Why do you need a design project?

Dear friends! In this short article, we will not repeat the obvious advantages of having a design
project. There has been enough written about this on the internet and on every website of interior
design studios/offices (including mine):

Instead, we want to share with you a case from our practice that, in our opinion, eloquently explains the advantages of design planning compared to renovation “by eye” or “on a whim”.

So, the finishing works are underway at the site according to my design project. I am providingauthor’s supervision and have a contract for the supply of materials for the project. Thecontractor is carrying out the work in three stages with quality and without any complaints fromboth parties. During the fourth and final stage of the work, the contractor submits a completedwork document, according to which the total contract amount increases by 20% compared towhat it was reflected in the contract. The contractor justifies the increase in cost by claiming tohave carried out additional work that was not reflected in the contract.

After a brief discussion with the client, we sent the following arguments to the contractor:

1. To calculate the cost estimate for finishing work, we sent the contractor a copy of thedesign documentation with exact factual dimensions, connections, areas, specifications,and material lists. Therefore, the quantitative values specified in the estimate are accurateand could not have changed.
2. During the finishing works (under our author’s supervision), there were no deviationsfrom the design project approved by the client. Therefore, no additional work was carriedout.
3. We purchased the materials in accordance with the invoices/orders sent by the contractor.Therefore, there could be no additional costs for purchasing materials from thecontractor.
4. During the author’s supervision, we visited the site several times a week and did notobserve any additional work.

As a result of a brief argument, the contractor could not provide logical and reasoned answers tothe presented theses.

CONCLUSION

Due to the lack of real motivation for increasing the cost of finishing work, thecontractor was forced to return to the contract price and redo the final stage of the workdocument, remove the allegedly spent “additional materials”, apologize and redo theshortcomings in laying the tiles in the bathroom at their own expense.

The client was extremely satisfied, saved a decent amount of money, and more than covered thecost of the design project for the apartment. We gained invaluable experience in advocating forthe Client’s interests and conducting tough negotiations.

To summarize: when ordering a quality design project, in addition to its external aestheticfunction (the beautiful interior itself), the Client receives the following benefits: easy executionof finishing works (agree, it’s not easy to explain to buildersin simple terms), simplification ofcalculating finishing and consumable materials, protection of your budget from unscrupulouscontractors.

Are you still wondering whether to order a design project?!

Wishing you peace and all the best!