The Top Questions Our Design Firm is Most Frequently Asked
I wanted to take a moment to clarify some of the most commonly asked questions when it comes to our vast world of Interior Design! We took a poll in our office, and here are the top 4!
FAQ #1: How do I know if my project needs an interior designer?
Encompassing much more than just decoration, the field of Interior Design demands specialized knowledge in a wide variety of areas, from building code to human behavior. Interior Decorating is the furnishing or adorning of a space to achieve a certain look.
In a nutshell, interior designers may decorate, but decorators do not design. If you are looking for a new sofa and a few throw pillows, hire a Decorator. If you need to remodel your kitchen, design built-ins, or renovate your whole house for that matter...hire a licensed Interior Designer! Looking for more guidance? Read our post on discovering if you need an Interior Designer.
FAQ #2: What do interior designers charge for their services?
Designers have several different types of fee structures and are not always willing to share the nitty gritty of their books. I can only speak for myself and my firm.
We require an initial design fee and a refundable deposit that is estimated on the size of the job. In addition, we have an employee hourly fee tier (for example, Senior Designer, Junior Designer, Intern). Lastly, we charge a percentage of Cost of Goods Sold to cover processing fees.
I have been in business for over 20 years and have tried a few different fee structures, and this is what works best for me. I like to be transparent and upfront about costs. Hiring an Interior Designer is a luxury service and is worth every penny. I pride myself in building a good rapport with my clients and being part of a trusting relationship— after all, it’s very personal!
FAQ #3: Do I need to find my own general contractor?
You certainly can hire your own contractor, and we are happy to work with them. More often than not, though, our firm gets hired first and we help find the contractor and all other subs that are needed. We have developed many strong professional relationships over the years and it helps when everyone has worked together before.
FAQ #4: How long will my project take?
The open ended question!!! I never like to give a definitive answer because Interior Design involves construction, which involves many unknowns and "cooks in the kitchen".
I do think a projected timeline is necessary. I work on large scale construction projects and like to create a giant chart to help clarify the process. If we are not clear on who is responsible for what area of the job, it will never be completed, and our clients will lose faith in us. Organization is key for project completion in a timely manner!
If you have additional questions we didn't answer in this post, reach out to us. We would love to chat and answer those questions!
Cheers,
Lori