The biggest hurdle for most people is the fear, uncertainty, and doubt which has been created around the cost of engaging an interior designer for your home renovation. It’s the question I get asked most. “How much does an interior designer cost?” It’s why we at Kaiko Design Interiors strive to be as open about our pricing as possible.

How much does an interior designer cost?

It is difficult to answer though because as with most professional services, the cost is dependent on the size of the project, what you want to achieve, and your aspirations.

There is no black and white answer to this question, as the cost is dependent on what you need a designer to do for you, along with a few other factors. 

In this post, I’ll aim to give you some guidance around what an interior designer might cost – and a rough guide to interior design fees at Kaiko Design Interiors. This is based on our location which is Sydney, Australia, our previous projects, skills, experience, and the services we provide. Keep in mind that there are interior design studios in Sydney — and all over — that cater to all different needs and budgets. 

At Kaiko Design Interiors, we also have different levels of service to cater to different budgets. This post refers to Full-Service Interior Design — our most complete solution, which is what similar design firms to ours offer.

Our other, lower-priced services include custom window furnishings, Reupholstery of existing furniture, custom upholstered bedheads, outdoor and indoor bench seat cushions (as well as off-the-shelf products ready to order including a range of outdoor cushions and fully outdoor rugs), custom lighting service where we can bring a new idea to light or customise one of our existing in-house lighting designs to suit your interior and also one-of-a-kind furniture.   

There are more expensive and less expensive design studios in Australia than us. My advice when choosing an interior designer to work with is to consider cost and the level of expertise and service you need.

What affects the cost of a bespoke interior design project?

The four main things to consider when you’re beginning to think about your design project are:

The Scope

What do you want to achieve with your interiors and what works are involved? Which areas do you want to change? What’s on your wish list of updates to be made? 

Style

Do you have a certain aesthetic or “look” you’re trying to create? What colours do you like / not like? Have you found out some images from a magazine or created a Pinterest board? And most importantly how do you want each space to feel? How do you see yourself (and family) living in these new spaces?

Timeline

Do you have a pressing deadline like a baby due or a big party you’re planning? Are you on a more flexible timeline? Good design takes time, it’s not fast food. We have worked on projects that have spanned 5 years. You will feel engaged in the Design Process when you work with Kaiko Design Interiors. It should feel fun and rewarding!

If this is your ‘forever home’ why would you rush to the finish line? If you do want to host Christmas that year begin planning in the first quarter of the year so that you don’t get caught up in the mad rush of extended lead times for furniture and trades that happen from about August onwards.

Budget

What are you comfortable investing in your home? Does this amount include architect and/or designer fees?

The cost of a project is then generally split into:

• Architect, Designer, and Landscape Design Fees

• Construction works

• Furniture and soft furnishings

What do Design Fees cover?

So, what is a Design Fee, and what does it include? When we work on a full-service interior design project at Kaiko Design Interiors, our fee covers our expertise, access to industry resources, experience and skills in design. A full-service project is very much a “done for you” service, so the fee covers the value and expertise we bring to a project, from when we first get involved, to the very end when everything is in place, ready for you to move in.  

Our design fees are split into two phases — Design and Project Management.

The Design Phase includes the bulk of the big design thinking, detailing, co-ordinating and costing out of your project. This is charged at a fixed cost, determined by your scope and requirements. It includes things like — 

• Overall look and feel/concept development

• Spatial planning

• Producing floor plans and elevations

• Designing custom elements, for example, joinery and wall paneling

• Lighting, furniture, finishes, and materials sourcing and selection

• Liaising with suppliers to gather quotes, lead times, and product information

• Producing the presentation(s), final design drawings, estimates, trade quotes, and timelines meetings

Following approval of the designs, we then move into the Project Management phase. Design fees are charged slightly differently here, as an ongoing hourly rate – which is listed here. 

• In this phase, our design fees cover:

• Briefing all trades with detailed drawings

• Procurement of all furniture and soft furnishings – please also note there is a separate fee for this when working with us. This is detailed below and also here.

• Liaising with all trades and suppliers on the design, timeline and budget

• Regular site visits to oversee any build works

• Coordinating the delivery of all items

• Managing any defects or damage

Pricing models

DIFFERENT PRICING MODELS: There is no fixed pricing model in the interior design industry. The three main ways studios work out their fees are:

Hourly — the price is based on how many hours work the scope will take. This is charged to the client as billable hours, sometimes every month or in blocks of hours. 

Fixed Fee — a set price, based on the scope of work. 

Percentage — the price is based on a percentage of the overall construction and / or furniture costs. Usually this price is set up-front, based on the client’s budget, but may change as the price of the renovation goes up or down.

So whats it going to cost?

The only accurate way to get a price for your specific job is to talk to us - have your plan ready to go, usually a copy of a real estate plan is enough to have a general discussion and a list of things you want to change or achieve in your renovation - be that a home, office or hospitality project. We can give you inductive pricing over the phone for our involvement. It really is that simple.

I have spoken at length about the importance of detailed and accurate documentation when it comes to working to a budget and you can read more about it here – but essentially it is the best way to know exactly how much your build or home renovation is going to cost, prior to even breaking ground. Having a comprehensive drawing set is the only way to compare fixed priced contracts from builders through the tender process.

What does it cost to furnish a room?

The cost to furnish a room depends on the level of ‘spec’ (specification) you’d like, and the size of the rooms. For example, if all the items were purchased from Freedom, then you could easily furnish a room for just a few thousand dollars. If you’re sourcing pieces from somewhere like Space, then it’s a different story. 

At Kaiko Design Interiors, we have found that giving our clients a guide of $5000+ per room is accurate for our projects. This would include furniture, as well as soft furnishings like window treatments and rugs. Art and accessories are generally on top of that, given that artwork varies greatly in price. We work with you to determine your budget and preferences for artwork as well.   

Keep in mind that this is a very general guide — a guest bedroom with just a few items costs much less to furnish than a large living room. It is all about balancing the budget and using cost-effective items in some areas to get great statement pieces in others.

What does it cost to renovate?

Again, this depends on many things — the level of finishes and material you’d like to have, which room you’re renovating and which builder you choose to use. In our experience, an average bathroom in Sydney is $50,000 + and a kitchen is $80,000+ depending on the size of the room. Asking a reputable builder to give you a general estimate before you begin work is a good way to get a rough guide. We can happily connect you with our group of trades – just drop us a line here. Alternatively check out this recent published article on how to pull off a flawless renovation here. Its an in depth guide to the building process and working with Kaiko Design Interiors

Final word

A renovation, whatever the cost might be, ultimately needs to be about you and your loved ones. Engaging with us as your chosen designer just comes down to your taste, your budget and what level of service you’d be happy with. 

 I hope this has given you a little more clarity as to how much an interior designer costs. If you’d like more information or like to know how Kaiko Design can transform your own project get in touch here to see how we can help you.

Check out our Instagram for more inspiration. Whilst you are at it, check out Facebook too for more pictures and information!