How Much Do Honeycomb Blinds Cost in NZ? (2026 Guide)

Indicative prices

Honeycomb blinds are priced per square metre, supplied and installed. Multiply the rate by the window area in m² (width in cm × height in cm, divided by 10,000):

Small window, 1.2 × 1.0 m (1.2 m²): from about $191
Standard window, 1.8 × 1.5 m (2.7 m²): from about $429
Large window, 2.4 × 2.1 m (5.0 m²): from about $800

Those are starting figures for our entry honeycomb blind fabric — there is a calculator on that page if you want to run your own window dimensions. In context against our other ranges: roller blinds start from $55/m², vertical from $99/m² and Venetian from $119/m². Honeycomb sits at the top of the blind range precisely because of what the fabric does.

What pushes the price up

Double-cell fabric: two rows of cells instead of one — more trapped air, better insulation, higher price.
Blockout vs light-filtering: blockout fabrics cost more and, usefully, also insulate better than light-filtering ones.
Motorisation: worth it on high or hard-to-reach windows, and on a whole-room set you operate daily.
Top-down/bottom-up: the mechanism that lets you drop the blind from the top for light while keeping the bottom closed for privacy.
Side channels: tracks down each side that close the light gaps and cut air movement. They add cost, and they measurably improve thermal performance.
Window size and shape: larger drops need heavier mechanisms; skylights and angled windows need specialised systems.

Why they cost more: the heat-retention result

Consumer NZ measured heat loss through a single-glazed aluminium-framed window fitted with different coverings, in a lab held at 4°C against a room at 20°C. They tested honeycomb, roman, roller and both aluminium and wooden Venetian blinds, plus thermal and heavy-lined curtains.

Honeycomb blinds came first, retaining more than 60% of the heat that escapes through a bare window. Two things explain it: the honeycomb cells hold a large pocket of still air between the cold glass and the warm room, and the blind fits closer to the sides of the frame than the others tested, so there is less air movement around the edges.

That matters more in New Zealand than in most places. Consumer NZ notes an insulated home can lose up to 45% of its heat through the windows, and a great deal of NZ housing stock is still single-glazed. The window is usually the weakest part of the envelope.

International measurements point the same way. US Department of Energy laboratory-home testing by PNNL found cellular shades cut heating-season HVAC energy use by 17.6% (±8.1%) compared with bare windows, and a 2022 study in Building and Environment measured daily heating savings in the 17–36% range. Both also found side seals or tracks made a substantial further difference — consistent with the Consumer NZ finding that fit is everything.

A caveat worth stating: those overseas figures come from different climates and different house constructions, so treat them as directional rather than a prediction of your power bill. The reliable claim is the ranking, not a specific dollar saving.

The disadvantages, honestly

Every guide written by someone selling honeycomb blinds says they are wonderful. Three genuine drawbacks:

Price. At $159/m² they are roughly three times an entry roller blind. In a warm room where you only want light control, that is money spent on performance you will not notice.
Cleaning. The cells collect dust and are harder to clean than a flat roller. A vacuum brush attachment or compressed air is the usual method; aggressive scrubbing crushes the pleats and they do not fully recover.
Light gaps. A standard honeycomb blind leaves small gaps at the sides. For a bedroom or nursery where you want true darkness, you need blockout fabric with a tight recess fit, or side channels — otherwise a blockout roller blind may serve you better for less.

Where honeycomb is the right call

Single-glazed rooms that never warm up — this is the clearest case, and the one where the price difference pays for itself in comfort.
South-facing rooms that get little winter sun.
Bedrooms in older homes, where cold glass at night is the thing that wakes you.
Rooms with a lot of glass relative to floor area, where the window dominates the heat loss.

And where it is not:

Kitchens and bathrooms — the cells trap moisture, steam and cooking grease. Use an aluminium Venetian or a moisture-resistant roller.
Rooms where you want the view or the look to lead — honeycomb is a functional fabric, not a decorative one. Curtains or Venetians will do more for the room.
Any window where budget is the binding constraint — a well-fitted roller inside the recess still stops a good share of the heat loss, for a third of the price.

How to compare quotes

Single-cell or double-cell fabric? This is the biggest spec difference and it is often left off quotes.
Blockout or light-filtering?
Recess (inside) fit or face fit? Recess fit performs better thermally.
Are side channels included, quoted separately, or not offered?
Is it cordless, corded or motorised — and is cordless standard or an upcharge?
What is the warranty, on fabric and on mechanism? Ours is 3 years from installation.
Is installation included in the price, or added later?

Get an exact price

Per-m² rates only take you so far — the honest number depends on your actual window sizes, the fabric and whether channels make sense for the room. Our in-home measure and quote is free and no-obligation across Auckland. We bring samples so you can see the fabrics in your own light, and we will tell you plainly if a cheaper blind would do the same job in that room. See our honeycomb blinds for the full range, fabrics and a price estimator, book a free measure, or browse the wider blinds range.

Frequently asked questions

How much do honeycomb blinds cost in NZ?

At Kauri, made-to-measure honeycomb blinds start from $159/m² supplied and installed. On a standard 1.8 × 1.5 m window (2.7 m²) that is about $429; a large 2.4 × 2.1 m window works out around $800. Blockout honeycomb, double-cell fabric and motorisation push the figure up. Prices are indicative until we have measured your windows.

Are honeycomb blinds worth the cost?

For a cold room, yes — they are the best-performing window covering Consumer NZ tested for heat retention, holding back more than 60% of the heat that escapes through a bare window. That is a meaningful difference in a single-glazed NZ home. For a room that is already warm and where you mainly want light control or a look, a roller or Venetian at a third of the price does that job just as well. Buy honeycomb for thermal performance, not for appearance.

What are the disadvantages of honeycomb blinds?

Three real ones. They cost roughly three times a basic roller blind. The cells can collect dust and are harder to clean than a flat roller — a vacuum brush attachment is the usual method, and heavy scrubbing damages the pleats. And a standard honeycomb blind leaves small light gaps at the sides, so for a bedroom you want a blockout fabric and a tight recess fit, or side channels if genuine total darkness matters.

What is the difference between honeycomb and cellular blinds?

Nothing — they are two names for the same product, and you will also see them called Duette, cellular shades or pleated cellular blinds. The fabric is folded into hexagonal cells that trap air, which is where both the name and the insulation come from.

Single-cell or double-cell?

Double-cell fabric has two rows of cells rather than one, so it traps more still air and insulates better — at a higher price. For a bedroom, a south-facing room or anywhere single-glazed and genuinely cold, double-cell is worth the difference. For a warmer room or a mild aspect, single-cell is usually enough.

Do honeycomb blinds help with double glazing too?

Yes, though the gain is smaller because the window is already doing more of the work. Honeycomb blinds also help in summer by cutting solar heat gain, and they dampen noise a little. If your home is single-glazed, the difference is far more noticeable — see our guide to the best blinds for double-glazed windows for how the choice changes.