By Jose L. Siandre, owner of Made in the Shade North Jersey. Veteran-owned. Serving Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Sussex, Essex and Warren counties. Last updated September 30, 2026.
On our recent New Jersey jobs, a motorized Norman Soluna roller shade cost $824 to $1,398 per window, product only, before installation. The same shade with a manual or cordless lift cost $349 to $1,147. Window size, fabric, motor type and any smart-home hub move the price.
Motorized shade prices by shade type
These are per-window prices from our own invoices, April 2025 to September 2026, unless marked as a market range. Installation is billed separately and typically runs $175 to $1,000 per job. Read every figure as a range, not a price sheet.
| Shade | Manual or cordless | Motorized | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roller (Norman Soluna) | $349 to $1,147 | $824 to $1,398 | Our jobs |
| Cellular (honeycomb) | $250 to $1,427 across styles, typically $450 to $1,070 | Motorized Alta skylight shades about $985 | Our jobs |
| Roman | $465 to $597, about $585 typical | Quoted per window group | Our jobs |
| Solar (roller style) | $150 to $450 | $350 to $950 and up | Typical market range |
| Banded (zebra) | $200 to $550 | $450 to $1,100 and up | Typical market range |
| Norman Smart Drapes | Not applicable | $988 to $3,208 per opening, typically $1,240 to $1,700 | Our jobs, mostly sliders |
We do not publish a flat motor price because fabric and size move the total as much as the motor does. The roller row is the cleanest comparison we have: the same product line, priced both ways.
Free guide
The guide has per-window prices for roller, cellular, Roman, drapery, awnings and umbrellas, plus the questions to ask before you sign. Get the free New Jersey window treatment buyer’s guide.
What drives the cost of a motorized shade
- Motor type. Battery, plug-in or hardwired. Each has different install needs, covered below.
- Window size. Wide and tall windows cost more before the motor is added, and a large shade needs a motor rated for its weight.
- Fabric and shade type. A blackout cellular shade and a sheer roller shade start at different prices.
- Hubs and smart-home integration. A hub or bridge is usually its own line on the quote. Ask which platform the motor uses.
- Installation. Installers mount and test every window. Hardwired shades add electrical work.
Battery, plug-in or hardwired: where quotes differ
This is where two quotes for the same shade stop being comparable. Ask every dealer to name the motor type for each window.
| Power | How it works | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery | Runs on a rechargeable or replaceable battery. No wiring. | Adding motors to an existing room | The battery needs charging or replacing |
| Plug-in | Runs from an outlet. | Windows with an outlet nearby | Needs a power source near the window |
| Hardwired | Wired into the house. | New construction and renovations before walls are finished | Cleanest look, but hard to add later |
Manufacturers offer both approaches. Hunter Douglas explains the wiring question for PowerView on its FAQ page, and Norman describes its smart motorization, which controls shades by phone, remote or voice assistant, on its motorization page.
Is a motorized shade worth it?
A motor pays off where a manual shade goes unused. That means sliders and wide windows, skylights and high windows, sun-facing rooms you want on a schedule, and any window someone cannot reach comfortably. Norman Smart Drapes on sliders ran $988 to $3,208 per opening on our jobs, and they get used because a remote moves them.
A small window you reach every day rarely needs a motor. If you are unsure, price one room first and compare it with the manual version. Our window motorization page shows the systems we install, and our custom window shades page covers the shade styles they come on.
Room by room: where motors earn their cost
| Room or window | What we suggest | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sliders and big glass | Motorized shades or Smart Drapes | Large panels are hard to move by hand |
| Skylights and high windows | Motorized cellular | You cannot reach them, and a remote can |
| Sun-facing rooms | Motorized roller or solar shades on a schedule | The shade closes before the room heats up |
| Bedrooms | Cordless, motorized if the window is out of reach | Sleep needs darkness and no hanging cords |
Motorized or cordless?
Cordless shades cost less and remove hanging cords. Motorized shades also have no cords, and they add scheduling, remote control and the option to group several windows. If the window is within easy reach and you only want to skip the cord, cordless is the better value. If you keep leaving a shade in the wrong position because it is awkward to move, a motor is worth pricing.
How to compare two motorized quotes
A motorized quote can look cheaper because it leaves things out. Check that each one shows, window by window:
- the product line and fabric, not just “roller shade”
- the exact size and whether it is an inside or outside mount
- the lift (cordless, loop or motorized) and the motor type
- any remote, hub or bridge, listed as its own line
- installation, shown separately, with any electrical work
- warranty terms and lead time, in writing
Our post on the questions to ask before hiring any window treatment company covers the rest.
Planning a whole-house project
If you are motorizing several windows, ask how the shades will be grouped and controlled, and whether one hub covers the whole house. Price one room first, then scale up. Prices change with the product line, so treat the figures above as a 2026 snapshot. We refresh them every year, and this page was last reviewed in September 2026.
If a designer quotes a single lump sum for motorization, ask for it broken out by window. That is the fastest way to see whether a low quote is missing a hub, a remote or the installation.
Motorized shade questions
Do motorized shades work with Alexa or Google Home?
It depends on the motor and the brand. Motors can be tied into smart-home systems, but each product line supports its own platforms. Ask which platform your motor uses before you buy. Our comparison of Lutron and Hunter Douglas PowerView shows how two of the common systems differ.
What happens to motorized shades in a power outage?
Battery-powered motors do not depend on the outlet. Plug-in and hardwired motors need power, so ask whether your product line offers a battery or manual backup.
Can I add motors to shades later?
Battery motors are the easiest to add to an existing room because they need no wiring. Whether an existing shade can be converted depends on the product line, so ask before you buy new shades.
Do motors add to lead time?
Custom shades are made to order after you approve a written quote. Ask each dealer to state the lead time for the motorized version in writing, because it can differ from the manual version.
Get numbers for your own windows
The ranges above are a starting point. A free in-home consultation gives you a written quote for your windows, with the motor type on its own line. Book a free consultation or call (973) 833-1612. You can also see how our roller shades compare before you decide.
