The first step is to call us to discuss your project.
Many people are apprehensive about using an Interior Designer. Working with a design professional can save you money and headaches, give you access to a huge spectrum of product not readily available to the general public, prevent construction delays and make the design process a pleasant experience. And most important of all, give you a finished project that you love!
Every Client has a budget.
Some are just more generous than others. We can help you establish a reasonable budget for your project, if you need it. If you have never re-modeled a home or furnished an entire room at one time, you probably have no idea what the cost might be. We want you to be comfortable with the process and feeling comfortable about the financial aspect of your project is vital. We can formulate a Master Plan for you, if you want to proceed as budget and time allows. This approach prevents costly mistakes. When we know the budget, we can provide the best possible design for the money.
Once we have a general idea of the scope of your project, we can estimate the design fee. We bill the design time at $95.00 per hour. This can include meeting with the Client at the project site and our offices, any design and drafting, selection and specification of fabrics, furnishings, custom cabinetry, tile, etc., interfacing with sub-contractors and craftsmen and anything necessary to further your project. All travel time is billed at ½ the hourly rate. For specification only (no purchases made through our company), we bill the design time at $125.00 per hour.
Initial On-site Meeting
Once we have discussed your project and you decide to move forward, we will schedule a visit to your home, office or job site to meet with you and discuss the details of your project, answer any questions and discuss your preferences, design style and life style needs. If you reside within the general area of our office, the initial home visit is complimentary. This visit usually takes about 1-1 ½ hour. If you are out of the immediate area, we can determine a trip charge for the visit that will be credited back to you on your design fee retainer. If you opt not to hire us, the trip charge is non-refundable.
If after our initial meeting you decide to work with us, we will generate a Letter of Agreement stating the services we will be providing for you and requesting a retainer, based on the job size. We keep detailed time sheets for you and a copy is included with each design fee billing. Design fees are billed bi-monthly. If we determine that you are exceeding the initial time estimate, we will advise you. Your initial retainer is held and applied to your final design fee invoice.