by Simon Temprell

Created on: April 26, 2008

There is something of a veiled mystique about employing an interior designer. It's like going in to one of those fancy stores where nothing in the window has a price tag and you have to ring the doorbell to get in. It is almost as though the mere mention of money is considered vulgar and if you have to ask then you obviously can't afford to buy. How much does an interior designer charge for consultation? What is considered a reasonable budget when using a decorator to help you buy furniture? How much control do you have over the final look of the room? These are some of the questions I would like to answer for you because I know how daunting the prospect of working with a designer can be. You know it is going to be expensive, but just how much are we talking about here?

First I would like to explain a little bit about the fee structure used by most designers. It is usually split in to two parts: consultation fees and mark-up on supplies and sub-contractors. Some designers prefer to charge a high hourly fee combined with a nominal handling-charge on everything they supply and others might have a very reasonable hourly fee but add a higher percentage on to the cost of everything they sell to you. You need to decide which of these two options make you feel most comfortable and then call at least three designers to ask about their fee structures before you arrange to meet in person. You might be able to find a designer who will offer you a set fee per room but this is dangerous ground for the savvy designer because a client who has no limit on the amount of time they utilize can sometimes run the designer ragged with constant indecision and, quite simply, time is money.

A reputable interior designer will usually charge between $50.00 - $150.00 per hour depending on their status and the hourly rates are usually billed at the end of each month, rather like working with a lawyer. This might sound like a lot of money but remember that you are paying for professional expertise which can be invaluable if you are decorating an entire house and wish to avoid making expensive mistakes by buying the wrong things or misjudging a colour scheme. Consultants are available for all aspects of life from fashion to business expertise and it all depends how much importance you place on your home. Some people are happy doing it themselves and have no qualms about mixing styles and colours but other people come out in hives at the mere suggestion of picking out a dining chair so it's

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