How-To & Tips · 2026-09-06

Ceiling Fan & Curtain Rod Installation in New Orleans: A Homeowner's Guide

Two of the most requested jobs across New Orleans — from Algiers Point to Lakeview, Mid-City to the Garden District — are ceiling fan installs and curtain rod installs. Both look simple on a video, and both go sideways fast in a 100-year-old house with plaster-and-lath walls, high ceilings and a ceiling box that was never rated for a fan. This guide covers what actually matters in New Orleans homes, what it costs, and how to book one visit for both.

Why New Orleans homes are different

Most of our housing stock — shotguns, camelbacks, Creole cottages and raised centre-halls — has plaster over wood lath instead of drywall. Plaster cracks when you drive an anchor into it without a pilot hole, and it hides the studs, so the usual 'find a stud and screw it in' approach leaves you with a chipped wall and a rod that sags by the weekend.

Ceilings are tall: 10 to 14 feet is normal Uptown, in the Garden District and in the Marigny and Bywater. That means downrods, ladders rated for the height and, in many rooms, a fan-rated electrical box that has to be installed before the fan goes up. Newer construction in Lakeview and the CBD condos brings its own issues — concrete or metal-framed ceilings and shared walls where you cannot just drill anywhere.

Ceiling fan installation: what a proper job includes

A safe ceiling fan install starts with checking the box. Standard light-fixture boxes are not built to hold a 20–40 lb fan that wobbles — the National Electrical Code requires a box listed for fan support. If yours is not, we swap in a fan-rated brace box, which is the step most DIY installs skip. From there: the right downrod length for the ceiling height (blades should sit 8–9 feet off the floor), balancing the blades so there is no wobble, and confirming the wall switch or remote controls the fan and light the way you want.

We install fans on existing wiring and switches only, which keeps the job flat-rate. Bedrooms, living rooms, covered porches and galleries are all common; for porches we recommend a damp-rated fan because of our humidity.

Curtain rod installation done right on plaster

For curtain rods the two decisions that matter are height and anchoring. In tall New Orleans rooms, mounting the rod 4–6 inches above the window trim (or closer to the ceiling) makes the room look taller and lets floor-length panels hang properly. Extending brackets 3–6 inches past each side of the frame lets the curtains clear the glass when open.

On plaster we pre-drill, use the right anchor for the wall (toggle or self-drilling plaster anchors, not the plastic plugs in the box) and add a centre support on anything over 60 inches so the rod never bows under heavy drapes. Blackout panels, double rods and traverse rods for sliding doors all need heavier hardware, and we bring it.

What it costs in New Orleans

Ceiling fan installation runs about $55–$165 per fan on existing wiring, with a fan-rated brace box as the most common add-on. Curtain rod installation starts at a flat per-rod rate, and most homes with 3–6 windows are done in a single visit. Booking both jobs together saves you a second trip charge — a common combo is two bedroom fans plus rods for the whole front of the house.

Every quote is upfront and flat-rate; there is no hourly clock and no surprise line items once we are in the door.

Neighborhood notes

Algiers Point and the Garden District: mostly plaster, tall ceilings, historic trim we work around rather than through. Mid-City: a mix of plaster and post-Katrina drywall — we check each wall before drilling. Downtown / CBD and Warehouse District lofts: concrete ceilings and exposed joists, so we bring masonry bits and beam clamps. Lakeview: newer drywall, standard 8–9 foot ceilings, quicker installs and easy fan-box upgrades.

How to book

Text a photo of the room or window to 504-222-2969 or use the Book Online button — pick Ceiling Fan Installation or Curtain Rod Installation, choose a day, and you will get a confirmation with your flat-rate price. We cover New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Gretna, Harvey, Marrero, Chalmette, Westwego, Terrytown and Belle Chasse.

Key takeaways

  • Plaster-and-lath walls need pilot holes and proper anchors — not the plastic plugs in the box
  • Fans must hang from a fan-rated box; upgrading the box is the step DIY installs skip
  • Mount curtain rods high and wide in tall New Orleans rooms; add a centre bracket over 60 inches
  • Ceiling fans run $55–$165 each on existing wiring; bundle fans and rods into one visit to save a trip charge

FAQ

Can you install a ceiling fan where there is only a light fixture now?

Yes, as long as the wiring and switch already exist. We replace the light box with a fan-rated brace box, hang the fan and balance it. Running new wiring to a room with no fixture is electrician work we will refer out.

Will curtain rod brackets crack my plaster walls?

Not when they are pre-drilled and anchored correctly. We use plaster-specific anchors or hit the framing behind the lath, and we place brackets to avoid old crack lines and historic trim.

How long does it take?

A single ceiling fan is usually 45–90 minutes; a set of rods for 4–6 windows takes about the same. Both together are typically a half-day visit.

Do you serve my neighborhood?

We install ceiling fans and curtain rods across New Orleans — Algiers Point, Mid-City, Garden District, Downtown, Lakeview, Uptown, Bywater, Marigny, Gentilly — plus Metairie, Kenner and the West Bank. Call or text 504-222-2969 for a same-week slot.