The problem with the term "free renovation quotes" [2 minutes read]
A renovation quote lists the price you will pay for renovation items such as feature walls or TV consoles, much like the menu lists the price of food items at a restaurant like KFC. A feature wall costs SGD2,000, while a Zinger meal costs SGD6.
It probably sounds ridiculous for KFC to charge you SGD3 to tell you how much their food costs. Similarly, we would be puzzled if an interior design firm said they were charging us SGD50 to receive a quote from them. Yet it’s become commonplace for the interior design industry to say free quotes, as if interior firms meant to charge for providing a quote. We are sure they do not. So why call it free quotes?
This is because unlike the KFC menu, quotes are tailored to a specific project. A KFC menu serves all customers; a quote serves only one customer each time. Therefore, quotes require much greater effort. Saying it is free implies there are significant costs to creating the quote.
Designed by Vietnamese freelance interior designer, Bi
The costs come in the form of man hours. Man hours are spent understanding what the homeowner wants and thinking about how best to meet them. The designer can only create the floor plan lay out and the quote after putting thought into it.
The broader point is that since quotes require effort, you can expect there to be good and bad quotes. The more effort one puts into a quote, the better the quote will be.
So what makes a good quote?
It includes all the items required to deliver the house as per the design. If the firm included a feature wall in the designs, the quote must include all costs associated with the feature wall (materials, installation etc)
It lists required items that homeowners must furnish themselves. Examples include light fittings and bathroom accessories. If there are installation fees, these should also be listed.
It includes anticipated costs as add-on options. If an interior designer expects there could be costs that arise after renovations begin because of the complexity of works, he should explain what situations could give rise to such costs, and give an estimate. We would advise homeowners to keep 20% of their budget to cater for these anticipated costs.
In general, homeowners are encouraged to ask as many questions as possible about the quotes they receive. The less assumptions there are, the smoother a renovation process will be.
Designed by Vietnamese freelance interior designer, Khoa
We hope this has been useful. Thanks for reading!
Not sure where to start for your renovation? We can help. Let us gather your requirements and recommend you designers. Don’t worry, you will only hear from us, and never from our interior designers directly unless we seek your permission first.
Start your home renovation journey with us today.