You have just left a hefty down payment on a house and are about to begin making mortgage payments, plus the other monthly charges associated with the joys of homeownership: electric, water and heating bills.
You doubt that you’ll have any money left to afford a decorator’s magic or an architect’s overhaul. But you could be wrong. Hiring a decorator or an architect is no longer just for the rich or famous. Many of these professionals have become more flexible in the work they take on; some are content to rearrange existing furniture or help select a color scheme. Many also have become more flexible in the way they charge.
The change is due to several reasons: a stagnant economy, greater competitiveness among the design trade and the availability of more retail design sources, which homeowners can tap into without a design professional providing entree, such as Crate & Barrel, Expressions Custom Furniture and Pierre Deux stores.
(Most showrooms in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart still insist that a homeowner be accompanied by a professional. Some, however, now sell directly to consumers, though they don’t advertise that fact.)
Chicago interior designer Paul Granata reflects the change. “I charge a lot of ways, depending on my client’s comfort level,” he says. “Some prefer hourly rates, others a flat fee. As long as I get paid for my time and expertise, I don’t mind.”
Some homeowners balk at the idea of hourly rates, however, believing that making furnishing choices is hard to do with a clock ticking. Many members of the design profession explain that they’ve simply taken a cue from other professionals such as lawyers and accountants who charge for their expertise by the clock.
Hourly rates vary dramatically, however, so it’s critical to ask in advance. Elle Gorsuch, a color and design consultant whose business goes by the name of Other Than Grey, charges $35 an hour. Leslie Stern, in business nine years, charges $50 an hour. Pearl Shless of Riverwoods charges $75 an hour. Some well-known designers charge more. Granata charges $95 an hour; John Robert Wiltgen $120. And some won’t reveal what they charge.
Selecting a designer who charges by the hour should depend in part on how quickly a consumer can make selections. Seeing another 200 wallpaper samples, after having seen 100, can prove time-consuming and costly.
At the same time, consumers need to consider what expertise they get for the time, explains well-established Chicago designer Arlene Semel, who prefers not to quote her hourly rate.
“Don’t make a decision solely on the hourly rate,” she says. “Paying $25 an hour may seem like a bargain, but if it’s for someone who hasn’t had experience, you could end up paying for a lot of hours.”
Many design pros also have associates on staff who charge less, but who draw on the expertise of their boss. Granata’s assistant charges $45 an hour, almost half Granata’s rate.
Members of Semel’s staff work in a similar fashion. “I sit in on meetings at the beginning and check progress,” she says.
Another affordable source of help comes from the staff of area design shops and department stores that sell furniture. Marshall Field’s State Street and Old Orchard stores have experienced designers who can help make furniture selections for free or who charge $75 an hour to draw up floor plans and make house calls, says Emily Kawka, a junior designer at Field’s on State Street.
“We’ll take a customer through other departments to select draperies, lamps, Oriental rugs and even accessories,” she says.
Most architects also work by the hour, particularly in the design development stage, before a project is bid out. Some then charge a percentage of the construction costs once work begins.
Chicago architect Allan J. Grant, however, prefers to charge $100 an hour for himself and less for his staff throughout the course of work. “I don’t want clients to think I’m choosing more expensive materials because I’ll get a higher markup.”
Highland Park architect Richard Becker, who charges $110 for himself and $45 to $65 for members of his staff for initial consultation work, prefers to charge 15 percent of construction costs once work begins.
“I’m responsible for staying within my clients’ budgets,” he says. “We dropped our fee from 20 percent several years ago.”
When it comes to buying furnishings, designers charge in a myriad of ways that can result in significant savings to those who ask upfront. Some charge wholesale or net prices, plus a markup of varying percentage points.
In many cases, design professionals expect clients to spend a minimum before they will take on a job, so it’s also important to inquire what the expectations are. “Most rooms I do run in the vicinity of $30,000, but that isn’t always the case,” Granata says.
Shless, however, has no minimum requirements, which helped her land one of her largest design projects, she says. “An architect asked me to do him a favor for a client and select the draperies. I went. Before I was finished, I had designed the entire home.”
Grant also expects no minimum to be spent. “Little jobs grow into big jobs and are a wonderful source of referrals,” he says. “Homeowners should understand, however, that smaller jobs can be disproportionately more expensive because of certain fixed costs to draw up plans and bid out work.”
Some points to consider
– Call professional groups such as the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects (312-670-7770) and the American Society of Interior Designers (312-467-5080) for references.
– Ask the designer whether there is an initial consultation fee and whether the fee is deducted from the final bill if the project goes forward. Evaluate the candidate’s design portfolio and decide whether the chemistry is right.
– Decide on the scope of the project, set a budget and decide whether you’ll do the work all at once or phase it in. “I’ll sometimes tell a client that it makes sense to work on one or two rooms and complete them, rather than tackle an entire house and do dribs and drabs,” says interior designer Paul Granata.
– Get everything in writing. The American Institute of Architects has a standard form that’s a good starting point. Many homeowners like to pencil in riders such as a daily penalty fee to be paid if the work takes longer than the promised completion date. “If you’re going to work this way, then you should add a daily bonus fee for the professional to be rewarded if the work gets done before the due date,” says architect Allan J. Grant. A contract should include when payments are to be made. Many jobs require an upfront deposit, then periodic payments as work is completed, with a small amount held back to be sure all is done right.
– Be prepared to pay if you alter your project in midstream. “If the client decides to add on another room or change the plans drastically, they need to know it will cost more,” says design consultant Leslie Stern.
