Every new neighborhood in Celina, Prosper and Frisco has the same look the first month: butcher paper and bedsheets taped over brand-new windows. New-build buyers consistently underestimate one thing, and it is not the cost of treatments. It is the lead time.
The timeline that works
- Three to four weeks before closing: book the consultation and walk the house at a builder walkthrough if access allows
- At closing week: final measurements at the actual windows, order placed
- Two to four weeks after order: installation, usually within the first weeks in the house
What to prioritize first
Privacy rooms first: primary bedroom, bathrooms, street-facing bedrooms. Faux wood blinds or cellular shades get these covered quickly and permanently. Statement treatments, drapery and specialty rooms can follow once you have lived with the light; the staged approach spends smart and ends the paper era fast.
New-build specifics worth knowing
- Builder-grade windows come bare: no brackets, no depth surprises documented, so measuring happens fresh
- Walls are new drywall: professional mounting into structure prevents the anchor failures DIY installs meet
- If you are motorizing, this is the moment to discuss wiring while builders are still doing punch-list work
One consultation covers the whole staging plan: what to install now, what to plan for, and a quote that separates the phases so the budget lands where you want it.
Talking to your builder before closing
Ask the builder three things. First, whether any blinds are included and on which windows, so you do not order twice. Second, whether low-voltage wiring can be run to the windows you plan to motorize while the walls are still open. Third, when you can get into the house to have the windows measured.
Measurements should be taken on the finished openings, after drywall, trim and paint. A window measured before trim goes on can change by the thickness of the casing.
Questions to settle at the consultation
- Which bedrooms need real darkness and which just need privacy
- Whether every front-facing window should match from the street
- Which windows you might motorize later, and whether to wire them now
- Whether an HOA will review anything exterior, such as patio shades (see exterior shades and HOA rules)
Living with bare windows for a few weeks
Between move-in and installation, cover the privacy rooms with whatever is quick and removable. Avoid tape or adhesive on new paint and window frames; it can pull the finish when it comes off. Old treatments, if you brought any, can go up temporarily on tension rods.