'I got quoted extortionate price for two blinds – my jaw was on the floor'

Having recently relocated, I'm currently undertaking a series of home improvements on my property.

I've already repaired a window, purchased a new wardrobe and lampshades, and am considering how to fix my shower door. However, the next task I chose to tackle this week is acquiring a few new blinds.

Fortunately for me, most of the blinds were in decent condition when I moved in, but sadly, I quickly noticed that the one in my son's new room had become mouldy, so I immediately removed it.

There's also no blind in the kitchen, and since we directly face other houses, I want to install one to provide us with some privacy in the evenings.

Initially, I decided to rely on good old Argos to buy a blind for my son's room, as I only needed a simple plain one. I found one on their website for a reasonable £20, which I thought would be perfectly adequate.

Next, I called my DIY man – aka my dad – to assist me in installing it after failing to do it myself. I'm not sure if there were parts missing from the blind or if I had bought the wrong type (you can get ones for inside the window and above it), but despite several attempts, my dad couldn't fix it.

Given that he is quite busy and I also have a long list of other tasks for him to complete, I told my dad not to worry and that I'd simply hire a blind expert to do it. However, I was unaware of the nightmare I was about to encounter.

After receiving a leaflet from Hilary's, I decided to visit their website and book an appointment. The process was straightforward, and I managed to secure an appointment for a few days later.

On the day of the appointment, a friendly Hilary's employee called me half an hour before the scheduled time to confirm his arrival, and he arrived promptly.

He assessed the rooms where I wanted the blinds installed, took measurements, and provided me with a sample book of materials. As I only wanted white blinds in both rooms, the selection process was quick. We opted for a black-out blind in my son's room to aid his sleep and a standard blind for the kitchen.

Given that Hilary's provides a fitting service, I anticipated the cost would be higher than the £20 Argos blind. However, given the modest size of the windows, I didn't expect the price to be exorbitant.

But I was taken aback when he presented me with the final quote. I had estimated a cost of around £300, but I was floored when he revealed that the total for both white blinds would be a staggering £602.76.

The plain white blackout blind for my son's room alone would cost a hefty £372.85, and the kitchen blind would be £229.91. I managed to conceal my shock and politely told him I'd 'have a think about it and be in touch'.

I quickly got back on the phone to my dad, pleading for him to have another go at putting up some fresh blinds for me.

You see, I'm all for splashing out whats due, but £600 feels a bit steep for two basic white blinds. Perhaps I'm just rusty with all this redecorating business, who can say?

This whole saga made it clear to me why there's such a craze for DIY tutorials online as people are having to tackle jobs themselves because forking out for professionals is getting ridiculous.

it does make me worry about safety hazards given that Brits are having to wrestle with fixes they barely understand or leaving things in tatters because the they haven't got the money to hire help or buying something new.

I was also left wondering who is actually paying nearly £400 for a blind. There must be some, since the man who popped over to give me a quote said he was booked solid for the afternoon. I bet some of them are in for a shock like I was though. 

Seems I'm not alone in my shock at the cost of blinds though, if X is anything to go by. One exasperated soul vented on the website: "Carpets and blinds cost so much money man, does anyone want to sponsor me because home ownership has me withered and I'm not even in the f**king house yet."

And it turns out it's not just us Brits feeling squeezed, as a stateside homeowner also chimed in: "Just spent $1400 (£1067) on blinds. Let this be a lesson, they DO NOT prepare you for the cost of blinds but you HAVE to have them."