Create an Interior Decorating Proposal
Whether you're a new interior designer who's just starting to build a customer base or an amateur decorator whose advice about color schemes and furniture layouts is always being sought by friends and relatives, the first step of any project is a detailed proposal for moving forward. This plan will enable you to keep the costs of material and labor in line with your clients' budget requirements as well as create a finished product that they'll be enthusiastic to live in, show off and enjoy for years to come.
Instructions
1. Take color photographs of the room(s) in their current condition. Photograph them from multiple angles--including the ceilings and floors--and at different times of day to assess the effects of natural light.
2. Take accurate measurements of the space you'll be designing, and jot them down on a rough sketch of the room's shape. You'll need these numbers for estimating the amount of paint, wallpaper, flooring, molding and window treatments.
3. Discuss with your client the type of "look" she wants to achieve. Pertinent questions to ask include how the room will primarily be used, the flow of traffic, favorite colors, textures and styles, whether existing furnishings and accessories will be incorporated or removed, and whether any structural modifications are needed.
4. Establish up front what the client's proposed budget is for this project. People who are unfamiliar with the expenses associated with interior design often have an unrealistic expectation of what their dreams will cost. It may be practical to break a project into incremental steps that can be spread over time. While the proposal would account for all of these line items and provide the client with a benchmark to save up for each one, the working contract should only address the completion of one task at a time.
5. Determine a reasonable time frame for completion. This can be anywhere from a week to several months, depending on the complexity of the assignment. If a project needs to be expedited, this should be added to the billing costs.
6. Comparison shop for materials and supplies, and check their availability for the project you're undertaking. Specify in your proposal exactly what tasks you'll be responsible for. Some clients only want advice on what to purchase so they can get it themselves; others will want you to do all the legwork, installation and supervision.
7. Provide sketches along with your proposal of what the space will look like.
8. Set a price that not only accommodates the cost of materials and labor but that is based on your proficiency as a designer, the amount of time and energy you're going to invest and your own comfort level with the client. If in doubt, conduct research to see what other designers in your region are charging for their services.
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