Can I do most of the project planning myself and have a contractor implement it? –EW, New York NY

Maybe?  Not sure what we’re implementing here, but planning is different from designing…and you’re probably wondering how?

Certainly you can (and should) do your leg-work before consulting an interior designer or kitchen and bath specialist…or even your contractor. Having an idea of what you’d like to accomplish and a realistic knowledge of what that may cost is a great place to start. Even going out and finding the perfect tile or comfy sofa is a step in the right direction, and it involves you more deeply in determining the final outcome of your project. But be clear: this is planning.

Designing incorporates both what you see and what you don’t. It suggests unusual solutions for storage and placement that you may not have considered, making a space feel larger, or conversely more intimate. Good design will also inform: is the tile you found on sale from a country that produces a sub-standard product? Will it chip and crack in short order? How do you arrange furniture in a room where every wall is broken with a window or doorway? What do you do with the heat vent or wall switch that’s situated in the middle of an otherwise good wall for art?

This is the work of designers.  The contractor’s job is to build or install what you have already selected and provided a plan for.  And who is providing the plans themselves?  Do you need an architect to provide or approve detailed schematics?  Do you have your permits?

And if you do ask your contractor, is he/she more interested in what’s easy for the subs, or how the room plays out overall? Do not depend on your contractor to give you valid design advice any more than you would consider a plumber’s opinion on your root canal!

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I’m confused. I’m interviewing interior designers for my house in Orlando and I’m not hearing much about discounts? Isn’t the point of hiring an interior designer that you save 40 or 50 percent on everything you buy? –TT, New York NY and Orlando FL

This was likely true in your grandmother’s day, but in today’s world there is no standard.  Every vendor has a different scale by which they determine the designer’s discount, which can range from a slender 10% to a very healthy 40%.  Mostly, this is based on what it costs them to acquire or manufacture the materials or items of merchandise your designer is selecting for you.  The costs of labor and raw materials constantly chip away at this.

To your point about why you hire a designer: I would suggest that hiring a designer for the discount they provide is doing you both a disservice.  A designer should be engaged based on their design talent and on their ability to help you spend the money you have allotted to your project as wisely and efficiently as possible (this may mean you need to be very realistic about costs…and do less).  For most people, this is one of the biggest investments of their lives.  Focus on the designer’s ability to minimize the margin for error and maximize your long-term enjoyment, rather than on specific discounts.

I’ve used two different designers in my lifetime and on both occasions I felt it was a struggle for control. I liked the results both times but I felt like I was being told what to do. –MK, Tampa FL

Not knowing you, or the designers in question, this is a tough call. You say you liked the work in both instances, but what was the reason you didn’t go back to the first person? If it was because you felt you were “told what to do,” maybe these were not the right people for you to be working with? Interior design, in my opinion, is a collaboration. That said, I’d have to ask if you’re a decision-maker? If not, this could be the issue. I realize as a client that you may feel a lot of decisions are thrown at you in a short amount of time, however it does not behoove you or the designer to take a leisurely pace. Time costs YOU money. With construction, you run the risk of losing your workers to jobs with less down-time, and getting them back on site is often difficult, adding weeks to your completion date. If it’s about choice of materials, you have to understand that there are lead times, sometimes weeks, sometimes months before items of merchandise can be delivered. If you’re feeling pushed, it may be that your designer knows something you don’t (often the case, although I usually warn clients when a choice runs the risk of getting us off track) and she/he is only trying to save you time, money and aggravation. My sense is that something was not communicated to you in either case, something that would have made you feel more at ease about the process. Of course as designers, getting you from A to Z safely and happily is our goal. We just have to remember to bring you along for the ride!

My designer charges 1/2 of his hourly fee for travel time to my home. Is this normal? I’ve been paying it, but…? –SP, Randolph NJ

Some designers do charge for travel time, and 50% of the hourly fee is normal. Personally, I invoice only when I leave Manhattan, never within Manhattan. Why? Primarily I have two things to sell: talent and time. Both have value; and talent/time not expended on project work impacts everyone negatively, including you. Projects that do not run smoothly are not time/cost efficient and end up costing everyone more money. If I’m concerned about other issues and am hampered in my ability to achieve resolution, I cannot focus fully on your project! Further, if I’m in the subway I may have limited access to cell service. If I’m on a train I may not be able to speak freely or at length or there may be line interference; and it may be a situation where texting and emailing will not suffice. If I’m driving, I shouldn’t be on the phone at all! Think of it this way: an hour or more each way to/from your home and three hours on your job site fills most of a work day. It’s time dedicated to you and no one else. If that’s not valuable to you, then you may be working with the wrong designer.