How We Work
Designers, like other professionals, are different from one another in their variety of talents, skills, knowledge, experience, personalities, specialty areas and reputations. What and how they charge will vary accordingly. There is no such thing as a "typical" or "customary" fee for an interior designer. Many factors, including those mentioned above, influence what a designer may charge for his or her services. Most residential designers and many commercial designers often use one of the following methods, or combine methods, to set their fees and may negotiate to suit a client's particular needs:
Fixed Fee (or Flat Fee) The designer identifies a specific sum to cover costs, exclusive of reimbursement for expenses. One total fee applies to the complete range of services, from conceptual development through layouts, specifications and final installation.
Hourly Fee Compensation is based on actual time expended by the designer on a project or specific service. Cost Plus A designer purchases materials, furnishings and services (e.g., carpentry, drapery workrooms, picture framing, etc.) at cost and sells to the client at the designer's cost plus a specified percentage agreed to with the client to compensate for the designer's time and effort. Halcyon House typically uses an hourly rate, however we do offer more specific design packages. If you decide to purchase the important design elements such as the fixtures or furniture through us, we charge our cost plus 25%, which you'll find is below industry standards. While we usually cannot offer a break on retail items, our resources offer a huge array of product choices and competitive pricing available only to the trade, which opens a whole new world of possibilities. We are always open to discussing your investment and working out a plan that suits your needs.