay windows, hard masonry and tiled walls push it up.
Fitting prices per window
| Job | Labour per window | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fit a curtain pole | £50 to £90 | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Fit a curtain track | £60 to £110 | 30 to 45 minutes |
| Fit a pole and hang the curtains | £70 to £120 | 30 to 45 minutes |
| Hang curtains on an existing pole or track | £30 to £60 | 10 to 20 minutes |
| Fit a blind | £50 to £90 | varies |
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Fitter, per hour (outside London) | £30 to £45 |
| Fitter, per hour (London) | £45 to £65 |
| Minimum charge for a visit | £40 to £80 |
What the pole or track costs
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Single curtain pole | £10 to £40 |
| Double curtain pole | £20 to £70 |
| Standard curtain track | £15 to £40 |
| Wave curtain track | £30 to £120 |
The curtains themselves vary far more than the fitting. We estimate £15 to £50 for a small window in a basic ready-made fabric, £25 to £120 for a standard sash or casement, £80 to £350 for a bay with several panels, and £150 to £550 for large floor-to-ceiling windows in lined, premium fabric.
I'd buy the poles yourself if you know what you want, and have them delivered before the fitter comes.
What moves the price
What pushes a fitting quote up or down:
- The wall. Hard masonry or tiles need specialist drill bits and take longer.
- Bay windows. A bay pole needs precise angles and several brackets, so it costs significantly more than a straight pole.
- How many. The price per pole is almost always lower when several are fitted in one visit.
- Urgency. Wanting it done within a few days usually costs more.
For a bay, I'd ask for a fixed price for the whole window rather than an hourly rate, because getting the angles right is where the time goes.
Made-to-measure curtains and blinds
If you're buying made-to-measure, the retailer may measure and fit it for you. Dunelm's measure-and-fit service started from £99 per order when we checked in October 2026, with a home measuring visit at £40 that comes off the fitting price (or a free video measure). It fits made-to-measure products it has measured, and poles and tracks bought from Dunelm. Whether the fitting price is fixed depends on the product. I'd use it for a whole house of made-to-measure blinds. For a single pole, a handyman's minimum charge of £40 to £80 comes in under it.
Make one visit count
Curtain rails are on every handyman price list we read, and most handymen have a minimum charge of £40 to £80. If you're doing one window, add the shelves, pictures or flat-pack that also need doing. See handyman rates and flat-pack assembly. For fitted shutters instead of curtains, see window shutters.
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Fitting is priced per window, by what's going up and what the walls are made of.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to have a curtain pole fitted?
On our estimates, about £50 to £90 a window in labour, plus the pole. Several at once costs less per window.
How long does it take to put up a curtain pole?
About 20 to 30 minutes for a standard pole, 30 to 45 minutes for a track.
How much to fit blinds?
About £50 to £90 a window on our estimates. Made-to-measure retailers often offer fitting with the order.
Why does a bay window pole cost more?
It needs precise angles and several brackets, so it takes longer than a straight pole.
Who fits curtain poles?
A handyman usually, or the retailer if you buy made-to-measure. Bundle other small jobs into the visit to get past the minimum charge.
How we priced thisView sources (1)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- IndustryMade to measure fitting, Dunelm. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
