Ways Interior Designers Charge for

Interior Design Services

As an interior designer, are you charging your clients appropriately?

OR are you just “throwing things against the wall, hoping it sticks?”

When most interior designers first start out, knowing the best way to charge clients for design services is always kind of challenging.

Many times, we’ve asked ourselves, “Am I

charging enough?”

Question: “So, how do I ‘price’ myself?”

Answer: There are no rules, neither

are there quick formulas...

...but there are a number of billing methods you can choose from to

charge for services rendered.

You may decide to tell your client the available charging options if you

wish...

...but you’ll find that in most cases, they don’t really care!

All they want is

a great job

Once you become comfortable with any of the billing options, you can then stick with the method that works best for you.

So . . . What are the Charging Options for Interior

Design Projects?

Hourly rate

Percentage over costs

Per Sqm

Pre-fixed rate

Combination rate

Hourly rate – Many designers start off charging an

hourly rate for their services and this method has been used over the years by many professionals...

Hourly rates involve keeping

detailed records of your daily tasks and the number of hours spent to execute such tasks.

And at the end of each month, a client is

billed on the number of hours spent

on the project.

Percentage over costs – You charge by a %

mark-up over all purchases of furniture and furnishings that is required for an office or home design project.

Percentage mark-up can range from 20% to 35% over costs, depending on the region, projects size, and scope.

You’ll find that many clients are much

more

with the percentage mode of charging...

...not so much with the per hour rate of charging!

Per square metre One of the simplest ways interior designers charge for services; it involves a fixed rate per square metre (or feet) of floor space that requires interior design works

Per sq. metre rates work best for commercial projects but can still be applied to residential works as well

Pre-fixed rates – Scope of works and the

duration envisioned determines what an interior designer charges as a pre-fixed amount.

Pre-fixed rates work well for larger projects and requires extensive discussions between you and your client, before an agreeable fee can be set.

Combination rate

This billing method is a combination of two (max three) different charging methods and works best with larger and more complex projects.

For example, with the combination method of charging for design services, a PREFIXED RATE can be charged for consultation...

…an HOURLY RATE can be charged for

space planning and other design tasks...

...and % above cost billing can be used for

searching and procuring furniture, furnishings, and fittings.

On a final note, even if you come across someone who just needs ideas and only wants to obtain information...

...that’s fine, as long as you CHARGE FOR YOUR TIME. An hourly rate will do but you can charge on a pro-rata basis if it’s less than an hour of consultation.

No freebies if you can help it, or you’ll be

undermining your professionalism as

an interior designer.

For a more in-depth breakdown of ways professional interior designers charge for interior design services,

visit

7 Ways Interior Designers Charge for Services

Photos Attribution Olhos do Avery . . . (minimal green living room) Niels Timmer . . . (brick wall with plants) Lorant Fulop . . . (my son thinking) Simon Templer . . . (cat is thinking) Viryabo@Polyvore . . . (style a bench) Hernan Herrero . . . (Buddha restaurant) Baron Patro . . . (office interior)