Are you shopping for custom window treatments but can’t decide between 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds?
Both make quality blinds and shades, but which company is best for your home?
In this comparison of 3 Day Blinds vs. Budget Blinds, you’ll learn how they differ in product offerings, wait times, price, and overall experience.
I’ll also reveal the most common complaints about both brands and answer frequently asked questions.
Use the links below to navigate the comparison:
- 3 Day Blinds vs. Budget Blinds: Comparison Chart
- Company Overview
- Showrooms
- Consultation Process
- Product Offerings
- Wait Time
- Warranty
- Price
- Common Complaints
- FAQs About 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds
- Bottom Line: Should You Choose 3 Day Blinds or Budget Blinds?
3 Day Blinds vs. Budget Blinds: Comparison Chart
If you’re in a hurry, the chart below provides a quick comparison of 3 Day Blinds vs. Budget Blinds.
| 3 Day Blinds | Budget Blinds | |
|---|---|---|
| Company History | Founded in 1978 | Founded in 1992 |
| Showrooms | In Chicago | Mostly virtual |
| Consultations | In-person or virtual in select areas | In-person or virtual |
| Availability | U.S. | U.S., Canada, and Mexico |
| Product Offerings | Blinds, shades, shutters, and draperies | Blinds, shades, shutters, and draperies |
| Manufacturer | 3 Day Blinds | Hunter Douglas, Levolor, & other manufacturing partners |
| Design Consultants | 3 Day Blinds | Budget Blinds |
| Installation Company | 3 Day Blinds | Varies by franchise (some hire subcontractors) |
| Wait Time (after placing order) | 3 days | 3 weeks |
| Warranty | Limited lifetime | Varies by franchise |
| Price | $$-$$$$ | $$-$$$ |
| Common Complaints | Wait time; cost; customer service | Product quality; order accuracy |
Company Overview
Budget Blinds was founded in 1992 in Orange County, California. It’s one of eight brands owned by Home Franchise Concepts, a home service franchisor.
Budget Blinds operates on a franchise model with 1,400 franchisees serving over 10,000 U.S., Canada, and Mexico cities.
Its primary services include designing and installing custom drapery, blinds, shutters, and shades. It also offers in-home and virtual consultations so homeowners can figure out the best window treatment option.
3 Day Blinds was founded in 1978 in Anaheim, California. They employ hundreds of design consultants that serve customers across 25 states in the U.S.
The main difference to note about each company’s business model is how it impacts the service you receive. Because Budget Blinds operates a franchise model, a franchise owner runs your local Budget Blinds.
Since 3 Day Blinds isn’t a franchise, all its design consultants and installers are 3 Day Blinds employees. With standard onboarding and training programs, the service and experience are more consistent across territories.
For example, when you call to book an appointment, you’ll connect with a centralized 3 Day Blinds customer service representative. Their sole job is to help you with your appointment, resolve your concerns, and answer your questions.
With Budget Blinds, the service you receive will depend on the local franchise owner. When you call them, you will typically hear from the owner themselves or another employee while they’re on the road or with a customer.
That doesn’t mean the service you get from Budget Blinds will be worse than 3 Day Blinds.
In fact, it’s often better since franchise owners have more invested in the business’s success than employees.
However, there can be variability in the level of service you receive from one franchise to the next since each operates independently.
Showrooms
3 Day Blinds only has one physical showroom in Chicago, Illinois. If you don’t live in the area, you’ll need to schedule an in-home visit with a designer to see window treatment samples in person.
Most Budget Blinds locations operate virtually, meaning they have no physical showroom. However, there are a few.
The easiest way to tell if your local Budget Blinds has a physical location is to Google “Budget Blinds.” When you look at the listings, the ones that only display the town and the phone number don’t have a physical location.
The ones with an address typically have a physical showroom, but you’ll need to call to confirm.
The BudgetBlinds.com location finder provides more information on the Budget Blinds franchises that serve your area.
Consultation Process
Currently, 3 Day Blinds offers free in-home consultations in 26 states. You can check which states and specific cities it serves on 3DayBlinds.com. On that page, click the links for your location to learn more about the consultant you’ll be working with.
Many consultants list how much experience they have in the description. If they don’t, there is contact information where you can get in touch with them and find out more.
Fill out the consultation form on 3DayBlinds.com to schedule a consultation. 3 Day Blinds will contact you via text, email, or phone when your local design consultant is available. From there, you can set up an appointment.
During the appointment, the design consultant will bring you a mini-showroom containing product samples. It’s essentially a binder of swatches.
They also provide print-outs with more information about the company, products, and processes.
You can discuss different options and see what they’ll look like before you decide on anything.
After deciding on the type of window treatments, the design consultant will measure the windows and give you an instant quote. At that point, you can make modifications and place the order.
Remember, the design consultant’s job is to help you find the right blinds, but they are also there to make a sale. Some can be more pushy than others.
Read my full review of 3 Day Blinds to learn more about the consultation process.
Budget Blinds also offers free in-home consultations. The consultations are similar to 3 Day Blinds in that you’ll be shown a mini-showroom, and your consultant will take measurements. The showroom includes sample books so you can look at the materials and color swatches.
Since it is a franchise company, the service area will depend on which consultants are nearby and whether any are willing to travel to your location.
Also, each franchise approaches consultations differently, so discussing the process before they step foot in your home is important.
You can schedule a Budget Blinds consultation by calling your local franchise or visiting the website.
Both companies also offer virtual consultations, but Budget Blinds only provides them for specific locations. Contact your local franchise to find out if it’s an option.
Product Offerings
Both 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds offer blinds, shades, shutters, drapery, and motorized/automated window treatment solutions.
The main difference between them is the manufacturing partners each company works with. 3 Day Blinds manufactures 80% of its blinds in-house and orders the rest from various manufacturing partners.
Budget Blinds, meanwhile, sells its products through several private-label “brands.” These are not brands in the traditional sense. They are just collections made by various manufacturing partners.
Some of Budget Blinds’ main manufacturing partners include Hunter Douglas and Levolor. Both are mainstays in the industry, having been established in 1919 and 1914, respectively.
Besides manufacturing, Budget Blinds offers a few other decorative products, while 3Day Blinds focuses on window treatments. With Budget Blinds, you can also buy window film, screens, decorative window grilles, rugs, pillows, and bedding.
Also, both companies will have slightly different patterns, colors, styles, automation systems, etc.
You can compare the brands’ offerings through the Budget Blinds and 3 Day Blinds product pages.
Wait Time
3 Day Blinds gets its name for its fast turnaround times. But remember that “3 Day” refers to how quickly some of its blinds can be manufactured. Depending on the complexity or size of the window treatment solution you’re getting, it may take longer.
Also, the whole process will take longer than three days — at least a week but likely more. Once you have the consultation, decide on the products, and get your measurements, the company will manufacture the blinds. After that, an installer will schedule a day to install them.
How long it takes will vary, but many Trustpilot.com reviews said the blinds were ready about a week after the consultation. Others experienced delays, such as scheduling conflicts, that made the process 3-4 weeks or longer.
Budget Blinds doesn’t list a specific wait time, but reviews say around three weeks on average.
However, larger orders may take longer. For example, one review on Angi.com said Budget Blinds installed blinds on two of their windows, which took six weeks. It also may take longer, depending on the availability of the installer and your schedule.
Warranty
3 Day Blinds offers a limited lifetime warranty on operating mechanisms and components (for example, the wand used to tilt the blinds).
Cords and ladders are covered for seven years, and remote controls, motors, and fabrics are covered for five years. For cords and ladders, you can still order replacement parts or repair services from 3 Day Blinds past the seven-year window, but you’ll have to pay. Also, the company offers a 1-year warranty on installation errors.
With Budget Blinds, the individual franchise determines the warranty. Some warranties can be quite generous.
For example, Budget Blinds of North County San Diego has a 5-year “No Questions Asked” warranty for all damage, no matter the cause, a 5-year warranty on defective motorization components, and a limited lifetime warranty for all other defective parts.
Other local Budget Blinds don’t detail the warranty on their websites. You will need to call them to find out.
Price
The cost of custom blinds depends on sizing, materials, and if you’re having them professionally installed. With custom blinds, you can’t compare prices online like you can for other products.
That said, Budget Blinds, as the name suggests, is known to offer more affordable options. They provide a wide range of lower-cost window treatments, and their advertising is focused on attracting budget-conscious consumers. So, in most cases, Budget Blinds will be more affordable than 3 Day Blinds.
To get an idea of the price difference between 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds, I got quotes from both companies.
The consultants came to my house, and I requested quotes for roller shades on four large windows. Although the material and colors were the same, the patterns differed slightly. The quote from 3 Day Blinds was 20% higher than Budget Blinds.
That doesn’t mean all 3 Day Blinds orders cost 20% more than Budget Blinds, but that was my experience.
If you’re seriously considering custom blinds or shades, get a free consultation and quote from both companies. Schedule a consultation with 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds to determine your project’s cost.
Common Complaints
Long wait times and poor customer service are common complaints across both brands. Customers claim that the process takes longer than the company initially quoted, sometimes several months.
Customers often complain that getting their issues addressed requires a lot of back and forth. Sometimes their calls wouldn’t be returned for weeks and months, causing unnecessary delays.
For 3 Day Blinds specifically, high cost was a common complaint. 3 Day Blinds’ products are generally more expensive than other options. Based on my experience, 3 Day Blinds was 20% more expensive than Budget Blinds. I also got a quote from Blinds To Go that was 15% less than 3 Day Blinds.
Another issue customers noted was that the company charged them early. Some customers had their cards charged before the installation began, leaving a hold on them for weeks and sometimes even months.
As for Budget Blinds, several customers complain about the quality of the products. Blind slats breaking, too much light coming through, and issues with the motorized components are all common themes within reviews.
Others noted service and logistical issues, which proves that the quality of service, order accuracy, timeliness, billing, etc., varies drastically by franchise. Another common complaint was a lack of color variety, particularly among budget options.
Browse through dozens of 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds reviews on ConsumerAffairs.com.
FAQs About 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds
Below are answers to the most frequently asked questions about both brands:
Can I install 3 Day Blinds or Budget Blinds on my own?
Yes, you can install 3 Day Blinds or Budget Blinds yourself. However, doing so may void parts of the warranty. 3 Day Blinds and some Budget Blinds’ warranties only cover improper installation if they did the installation.
How do you remove 3 Day Blinds or Budget Blinds?
It depends on the type. 3 Day Blinds offers product manuals on its website. Budget Blinds does not. However, if you ask which manufacturer made your blinds, you should be able to find a product manual on its website that details the removal process.
What’s the best way to clean 3 Day Blinds or Budget Blinds?
You can clean blinds while they’re still on the window using a vacuum with a soft brush attachment. Go over the slats, then use a microfiber cloth to wipe them off. If dust remains on the blinds, use a dryer sheet on the slats. This method works well for dusty blinds, but you may need a deeper cleaning method if your blinds have stains. Check out this step-by-step guide to cleaning blinds to find the best method.
Do 3 Day Blinds or Budget Blinds do repairs?
Yes, both Budget Blinds and 3 Day Blinds can perform repairs. 3 Day Blinds includes repair services as part of the warranty. Budget Blinds’ repair service offerings depend on your local franchise, so you’ll need to call.
Where are 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds manufactured?
3 Day Blinds manufactures most (80%) of its products in-house. Unspecified partners manufacture the rest. Budget Blinds products are made by partners such as Hunter Douglas and Levolor.
Do 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds offer financing options?
Yes, both offer financing options. Budget Blinds’ options depend on your local franchise, while 3 Day Blinds offers a no-interest payment plan through GreenSky.
Are 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds safe for children and pets?
Some options from both brands are safe for children and pets, while others are not. They both offer cordless blind options, which are safe. Avoid corded blinds if you have small children or pets. Talk to your design consultant about what child and pet-safe options they offer.
Bottom Line: Should You Choose 3 Day Blinds or Budget Blinds?
Should you buy custom blinds and shades from 3 Day Blinds or Budget Blinds?
Before I provide my recommendation, let’s quickly recap the key differences.
- 3 Day Blinds consultants and installers are company employees, while Budget Blinds operates on a franchise model. The service offered by each Budget Blinds location will vary by franchise.
- 3 Day Blinds has one physical showroom in Chicago, while Budget Blinds has physical showrooms in multiple locations (depending on the area).
- Whether you’re near a physical showroom or not, both brands offer in-home and virtual consultations.
- 3 Day Blinds manufactures most of its window treatment solutions in-house, while Budget Blinds offers collections from its manufacturing partners.
- 3 Day Blinds is known for its fast manufacturing turnaround times (three days in some cases), but the timing of the whole process varies. Budget Blinds’ takes about three weeks from order to installation.
- 3 Day Blinds offers a standard warranty across all locations, while the warranty for Budget Blinds depends on the local franchisee.
- High cost is the most common complaint about 3 Day Blinds. Budget Blinds customers complain the most about product quality and service and logistical issues.
- Budget Blinds and 3 Day Blinds both offer child-safe options, financing, and repair services.
Bottom line — 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds have several differences, but the products and overall experience are quite similar.
They’ll both come to your home with samples, give you design advice, measure, and provide a free quote. And they both offer professional installation services. If you’re looking for white-glove service and a wide range of design options, both companies deliver.
That said, 3 Day Blinds’ main selling point is their fast turnaround times, while Budget Blinds caters to the budget-conscious shopper. Not always, but in most cases, the experience with 3 Day Blinds will take less time but cost more.
If 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds are available in your area, schedule a consultation with both companies and decide once you’ve had a chance to see the products, prices, and process.
Scheduling an appointment is simple. Just fill out the forms on these pages: 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds.
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I'm an expert in the field of custom window treatments, with a deep understanding of the products and services offered by companies like 3 Day Blinds and Budget Blinds. My expertise is grounded in practical experience, and I can provide valuable insights into the nuances of their offerings. Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the article.
Company Overview:
- 3 Day Blinds: Founded in 1978 in Anaheim, California, it operates without a franchise model, and all its design consultants and installers are company employees.
- Budget Blinds: Established in 1992 in Orange County, California, it operates on a franchise model with over 1,400 franchisees across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Showrooms:
- 3 Day Blinds: Only one physical showroom in Chicago, Illinois.
- Budget Blinds: Mostly virtual showrooms, with a few physical locations that vary by franchise.
Consultation Process:
- 3 Day Blinds: Offers free in-home consultations in 26 states, with design consultants bringing a mini-showroom to discuss options.
- Budget Blinds: Also provides free in-home consultations with a similar mini-showroom setup, but the service area depends on franchise locations.
Product Offerings:
- Both companies: Offer blinds, shades, shutters, draperies, and motorized/automated window treatment solutions.
- 3 Day Blinds: Manufactures 80% of its blinds in-house and orders the rest from various partners.
- Budget Blinds: Sells products through private-label "brands" made by different manufacturing partners, including Hunter Douglas and Levolor.
Wait Time:
- 3 Day Blinds: Known for fast turnaround times, with the name suggesting quick manufacturing (three days in some cases).
- Budget Blinds: Average wait time around three weeks, but larger orders may take longer.
Warranty:
- 3 Day Blinds: Limited lifetime warranty on operating mechanisms, components, and specific durations for cords, ladders, remote controls, motors, and fabrics.
- Budget Blinds: Warranty determined by individual franchises, with some offering generous terms.
Price:
- Cost: Custom blinds' pricing depends on sizing, materials, and professional installation.
- 3 Day Blinds: Generally considered more expensive, with a review indicating a 20% higher quote than Budget Blinds.
- Budget Blinds: Known for more affordable options, attracting budget-conscious consumers.
Common Complaints:
- 3 Day Blinds: High cost and wait times, as well as customer service issues.
- Budget Blinds: Common complaints about product quality, service, logistical issues, and variability in franchise experiences.
FAQs:
- Installation: Both companies allow self-installation but may affect warranties.
- Removal: Procedures depend on the type; manuals available for 3 Day Blinds but not for Budget Blinds.
- Cleaning: Similar cleaning methods for both brands.
- Repairs: Both offer repair services, with specifics depending on the local franchise.
Bottom Line:
- 3 Day Blinds: Known for fast turnaround times, consistent service, and higher costs.
- Budget Blinds: Caters to budget-conscious consumers, with variability in service due to the franchise model.
Both companies offer in-home consultations, child-safe options, financing, and repair services. The choice depends on preferences, budget considerations, and the specific experience you're seeking.
