Frequently asked questions.

No. In-home consultations are free across our entire service area. We bring physical fabric and finish samples, measure every window professionally, and quote with a fixed price on the spot — no hidden fees or upcharges between order and install.

Typically 60 to 90 minutes for a single-room project, 90 to 120 minutes for a whole house. The visit length depends mostly on how many windows we're measuring and how many product types you're considering. We don't rush — picking the right fabric and product in your actual light is what separates a good install from a great one.

Most projects install within 2 to 4 weeks of the consultation. Standard roller shades, cellular shades, and faux wood blinds ship in 7 to 14 days from order. Custom Roman shades, plantation shutters, and custom drapery run 4 to 8 weeks because each is built to spec. Smart film and motorized systems vary based on electrical work needed.

We accept cash, check, and major credit cards. Standard projects require a deposit at order placement (typically 50%) with the balance due at install. Commercial projects work on net-30 terms with approved credit.

Yes. Penn Shades is a licensed and insured Pennsylvania contractor. We carry general liability insurance that covers your home during installation. Proof of insurance is available on request.

Our lifetime workmanship warranty covers installation defects on projects we measured, ordered, and installed — for the life of the product as installed. If a bracket fails, a shade sags from our install, or hardware comes loose from our work, we come back and fix it at no charge. Manufacturer defects on fabric, motors, or hardware are covered by the manufacturer's warranty, which we help you claim.

Yes. We offer install-only service for window treatments purchased elsewhere. Send a photo of the product and the window during booking and we'll confirm compatibility before showing up. Standard install runs 1 to 3 hours per room. Our lifetime workmanship warranty still applies to the installation portion.

Yes — we handle commercial window treatments for offices, hotels, restaurants, medical practices, multi-family, and retail across Pittsburgh. Commercial projects include code-compliant fire-rated fabric where required, project management for multi-floor builds, and after-hours install scheduling to avoid disrupting tenants.

Cellular shades — also called honeycomb shades — are the best-insulating window treatment for Pittsburgh's long heating season. Double-cell construction can cut window heat loss by 30 to 40% on a typical insulated double-pane window. Pair with lined drapery on the largest exposed windows for additional benefit. Energy payback runs 3 to 7 years on heating savings alone.

Solar shades or UV protection window film. Solar shades in a 3 to 5% openness fabric block 90 to 95% of incoming UV while preserving your view through the window. UV protection film is essentially clear and blocks 99% of UV — useful for windows where you don't want any shade at all. Either solution stops sun damage from compounding further.

Roller shades are a single-layer fabric that rolls onto a tube — they're versatile, come in light-filtering or blackout fabric, and work in any room. Cellular shades have a pleated honeycomb structure that traps air at the glass for insulation — they're the better choice when energy efficiency is a priority, especially in bedrooms, north-facing rooms, and homes with older windows. Both can be motorized.

Effectively yes — smart film, switchable film, PDLC film, and electric privacy glass all refer to the same technology. A polymer film containing liquid crystals goes from clear to opaque frosted when you switch electrical current on or off. Apply it to existing glass (retrofit) or laminate it into new glass installations. See our dedicated Smart Film page for full details.

Not necessarily. Battery-powered motors run on rechargeable lithium packs that last 1 to 3 years between charges — they install fast and avoid any wiring. Hardwired motors connect to low-voltage power and are the better choice for new construction or large multi-shade installs where battery management would be a hassle. We help you pick during the consultation.

Yes. The motorized shade systems we install integrate with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit. Higher-end systems also integrate with pro-grade smart-home platforms like Control4, Crestron, Lutron HomeWorks, and Savant. We program the scenes and walk you through the app before we leave.

Not exact pricing. Window treatments vary enormously based on window size, fabric, lining, operation, motorization, and configuration — accurate quotes require an in-home measurement. We do give general ranges on our pricing guide page, and we always quote with a fixed itemized price after the consultation, no surprises between order and install.

Three ways: call us at (412) 634-5526, send a message through our contact page, or fill out the consultation request form available on every service page. We typically schedule the visit within a few business days of your first contact.