10 Tips to Choose Your Interior Designer.

Let’s face it, there are few things in life that you will spend as much on as your home renovation. Whether you have a BTO, HDB, Condo or Landed Property, there is no escaping the simple fact that home reno can be costly as well as take a lot of your time and energy. Many homeowners often leave choosing an Interior Designer to the last minute. By doing this you place a lot of stress on both yourselves and your designer and builder to get your renovation done in time. 

With hundreds of Interior Designer firms in Singapore to choose from, sifting through them to make your shortlist and then narrowing that down to your chosen ID can be time-consuming. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to approach this, but to help you, we have put together 10 tips to help you to choose the right Interior Designer for your project. 

1. Recommendations. 

Do your homework! Apart from getting recommendations from your relatives and friends, attend online and offline exhibitions in order to experience the work of a wide range of Interior Design firms. When it comes to finding recommendations for Interior Designers, there is no shortage of options online. There is an overwhelming number of “Best Interior Designers in Singapore”, “Top Interior Designers for 2021”, “Get Quotes from Multiple Top Rated Interior Designers” lists. Whilst these lists are great to get ideas and inspiration, you need to keep in mind the criteria used to select these “top”, “best” or “top-rated”. Are these pages showcasing Interior Designers who have paid to feature? Do the Interior Designers mentioned match the style or aesthetic that you envision for your home? 

Friends and family are great sources of information also. You may visit a friend’s HDB and really love their style and they may be able to recommend the ID that they used. One tip, rather than ask “would you recommend your ID?”, it can be more helpful to ask “what did you like about your ID?” and “What were some of the challenges?”. You are more likely to get detailed information from these questions which will ultimately help you to make a better-informed decision. 

2. Accreditation & Licensing.

You should also check if your shortlisted firm is CaseTrust or RCMA certified accredited. CaseTrust-accredited companies regularly go through workmanship sites assessments by the BCA in accordance with CONQUAS standards. In addition to these regular checks, the company would have a proper redress system including mediation by the CASE Mediation Centre.

RCMA-listed businesses can safeguard customer deposits from closure or liquidation of the company through deposit performance bonds. An ISO Certificate, on the other hand, signifies an assurance in the quality and consistency of work.

Being CaseTrust certified signifies that the company practices good sales practices, standards, and ethics. This means clearly articulated, transparent, documented renovation fees with full accountability for the listed deliverables in projects, fee refund policies, and a well-trained staff force.

3. Experience of the Designer.

In every Interior Design company, there are many designers one can pick from. They can range from having decades of experience to absolutely none at all. In Singapore, many designers do not have any prior formal education on design concepts. A lot of designers in a sales role usually acquire their knowledge and skills in Interior Design through mentorships or internships as they go along, their main aim is to close sales rather than generating good quality design ideas. After all, they are only paid a commission for each project. 

If you are uncomfortable working with a designer who does not have any formal design qualifications, it is good to ask for a more experienced designer. 

There are also what is commonly referred to as “In-house designers” who are usually in charge of doing up the 3D proposals and drafting of the designs. Most have a formal education of space concepts, texture and colour coordination.

4. Designers Style. 

Different Interior Designers have different strengths and design tastes. In Singapore, Interior Design companies often focus on one particular type of design. For example, some like to do Farmhouse, Scandinavian or Rustic design with a touch of the Industrial. Always take a look at the designer’s past work. If they tend to do mostly Scandinavian styles, try not to ask the same designer to do something vastly different like a Victorian concept, unless you don’t mind the risk of getting a result of something that’s neither here nor there.

That is not to say that just because a Designer is not experienced in the particular style that you have in mind, that they will not be able to do a really good job. This will all come down to your own personal comfort level to decide if you want to go ahead with them or not. 

5. What Contractors will be used?

Some Interior Design companies have their own factories while others get elements of the project subcontracted out. A lot of homeowners feel that they prefer to go with a company that uses its own Contractors and factory as opposed to having the work subcontracted out. Having Subcontractors work on your project can sometimes lead to a shift in blame and in responsibilities when anything goes wrong. With that in mind, it should be the responsibility of the Interior Designer to ensure that the work is of acceptable quality, after all, they have sourced these SubContractors. 

For homeowners, if you want to bring your own Subcontractors to do certain aspects of the project, it’s very difficult for design firms to guarantee clients the quality of the handiwork when they are not in charge of the hiring of qualified workers. 

6. Warranty & Insurance.

It is not uncommon that Interior Design companies offer clients a warranty on workmanship. It may sound assuring at first, but be sure to check the details of these warranties as they may be nothing more than a marketing tool. 

Check in-depth terms and conditions towards these guarantees, the agency that audits them, and what they cover. And ensure that all things promised to you (the fine print) are written down in black and white when you sign that dotted line of your contract. 

7. Communication. 

The Interior Design firm can promise you the world, however, if the designer you are working with cannot understand what you want in your design and therefore how to bring it to life, you will struggle. In the process of chasing sales,  some designers will be more concerned with closing the sale quickly and have you sign on the dotted line, rather than really understand what you are looking for. 

If you do not feel at heard or understood at the consultation, and the designer just keeps pushing things that you do not need, you need to ask yourself if this is the right designer for your home. Will the next few months be the same, with you being frustrated at every turn? 

A good designer will tell you, no if your design will not work.  If they do this, then you need to listen and understand why. They should be able to propose alternatives that work for your space because as a  professional, that is their job. Your  Interior Designer is ultimately offering quality service and work so that you won’t get a nasty shock at the end. Product availability, Contractor scheduling, and custom work are just a few aspects that can cause unavoidable delays in your project so be accommodating.

8. Payment terms. 

Before your choose your Interior Designer, you need to understand the payment terms of the contract. Do you need to pay the entire sum upfront? Perhaps you need to put a deposit down and then pay the rest in instalments. While some companies include a line item for everything in the bill, others use a flat fee system. Make sure that the payment schedule works for your cash flow and be upfront in discussing this with your shortlisted Interior Designers.

9. Timeline & Schedule. 

From the beginning, find out what the timeline for your project might be. Of course, there may be unexpected issues and delays; but in general, an Interior Design firm will try to stick as close to a reasonable timeline as possible. If problems and delays arise, the company should contact you with a full update so you’re aware of the change in schedule.

10. Working within your budget.

When considering your budget and choosing your Interior Designer, do not automatically pick the lowest quote. Be sure to compare at least 3 quotes so you can understand what is included and where potential additional costs may crop up. Understand the materials that are included within the proposal, do they match what you had briefed the Designer? You may end up locked into contracts that only use cheaper or less attractive materials, or you may not be able to make any changes to the designs.