1. Ask what unit the price is quoted in
Curtain pricing in Singapore is quoted three different ways: per foot of track width, per panel, or per completed window. A quote of “$45” means nothing until you know which one it refers to.
Per foot of width is the most common for made-to-measure work, and it is the fairest basis for comparison because it scales with your actual window. Per panel is common in retail and online listings, where the panel comes in a fixed size that may not suit your window. Ask the supplier to restate the figure as a total per window, installed, and the comparison gets much easier.
2. Check the fullness ratio behind the number
This is the single biggest reason two quotes differ, and it is the one most homeowners never ask about.
Curtains are gathered, so the fabric used is wider than the window. Typical fullness runs from about 1.8 to 2.5 times the track width. A quote built on 1.8x fullness uses noticeably less fabric than one built on 2.5x, so it comes in cheaper and hangs flatter, with shallower folds. Neither is wrong, but they are not the same product.
Heading style feeds into this too. A pinch pleat and an S-fold curtain carry different fullness by design, so a change of header changes the fabric quantity and the price with it.
Ask every supplier to state the fullness on the quote. If two numbers are far apart, this is usually where the difference lives.
3. Confirm the track and hardware are in the price
Fabric and tailoring are one cost. The track, brackets, end caps and any joiners are another, and some quotes leave them out so the headline figure looks lower.
Ceiling-mounted tracks, curved tracks and recessed tracks cost more than a straight wall-mounted rod. If you are running a day and night set on one window, that is a double track, not a single. Get the hardware itemised.
4. Find out who measures, and when
A quote produced from measurements you gave over WhatsApp is an estimate. A quote produced after someone stood in your flat with a laser measure is a price.
Ask when the site measurement happens and whether it costs anything. At Re Design Deco, measurement and consultation are free and happen before you commit, so the quote reflects your real windows, ceiling height and any obstructions such as air-con trunking or a bay recess.
5. Check whether installation is included or added later
Some suppliers quote the curtain and treat fitting as a separate line, or worse, leave you to arrange it. Others include it. Both are legitimate as long as you know which you are looking at.
Ask directly whether the figure covers delivery, fitting, and taking away the packaging, and whether there is a surcharge for high ceilings, scaffolding or work outside normal hours in a condo.
6. Read what lining is included
An unlined day curtain is the cheapest thing on any quote. Adding a dim-out lining, a three-pass blackout lining, or a thermal or acoustic lining changes both the price and the performance.
If you asked for blackout and the quote says dim-out, you will get a dim room rather than a dark one, and you will find out on the first weekend you try to sleep in. Where sleep or noise is the real reason for the purchase, say so in writing and have the lining named on the quote. Our pages on acoustic curtains explain what each layer actually does.
7. Get the lead time in writing
Custom curtains are made after you confirm, so there is a production queue between your deposit and your installation date. A few weeks is normal for made-to-measure work in Singapore.
If you are working to a renovation handover or a move-in date, put the date on the table before you pay anything, and ask what happens if the schedule slips. A supplier who will not commit to a window in writing is telling you something.
8. Understand the deposit and payment terms
The standard structure is a deposit on confirmation with the balance on completion. What matters is what the deposit buys you and what happens if you cancel after fabric has been cut.
Check that the deposit percentage, the balance trigger and the cancellation position are all written on the quote rather than agreed verbally. Custom fabric cannot be returned to the mill, so cancellation terms are reasonable to have. Surprises are not.
9. Separate workmanship warranty from product warranty
These are two different things and suppliers often blur them.
Workmanship warranty covers the making and the fitting: seams, hems, hanging, a track that was not mounted properly. Product warranty comes from the manufacturer and covers the hardware, which matters most on motorised curtains, where the motor and track carry their own manufacturer cover. Ask which parts of your job sit under which, and for how long.
