Window Treatments - Normal/Expected Costs
ladyboom
last year
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Please help..what should we expect in a cost plus contract?
Comments (18)helenill: May I play devil's advocate here for a moment? Keep in mind that I am totally on YOUR side, but maybe I can help you develop a strategy. You earlier posted this: "But I am still thinking that we need an accounting. I'm drafting an e-mail asking in a very polite way because we need to be able to show what we have in our house if we ever want to sell." Is that the rationale you're going to present to him for why you want an accounting now? Because it's not true and he will know it. The market and a willing buyer will establish the selling price of your home. How many houses are bought without the buyer knowing the price the owner paid for it? A LOT, especially if time has passed and especially if no realtor researches it for the buyer. You do not need an accounting to sell your house; that is NOT a believable rationale. Further, you have all the proof from your cancelled check records of what you paid for the house. Few buyers would ask to see how much you were charged for the nails, the paint, etc. Your GC knows that too. Again, it's a BAD rationale because you already have a summary record sufficient to prove to a future buyer how much you have in the house. Answer the question to yourself: why do YOU want an accounting? (Yes you may be "entitled" to one; yes, most GCs will provide one; that's not why you want one.) Now, separate that answer out and look at it critically. Is it a good rationale in your GCs eyes for giving you one? What you want to find is the rationale that he might be able to accept. And you might not be able to find a good one. You might end up saying just because we'd like to look at a breakdown of what everything cost. It would just be interesting to us to do that. (Do bear in mind that he might be feeling cautious about somehow indicting himself if he's done anything he shouldn't have.) Now, the other part of your strategy is timing. It is everything. Given that you two had words on Friday, an email he gets on this touchy subject of an accounting right now will NOT be well received. He will read into it vindictiveness or anger on your part. So, today/tomorrow is NOT a good time. What is? The point at which you owe him a lot of money. So much money that he won't want to walk away from it. That's the point at which you delay payment and tell him that, just like a bank, you want to get an accounting to date so you can "see where you are" before making any more payments. Be careful with this because absent any provision in your contract, you don't have a legal leg to stand on. And he knows that. But he might, out of some good will or whatever, be willing to cooperate. Myself, before I had any communication with him about this, or paid him anything more, I would talk with an attorney. I don't know what the laws are in your jurisdiction or how case law has been interpreted. Maybe there's a legal argument to be made that he has some obligation even outside of such a provision in your contract. I don't know and you don't know. But even aside from the law, simply as a personal business strategy, this is the point at which I always hire an attorney and tell her what I'm trying to accomplish and discuss strategies that might work, as well as find out exactly where I stand legally. Just to keep myself out of trouble. I've had attys sit down with me and compose an email for me to send and help me make it sound "civilian" rather than "attorney-like." In this case, an attorney can be a valuable consultant as a strategist, even aside from any strictly legal aspects. Holding the money, making a reasonable request (asking him to do you a favor, actually, if it's not provided for in your contract), being polite, controlling your anger, watching your timing. Hiring an attorney. That's about all the materials you have to work with in developing a strategy. But you need one. An email now from an angry customer is not likely to produce the results you want. If you're just angry, and that's your real answer to my earlier question, I'd just try to let it go....See MoreWindow treatments to feature, not hide, window moulding
Comments (14)Thank you for those responses. I like both roman shades and valances but am reluctant to sacrifice the daylight they require because the lower half of the window is covered pretty much always with a "cafe" curtain (otherwise the neighbours look straight in). I've had mostly a top and bottom rod-pocket curtain, each half the height of the window, and am just flat-out tired of the look. So I am experimenting with different lengths on the two rods, as well as using pinch pleats, decorative trims, or something to quench the thirst for something ornately Victorian. But I am glad to hear that I'm not the only one "staying within the lines." Maybe in Victorian times they didn't care because the mouldings were no big deal, since everyone had them. I have used different types of rods inset into the frame, and for the cafe portion have in a couple of cases put a fancy rod with finials (I love finials!!) across the centre of the window, extending across the moulding, to hang the "cafe" part from. It seems to be particularly the mitre on the moulding that I like to have visible. Those are some cool links, and have helped me to articulate one thing I've been thinking about, which would be something like a shoji screen but using fabric instead of rice paper - maybe sliding panels instead of those cafe curtains. Not purely period, but maybe credible if I use the right fabrics. Our windows aren't original anyway (just the mouldings), so I don't mind messing with the frame a bit. If anything turns out nice enough, I'll post a picture :-) Karin L...See MoreBay Window Cushion and Window treatment
Comments (19)This Milgard bay window is about 10 years old. I wish I knew then what I know now, pay the extra $$ for UV protection on the glass. The sun is the process of ruining the cushions, they're so faded. Not even the UV spray I bought from Calico Corners stops it. That's one reason why I put up the sheers, to slow down the deterioration of the cushion and pillows. For some reason it hasn't faded the barrel pillows as much as the cushion. When it comes time to replace the cushion fabric I may have to go with Sunbrella fabric to be sure I'll never have this problem again. Something to keep in mind when you're selecting fabric for your bay window. From personal experience I can tell you that eastern exposure in California is not kind to fabric in windows. I pulled the cushion away from the window, you can see the window goes from top to bottom, no place to hang curtains! I finally came up with a solution, buy cafe rods and hang them upside down from the only wood surface inside the bay...the "ceiling". With an all-vinyl window there's no other place for the screws to go. Hanging curtains on the wall doesn't block the sun from the fabric inside the bay, because the curtain would be on the outer edge of the bay. I was looking for a way to block the sun from getting inside the bay window not inside the living room. No one makes a small curtain rod to hang upside down. The other problem you can see from the pictures is how low the window goes, straight to the floor of the bay. So we can't use a very high cushion. This one is 2.5" high (or 2.25"). I have never had a problem reaching down to open the window, there's a lip that protrudes, that's what your hand pulls up on to lift the window up. DH built the frame for this window and he didn't take into consideration that you need to have a few inches of wood on the bottom, he should not have taken the window all the way to the horizonal base. Live and learn. What I do like about the cushions is the foam they chose, it's pretty firm. I made it very clear to the designer that I did not want to feel my butt hitting the wood base when I sat down on the cushion. For a cushion that narrow to support a body without mashing down, well it has to be firm. I'd prefer a softer look, not so tight like this one is...but then it would probably have to be thicker and then I have to deal with reaching down behind the cushion to find the window lip. I thought I would read and lay inside this window but I never have. I attribute that to the lack of a wood frame because leaning up against glass is very unsettling, expecting it will shatter. So it's mainly there for show. I think that covers all the issues I've had with this window. My advice is to think about comfort and sun-fade when you're deciding on fabric for a window. Even a few hours of sun can do a lot of damage. If your window has UV protection then consider yourself lucky...or smart that you made the wise decision to add that option to the glass. The money I saved by not doing that has ended up costing me more in fabric....See MoreWhat to Expect - Decorator / Tips / Costs
Comments (6)I interviewed several custom drapery designers last year. I found one person after browsing pictures at Work Room Intelligence. I found that site from someone on this forum, and I am very grateful. I found another person via word-of-mouth and my third person was from JC Penney. I went with the JC Penney designer for my master bedroom drapes. These are corner windows and I wanted a cornice and the draperies had to meet. While the JC Penney designer gave me a nice idea for my living room their (sale) price was little different than the woman I ultimately used (the work room intelligence person). I just liked what she designed much better than anyone else. I don't recall if we paid a fee to the designers to come out (this was last year, you'd think I would recall). I do know that JC Penney's was quick with their fabrication! Apparently all their draperies are made in a central location and shipped to the store where the designer picks them up and then she came over with her drapery hanger to install. They actually ran a bit ahead of schedule. Also, because these were a problem window situation and I wanted a specific look, she had the drapery hanger meet her when she did the final measurements for accuracy before ordering. I was glad she did as he corrected her on something that would have effected the way the draperies closed. The work room intelligence woman did fantastic work! And I mean above and beyond beautiful. Unfortunately, she had a volunteer commitment that ended up taking up all her time and my draperies were delayed for many months. If you have time constraints make certain they are worked into your contract. As far as cost - I'm not sure what you expect to spend but our living room draperies were well over $5K. This included all the rods (three windows), material (I happened to pick very inexpensive material - imagine the cost with expensive stuff!?) for pinch pleated draperies and pinch pleated sheers, three cornices and labor including fabrication and installation. I thought it was extremely reasonable for what we received. I don't recall the master bedroom cost, but it was much less as we only did cornices, draperies to the bottom of the window as opposed to the floor and cornices. We had had roller shades already on the window, and we left them in place instead of installing sheers. As far as ideas, I knew the basics of what I wanted in the master bedroom so that was an easier design choice. In the living room I was completely open to ideas. The designers took into account the formal furnishings in the room as well as my taste. Each designer was quickly able to zone in on their books with more formal materials. I had been asked previously what colors the room was, and what color draperies I envisioned. In the end, the bedroom ended up with a color choice that was no where close to what I originally thought. The living room was closer to my original thought although even after I ordered, the designer called me and said one of the colors completely faded into the cornice material and that she was changing it. I went with her judgment, and as I said the result was spectacular. I wish I had a picture, but I don't. I went to the living room designer's website and she did not have the pictures up either. I will say that you must "connect" with the designer. If you want formal and she is showing you barn animals or aqua for a red room when you want neutral, you should probably move on. That designer's vision might be wonderful but you will need to live with the end result....See More
ladyboom
last yearmaddie260
last year- PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last yearIMO in the sunroom add solar shades or that fabric will not stand up to day to day sun . I do not think roman shades are nice evrywhere I love drapes in DRS and Music rooms and I still would like to see the spaces . I have a MCM house and added drapes for a bit of sound control and for the look my windows are large and no way would roman shades have worked for any of them.
Rho Dodendron
last yearladyboom
last yearladyboom
last yearclt3
last year
Maureen
last yearTo reduce the cost, consider non-custom rattan blinds in sunroom. They come in all sizes and would be a nice change from the others. I can understand you want the front of house to be the same, but I think it’s nicer/more interesting to mix things up to suit the room. Your decorator could suggest alternatives in this regard, since she is pulling the rooms together with the decor.
spagano
last yearRho Dodendron
last yearladyboom
last yearstiley
last year
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