A roller shade with a chain loop was successfully installed above the front door at a height of 16 feet. The total cost was less than $500, compared with quotes of $1,700 that the customer had received from other window treatment companies.

This was a project the customer had wanted to complete for more than 10 years, but the height of the window, installation requirements, cost, and long turnaround time had made it difficult to find a practical solution.

The Story Behind the Installation

The Problem

The uncovered window measures approximately 68 inches wide × 60 inches tall and is located 16 feet above the floor, directly above the front door.

During the day, strong sunlight coming through this large uncovered window shines directly into the study area and onto the couch. It creates glare on the computer monitor and makes the couch area uncomfortable when someone is taking a nap.

Privacy was another concern. At night, when it is dark outside and brighter inside the house, people outside and across the street can see through the uncovered window into the second-floor hallway.

As a temporary workaround, the customer had been using two 5-foot-high room dividers, which were the tallest ones she could find.

One room divider was placed near the study-area workstation to partially block the sunlight and reduce glare on the computer monitor. The second room divider was placed near the couch to partially block the sunlight when someone was taking a nap.

However, because the window itself is 60 inches tall and located 16 feet above the floor, a large amount of sunlight still enters the study and couch areas. The 5-foot-high room dividers could only partially block the sunlight.

In addition, having two large room dividers permanently sitting in the room made the space feel crowded.

The customer wanted a proper window covering instead of continuing to rely on two room dividers.

Why the Project Had Been Put on Hold for 10+ Years

The biggest challenge was the location of the window: approximately 16 feet above the floor.

The customer needed someone who could accurately measure the high window, find an economical window-covering solution, and safely complete the installation.

The customer had received quotes from large-name window treatment companies of approximately $1,700, with an estimated turnaround time of 8–10 weeks.

The quote included:

  • $1,200+ for one roller shade with a remote control
  • $500+ for installation at a height of 16 feet using scaffolding

The estimated 8–10-week turnaround time included approximately 6–8 weeks for the custom-made shade to be produced, about one week waiting for a technician to come on site to take the measurements, and approximately one additional week waiting for the installation appointment.

Large-brand window treatment companies also would not provide a roller shade with a chain loop because of safety concerns involving young children.

The customer does not have young children at home, so a chain loop was not a safety concern for this household. However, the companies still would not offer a chain-loop roller shade as an option.

Because the available solutions were above the customer's budget and involved a long turnaround time, the project remained on hold for more than 10 years.

Our Solution

We developed a three-phase solution requiring two trips to the customer's home.

The total project cost was less than $500, and the entire process took approximately 2–3 weeks from the first meeting to the completed installation, which was within the customer's budget and desired time frame.

Phase #1: First Meeting — Initial Measurement and Ordering. During the first visit, we measured the window frame using a medium-sized ladder. Based on those measurements, we ordered a roller shade with a chain loop sized for an inside mount.

Phase #2: Customer Inspection of the Delivered Roller Shade. After the roller shade arrived, we asked the customer to inspect and measure it and communicate the results to us through text messages, phone calls, and photos. The customer checked the roller shade to confirm whether its length and width matched the dimensions we had entered when ordering it online. The length was correct, but the shade was approximately 1/2 inch narrower than the space we needed. Because the exact window opening still needed to be measured from the scaffold, we planned to custom-make a wood spacer during the installation if necessary.

Phase #3: Second Meeting — Final Measurement, Custom Spacer, and Installation. We returned to the customer's home with a scaffold, cutting machine, and the necessary installation tools. After assembling the scaffold, we measured the window opening again at the full 16-foot height and compared the exact measurement with the width of the roller shade. We confirmed that the delivered roller shade was approximately 0.6 inch narrower than the window opening. Instead of abandoning the shade or ordering another one, we created a custom wood spacer on site to fill the gap. The roller shade was then installed and tested to make sure it could move smoothly up and down and stop at different heights. After the installation and testing were completed, we cleaned the work area and disassembled the scaffold.

Installation in Progress

This project required more than simply mounting a roller shade.

The team assembled the scaffold on site, worked at the elevated window, operated the cutting equipment, and cut wood into thin pieces to create a custom spacer that fit the gap between the roller shade and the window frame.

The customer was able to watch the installation process from the initial scaffold setup and final measurements through the custom work, installation, and final testing.

The Result

With the new roller shade installed, the customer can finally remove the two room dividers that had been used as temporary solutions.

The new shade provides:

  • More privacy along the upstairs hallway at night
  • No more glare from this window on the desktop computer monitor
  • Less unwanted sunlight shining directly onto the couch when someone is taking a nap
  • More usable space without two large room dividers making the room feel crowded
  • A permanent window-covering solution for a difficult-to-reach 16-foot-high window

Most importantly, a project that had been postponed for more than 10 years because the available solutions were too expensive and took too long was finally completed for less than $500 and within 3 weeks.

The customer enjoyed working with the installation team, watching the installation take shape, and was very happy to finally see the project completed.