Installing roller shades yourself takes about 20 minutes per window if you're organized. This is the exact process we teach new installers — including the two mistakes that cause 90% of DIY callbacks. What you need before you start Cordless drill with a 2 Phillips bit 3 mm masonry bit if mounting into concrete or brick reveals Pencil, tape measure, and a small level (or a level app) Painter's tape (for marking without pencil marks on paint) Safety glasses — drywall dust in the eyes ruins the day Step 1 — Decide inside-mount or outside-mount Inside mount sits inside the window frame reveal. Cleaner look, but the reveal needs to be at least 40 mm deep for a standard roller cassette, and 60 mm for a cassette with side channels. Measure with a ruler before you order. Outside mount sits above the frame on the wall. Better for shallow reveals, uneven windows, and rooms where you want maximum light blockage — an outside-mounted blackout roller with 50 mm wall overlap kills 99% of light bleed. Standard choice for bedrooms. Step 2 — Mark the brackets, precisely Roller shade brackets are asymmetric: one has a fixed pin, one has a spring-loaded pin. Set the shade next to the window so you can see which end is which before you drill. Nothing more annoying than realizing the chain is on the wrong side after you've committed screws. For inside mounts, position the brackets 10 mm back from t…