Best Interior Design Contract Templates I Use: Design Biz
Interior Design Business, Professional Practices for Interior Designers
By Deborah von Donop
Do you get a contract before you start working on a project? There has been quite a bit of conversation on whether or not to charge for the initial meeting or first consult with prospective clients.
4 Interior Design Templates: Letters of Agreement, Contracts, and Proposal
I’ve been there, all those late-night billable hours that are usually my quiet creative time or the many hours of searching for the perfect product or fabric. Hours that sometimes do not get invoiced or paid. As an interior kitchen designer, I am mapping out my top 4 Contracts for Interior Designers. This is a 30-page E-Book of Agreement Templates that you can edit. I also offer a practical checklist -my 10 must-have terms to include.
Download our interior design contract templates.
Charging Strategies
One of the biggest frustrations for designers is figuring out billable hours and communicating clearly client expectations. FIRST I EXPLAIN THE 5 INTERIOR DESIGN PHASES FOR ACHIEVING GREAT RESULTS.
I know you struggle because I too have been thinking often about how to upgrade my Proposals, Agreements, and contracts to make sure you get paid for your precious time.
I’m sharing five types of agreements and the pros and cons of each. There is no one way to charge, but regardless of your choice the goal is to charge for your expertise and your time
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1. Initial Phone Call and Meeting
Initial contact with the client: Careful interviewing to make sure this is a good fit, and to establish the client’s program and budget. Are you asking the right questions? This is your first formal interview. A client questionnaire keeps your conversation on track, and clear and will help you avoid possible pitfalls and clearly present your billing. See my New Client Questionnaire to help clarify some of the essential information about the client. My process is to meet with prospective clients in person and interview them. I can get quite a bit of information on the phone prior to the meeting but can not tell exactly what is involved until I see the project and get to know them. Writing the scope of services is the most important part of my contract, I feel this is invested time. It’s also a way to know if I want to work with the people for the next 6 months.
Remember, the initial consultation is to fact-find, not to provide ideas or sources.- Deborah von Donop
2. Analysis of Scope of Services
Interior Design Contract Development: As I mentioned above, this is the most important part and sometimes the most difficult for any designer, analyzing and creating the Scope of Services after your initial meeting. This will define your scope and allow you to document changes in the scope as you go forward.
3. Interior Design Letters of Agreement, Contracts & Proposals
In this download I have for you:
Proposal Agreement:
If the first meeting/ interview goes well then I send them my contract requesting a retainer. Once I have the contract and retainer I start working. PROPOSAL - This is an agreement that is a type of business document that explains and sets the terms of a “ Let’s Get Started” working agreement between two or more parties. The Proposal Agreement acts like a small contract that outlines simple terms and conditions for you and your client to follow.
Contracts & Letters of Agreement:
Contracts and Letters of Agreement are the same. Yup! Going forward I will use the term LOA for Letters of Agreement. For me, the LOA is a more formal agreement. The most important part for any designer is analyzing the “Scope of Services” when creating your LOA.
If you feel like you are ready to get right into the project then you can prepare an Agreement from the beginning. These downloadable will start you on your way along with my top 10 must-have terms
Regardless of what approach, you take, designer markups and/or charging per project, per hour, per foot, or per however you feel like it—there is no one “right” way to charge. Each approach has its pros and cons, and each client or project might require something different.
Let’s Review the Most Common Interior Design Contract that I am sharing.
Proposal: Start Agreement: Let’s get to know each other for Schematic Design development.
LOA: Flat Rate
LOA: Hourly + Cost
LOA: Design + Project Percentage ( aka Commission, Designer Markup)
Interior designers may charge hourly rates, flat fees, cost-plus, or a combination. The pros and cons of the different pricing structures noted above are endless.
Review each of these contracts and determine which pricing method will work best for your design business
Not sure who to credit here, found this on Pinterest, but it struck a chord inside my head, and hopefully yours too.
WHY DO I NEED A LETTER OF AGREEMENT?
LOAs are a necessary investment to protect your business and set the expectations straight with your client before your project even starts!
Show your professionalism and preparedness with a professionally written agreement.
*When expectations are clearly outlined, it leaves little opportunity for issues to go unresolved later on in your project.*
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN MY LETTER OF AGREEMENT?
E-Book outlines topics including but not limited to Scope of Work, Payment Fees, and Purchasing. Just simply edit your company name and logo, and adjust any other terms to your preference as necessary. These templates are designed for interior designers at all stages of business and come with easy-to-understand instructions
Kitchen by Deborah von Donop - dvd Interior Design
Get your contracts here:
Important Success Points for a Successful Interior Design Practice
Remember that profit and revenue are not the same things.
Never begin design work without a contract signed by the client.
Your Letters of Agreement will cover everything from hourly fees to procurement agreements.
Use a clear scope of services. This is the most important task after your initial meeting. Take time to review your scope and state it clearly, best to your knowledge.
Keep accurate time records… See “Tools and Applications for Interior Designers” for keeping track of time.
Avoid conflicts and briefly discuss how you will charge, and what to expect from your contract, as part of your initial consult.
Download these must-have terms, and 4 interior design contract templates to get started.
Kitchen Design via dvd Interior Design
I hope you are enjoying these tips and I look forward to sharing more about our personal project updates next week.
xoxox Deborah
dvd Interior Design: New York, and Connecticut-based interior designer, Deborah von Donop, tackles challenging home design dilemmas and redesigns spaces that are sophisticated and stylish. A sparse loft living room becomes warm and inviting, a family room with dated furniture comes together, and a cluttered basement becomes Mom's getaway space.
Deborah lives in Greenwich with her husband, 3 boys, a rescued dog, a cat, 5 birds, and 4 goldfish.
Click here to learn more about working with Deborah
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5 INTERIOR DESIGN CONTRACT TEMPLAES