Blind repairs

A blind is a mechanism. Mechanisms wear, and almost all of the wear happens in a handful of small, replaceable parts — the cord, the chain, the clutch, the tilt gear, the brackets. Replacing a whole blind because one of those failed is a waste of a good blind.

We repair what we can and say so plainly when we can't.

What we fix most often

• Snapped or frayed cords on venetians and older roller systems — usually a full restring.
• Jammed or slipping clutches on roller blinds that won't hold their position.
• Broken chains and chain connectors, and the child-safety tensioner if it was never fitted or has pulled loose.
• Sagging or twisted slats and worn ladder tapes on venetians.
• Failed tilt mechanisms where the wand turns and nothing happens.
• Bracket and headrail damage after a knock, a move or a burst geyser.
• Motor faults on motorised blinds — often a battery, a limit setting or a remote pairing rather than the motor.
• Re-hangs after painting, new flooring or a move into a house whose blinds came off and never went back.

How it works

Tell us what the blind is and what it's doing, ideally with a photo of the headrail. A consultant confirms on site, and simple repairs are usually done there and then; anything needing parts comes back to the workshop and returns fitted. You get the repair cost before we start, not after.

When we'd tell you not to bother

Fabric is the usual limit. Sun-rotted, brittle or badly stained fabric cannot be repaired — and a perfect mechanism behind failed fabric is still a blind you don't want to look at. Very old systems where the parts are no longer made are the other case. In both, we will say so and quote a replacement, rather than take the repair fee and have you back in six months.

What a repair costs

Repairs are quoted on inspection rather than per square metre, because the work runs from a ten-minute bracket adjustment to a full re-tube. A consultant looks at the blind, says plainly whether it is worth repairing or replacing, and puts that in writing before anything is taken down.

It is worth knowing where the line usually falls. Where the fabric is sound and the fault sits in the chain, the brackets or the tube, repairing is almost always cheaper. Where the fabric has perished, or a discontinued component is involved, replacing can cost less than chasing parts — and a new made-to-measure roller guides at R1,000 to R1,600 per square metre installed, so the comparison is easy once both numbers are on paper.