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How much do exterior design and interior design services cost?
The easy answer is, it is usually a percentage when there are so many unknowns as to what the end product will be. Sometimes projects are Fixed Fee and reserved for repeat clients or Hourly for smaller scopes of work.
We want clients to know, you are not just buying a drawing, you are buying the IDEAS and the BRAINS that translate your vision into reality. It just so happens to be required to be drawn on paper so that contractors know what to price and build.
Demystify design fees by reading more.
Here is how fees are determined.
Is the project commercial or residential?
Is it a New Construction or Renovation/ Addition?
Is this your first time working with am Designer?
How detailed are you wanting the project? Fast and quick or do whatever it takes to inch near perfection?
How complex is your project?
How many people are making the decisions?
Commercial projects have a lot more red tape. and hoops to jump through than residential projects do but then Residential Projects require a higher level of detail than most Commercial Projects. We want to know what we are dealing with!
New Construction projects are easier in the sense that you are starting with a blank slate and can dream up anything. Renovation and Additions are more challenging because you are working within the constraints of what is already there and forcing creative opportunities within the confines of those walls. Renovating and Additions are also complicated because of the different new technologies we implant with parts and pieces of older homes, which is oftentimes, like opening a can of worms.
We are happy to work with experienced and inexperienced clients. Usually, there are more questions and hand-holding with first-time clients which takes up a lot of time and we are happy to educate our clients along the way. Some clients are as familiar as we are with the process and are unmoved when things appear to "hit the fan". In these scenarios we are looking for eager clients who can weather the perfect storm of design and construction.
Some clients are okay with something quick and within their budget that is practical and economical while others have high expectations of craft. We are here to meet our client's needs whether it be budget, time, quality of craftsmanship, and quantity.
Are you wanting a box or the taj mahal? Are you wanting a simple program of a building or something out of the regular? We once had a client who wanted to install solar tubes, an indoor treadmill pool, a separate kitchen for baking, a separate kitchen for kosher cooing, and a separate kitchen for the chef.
Show us your demands so that we can ensure to deliver with confidence.
Are we getting designs approved by a board? A single person? A married couple? A Family? The process of making decisions and getting designs approved are different.
To break down the numbers even further, a simple way to look at it is...
LABOR + MATERIALS + DESIGN FEE + CONTRACTOR FEE + CONSULTANT FEES
=
TOTAL COST
Sample Labor Cost Breakdown
Labor Costs entail the actual labor and time for each subcontractor to come and do their magic. Each one also has tools and equipment that they either need to buy or rent for installation. They also have either own materials that are needed for installation like studs, screws, saw etc. Some contractors are quick and cheap, others have pride in their work, take their time towards near perfections. But to expect cheap, quick perfection is unrealistic.
Samples Materials Cost Breakdown
Materials costs vary drastically depending on what each client fancies. On commercial projects, some clients want something durable and sturdy without concern as to how it looks to minimize maintenance vs on residential, clients may want to go all out on a $5,000 bidet system or something reliable like a $500 toilet. Same with tile. Maybe a client will select a $3/sqft tile for storage areas or a $60/sqft tile for a fancier area.
No one contractor is the same. ALWAYS ALWAYS get multiple bids so that you can compare and see what is out of line.
Here is an example and exactly why this is recommended. Doing this helps us understand if something was overlooked and not included in the bid by comparing the numbers. Doing this helps achieve accuracy with the budget. It also helps us ask better questions to the contractor and understand what is included and what is not.
If we didn't answer your questions. Here are some more resources or just give us a call and hopefully get you the answer or get you to the right person.
National Association of Home Builderslders
The Mystery and anxiety of fees
Fees
Architectwiki
If we have managed to give you a headache by now, then "mission accomplished" :)
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