Electric blinds are worth it when a window is hard to reach, when you have lots of blinds to open and close every day, or when you want a home with no cords for young children. For an ordinary window you can easily reach, a well-made manual blind does the job for less. Motorised blinds come into their own on skylights, stairwell windows, tall glazing and wide runs of windows.
This guide is for homeowners in Edinburgh and Fife wondering whether motorised blinds are a sensible upgrade or a luxury. We make blinds by hand in our Leith workshop and fit motorised options as well as manual ones, so the aim here is to help you decide which suits each window, not to sell you a motor you do not need.
What are electric blinds?
Electric blinds, also called motorised blinds, are blinds with a small motor in the headrail or roller tube. Instead of pulling a cord or chain, you raise and lower them with a remote or switch. Some systems also link to a phone or smart home system, depending on the motor, and we can talk you through the options.
The blind itself is made in exactly the same way as a manual one. The fabric, the fit to your window and the finish are the same. Only the way it moves changes.
When electric blinds are worth it
Windows you cannot easily reach
This is the strongest reason to motorise. Roof windows and skylights, windows above a staircase, high windows in tall period rooms and windows behind a kitchen sink are all awkward to reach. A motor means you can open and close them every day without a pole or a step ladder.
Lots of windows, or very wide ones
If you have a wide run of glazing, a bay with several blinds, or a large living space with windows on more than one wall, opening every blind by hand becomes a chore. With motorised blinds, groups of blinds can be raised or lowered together. The same idea is used in offices, where motorised roller blinds are controlled centrally or by zone.
Homes with young children
Looped cords and chains are a known strangulation risk for babies and toddlers. The government’s blind cord safety advice recommends choosing blinds without cords or chains, especially in children’s rooms. Motorised blinds have no cords at all, which is why we often recommend cordless or motorised options for nurseries and children’s bedrooms.
Anyone who finds cords difficult
For people with limited mobility, arthritis or a disability, a remote or a wall switch can make blinds far easier to use. It is also handy for anyone who wants to close every blind in a room without getting up.
Bedrooms and light control
Paired with blackout blinds, motors make it easy to close every blind at night and open them in the morning, which helps keep a bedroom properly dark. Our guide to blackout blinds for better sleep explains how to stop light creeping in around the edges.
When a manual blind is the better choice
Electric blinds are not the right answer for every window. A manual blind usually makes more sense when:
- the window is easy to reach and you only open the blind once or twice a day
- you want the simplest and most affordable option
- you would rather not have a battery to recharge or a power supply to arrange
Plenty of homes mix the two: manual blinds on the everyday windows, and motorised blinds on the skylight, the stairwell or the big window in the living room.
Electric vs manual blinds at a glance
| Electric blinds | Manual blinds | |
|---|---|---|
| Hard-to-reach windows | Ideal | Awkward, may need a pole |
| Child safety | No cords or chains | Cordless designs available; corded blinds need safety devices |
| Many or wide windows | Groups can move together | Each blind opened by hand |
| Cost | Higher, because of the motor | Lower |
| Power | Battery or mains, depending on the motor | None needed |
| Fabric and fit | Same made-to-measure finish | Same made-to-measure finish |
How electric blinds are powered
There are two main ways to power a motorised blind:
- Battery or rechargeable motors. No wiring is needed, so they can be fitted to almost any window, including in rented flats and listed buildings where you do not want to disturb the walls. The battery needs charging from time to time.
- Mains-powered motors. These are wired into a power supply at the window, which usually needs an electrician. They suit new builds and renovations, where the wiring can be planned in before decorating.
We will talk you through which option suits your home on the home visit.
Which blinds can be motorised?
Roller blinds are the most common type to motorise, because the motor fits neatly inside the roller tube. They suit everything from a single skylight to a wide run of panoramic windows. Motorisation is also popular for commercial blinds in offices, schools and surgeries, where many windows need to be controlled together.
If you have another style in mind, such as roman or venetian blinds, ask us on the home visit and we will tell you what is possible for your windows.
Electric blinds in Fife
We fit blinds across Fife as well as Edinburgh, from Dunfermline, Rosyth and Inverkeithing to Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and St Andrews. Home visits, measuring and fitting anywhere in Fife are free, with no travel charge. See our page on blinds in Fife for the towns we cover.
How much do electric blinds cost?
A motor adds to the cost of a blind, and the total depends on your windows and the type of motor you choose. The easiest way to find out is to book a free home visit. We measure every window, bring samples, explain the motor options and give you a written quote, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Are electric blinds worth the money?
They are worth it for windows that are hard to reach, for rooms with many blinds, and for homes with young children, because there are no cords. For an easy-to-reach window you open once a day, a manual blind is usually the better value. Many homes mix both.
Do electric blinds need an electrician?
Not always. Battery and rechargeable motors need no wiring, so no electrician is required. Mains-powered motors need a power supply at the window, which is usually installed by an electrician, ideally before decorating. We will advise which suits your home.
Are electric blinds safe for children’s rooms?
Yes. Motorised blinds have no cords or chains, which removes the strangulation risk that looped cords pose to babies and toddlers. That is why we recommend cordless or motorised blinds for nurseries and children’s bedrooms, in line with UK blind cord safety advice.
Do you fit electric blinds in Edinburgh and Fife?
Yes. We fit motorised blinds across Edinburgh, Fife and the surrounding area. Every blind is made to measure in our Leith workshop, measuring and fitting are free, and every product comes with our 3-year guarantee.
Book a free home visit
Electric blinds make the most sense on the windows you struggle to reach or open most often, and a good manual blind is still the right choice everywhere else. Summerside Blinds is a family-run made to measure blinds company in Edinburgh that has been making blinds in Leith for over 50 years. Get in touch or call us on 0131 553 1073 for a free home visit and honest advice on whether motorised blinds suit your windows.