How much do interior decorators charge?

When it comes to the cost of an interior decorator, you could be swimming in the money or working on a tight budget. That is why it is important to know what you are getting into before you start that new decorating project. Every decorator has their own rates and items they charge for, but the breakdown of typical charges will give you the information you need to know, so you can ask the right questions and get the true cost.

There is typically a consultation fee, where you and the designer talk about your ideas, and try to picture what will be needed to get the final look you are after. After the consultation the fees vary greatly from designer to designer.

Typical fee options:

Retainer: This is an amount of money in which the designer thinks will handle the labor costs and will most likely request this payment prior to actually beginning to work on your dream home.

"Per Square Foot", "By the Hour", and "Fee Based" are the safer options as these are set prices that will be negotiated. You will know the total price of that new living room, bedroom, or whole home before the work begins.

Options such as "Cost Plus", "Hourly and Cost Plus", and "Retail and Commission", are a little more risky for you the buyer. The issues that arise with these choices are the cost plus and hourly cost plus options do not offer a set price and it would be easy for the total cost of your project to grow rapidly. The retail and commission option could lead to trouble in regards to product selection as they will be using as much of the product in which they gain commission on as possible.

While each of these options poses their own risk, it is important to understand the terms of the agreement between you and your designer, so make sure to ask questions and understand the fee terms before the project begins.