Do Interior Designers Charge Per Room or Per Home in India?
When undertaking any residential interior design project, one of the foremost questions that come up during budgeting is regarding the interior designer costs per room in India. Does the designer charge based on the rooms covered or the overall home? Here we examine common billing models used.
Key Factors Impacting Interior Designer Fees in India
Several aspects influence interior designer costs per room as well as per home pricing, including:
- Location: Metropolitan city projects are generally more expensive over Tier 2 towns
- Size of home: Costs for 2BHK lower than 3BHK of same build quality
- Level of customization: Premium customized elements vs. modular increase costs
- Choice of brands and materials: Imported/luxury fittings, furniture raise budget
- Experience of designer: Senior designers change higher fees
Thus, while room-wise costs can give you an indication, a detailed project quote matters more based on the above factors.
Per Room Pricing vs. Per Home Pricing
Charging per room is beneficial for focused small projects but can get complex for whole home design. Per home pricing simplifies budgeting but may lack flexibility room-wise. Some key pointers:
Per Room Pricing Model
Pros
- Dedicated budgets for each room
- Flexibility to take up rooms in phases
- Pay only for rooms worked on
Cons
- Difficult to determine relationship between room costs
- More paperwork and invoicing complexity
Per Home Pricing
Pros
- Simplified billing and paperwork
- Total budget clarity upfront
Cons
- Less control over individual room costs
- Limited flexibility in taking up work
To overcome limitations of both approaches, some designers offer a hybrid model blending fixed and variable pricing.
Variations in Room-Wise Pricing
While designing the different rooms in a home, following factors impact the costs:
Living Room
- Furniture design and quantity
- Flooring type and materials
- Ceiling design complexity
- Lighting scale and spread
Bedroom
- Customized beds, storage units density
- Premium furniture materials like wood, leather
- Custom built-in wardrobes, study units
Kitchen
- Modular kitchen size/layout
- Choice of finishes like marble, granite etc.
- Appliances grade and complexity
Bathroom
- Size, layout, shaping of area
- Sanitaryware brand and material
- High-end shower systems, bathtubs etc.
Thus, room-wise pricing can vary significantly depending on multiple design aspects.
Billing Models Used by Designers
Interior designers use different models to charge clients, usually opting for one or hybrid combination of these:
- Fixed pricing model: Single rate for entire project covering all scope
- Time & material model: Cost towards time + actual materials
- Cost plus fee model: Materials cost + fixed % fee charged on it
- Phased model: Payment installments linked to milestones
Understanding how your designer plans to charge will help align mutual expectations on work, timelines and billing transparency.
As you budget your interior design project, feel free to reach out to Nitido Design experts for consultation. With designs ranging from ₹5 lakhs for 1 BHK to ₹20 lakhs plus for villas, Nitido has a decade of expertise conceptualizing stunning living spaces tailored to your lifestyle and vision.