What To Know Before You Hire An Interior Designer

 So, you’re excited and eager to start your new home adventurous journey and have decided to hire an interior designer. You have made a great choice, but now you have to be sure that the designer you hire, is going to be the right one for you and your home. This can feel painful, but don’t let uncertainty put a damper on your dream! Read on to see the 8 essential questions to ask before hiring an interior designer to make the process easier on you.

What To Know Before You Hire An Interior Designer

First, before you dive straight into looking for your designer, there are a few things you need to consider. A prepared client, that’s the future you, makes the interior design process easy, fun, and above all, successful. Most importantly, once you’ve done your homework, you will have a clear idea of what your home needs and that makes finding interior design help a lot simpler.

Know Your Budget Before Hiring A Designer

Hiring an interior designer on a budget is absolutely possible! Stop and think about how much you can spend, not how much you want to spend. Be realistic and honest with yourself. Setting up a proper budget is the most important part of the whole process.

Set A Timeline For Your Project

Second, only to the budget is how much time you can set aside for the project. The scale of your interior makeover will need a specific amount of time. So, be reasonable. Hiring a designer for home renovation will require a big chunk of time and careful planning. Maybe you even have to live somewhere else temporarily.

Figure Out Your Interior Design Style

Think about how you want your home to look. Use the rest of the house as a reference for a one-room revamp so that the result is not out of place. If you don’t know what your Interior Design Style is, collect images of homes that inspire you online or in magazines. This will assist your designer in putting together the right look for your room or home. You can also start with the one piece in your home that you really like and would like to incorporate in your new design. This could be anything from a rug to a painting or scatter cushion.

8 Essential Questions: What to Ask Interior Designers You Want to Hire

Now that all the preparation is done you can start looking for the perfect interior design help. Apart from knowing how to hire an interior designer, it’s essential to know what to ask. Here are eight questions to ask before you hire a designer for home :

1) What interior design services do you offer?

Not all interior designers offer the same service package. Know what you’ll be getting. Here are a few of the services that an interior designer might offer:

• Design consultation
• Site measurement and assessment
• Space planning
• Design concepts
• Purchasing or procurement
• Project management

2) How do you structure your interior design projects?

How the designer structures a project will give you an indication of their time management as well as what to expect from the process. It is a good idea to start with an initial consultation, instead of finalizing from the lowest quotation. The designer should also first present a concept before the details of the design are finalized.

3) How do you charge?

The question of charges relates directly to your budget. You should know whether the designer charges a flat rate, works on an hourly rate, or charge a percentage of the project cost. If you’re prone to calling a designer without pause, a flat rate is better as an hourly rate. Otherwise, it may shock you by the end of the month. But if you’re happy with fewer consultations and contact the hourly rate can work great. Designers who work on a percentage of the project usually work on big projects that require a lot of back and forth and overseeing of the installation and procurement processes.

4) Can you recommend local contractors?

If the designer has an established relationship with contractors, you may get a discount. Even when there is no discount; a designer that can recommend great contractors, is an asset. They say that you are only as good as your last project, so the work of a great contractor is essential to a designer’s reputation.

5) Have you done similar projects?

This is how you learn how experienced the prospective designer is. If you’re looking to hire an interior designer for apartment design, it would be beneficial to see other apartments the designer has completed. If they have worked on similar projects, you may request a before, in-process and after photo to see whether you like the outcome.

6) What was your most recent interior design project?

You can delve a little deeper and ask for a sneak peek of the project. The designer’s most recent project will give you an idea of whether the designer uses the latest in design trends and innovation. You may also ask for a reference from the last client to see if they were happy with the designer’s work.

7) What are your interior design must-haves?

This is a little bit of a test to get an idea of the interior designer’s intuition and whether their natural style will suit your taste and lifestyle. Some designers believe that you have to use a neutral palette or certain wood types, while others believe in color and stone. This will also give you an indication of the level of the detail your designer goes into.

8) How can I live better in my home?

Don’t be too hard on the designer with this vague question. The aim of finding out how to live better is to see if the designer knows what is on the market. Their response will indicate whether they are knowledgeable on the innovation front, especially regarding smart living.

Hire an Interior Designer Today

Now that you know how to hire an interior designer you are ready to get started on your dream home! Schedule a Free Interior Design Consultation with SINGLE BRICK Studio today!