Hi everyone, I have recently launched my interior design firm. My main concern is that since I do not have prior experience with running an interior design firm and have not worked for any firms either, I just do not feel confident on how to run it. My plan is to hire the right people (when the time is right) such as interior architects and designers, project managers, etc to help me do this, but I truly need to be able to know this myself beforehand. I'm sure many will agree.
Please help me learn the following things, I'll be forever grateful. (Please state the number of the question you'll be responding on your answer so that we could keep this thread informative and organized for others to learn, too :)
1). How to approach clients once they've contacted you with an inquiry? What do tell them / how to respond on the email?
2). How much should I charge for consultation + what information should I be providing the client during this initial meeting? NYC edition.
2b). How to charge for my services? Please be as specific as possible. I want to charge an hourly rate (how much should this be?) + a markup on wholesale products clients buy through my firm (how much should this markup be? I know some designers do a 35% markup. Does the markup cover my installation services once the project gets to that phase?
3). What happens first; the design proposal contract or contract? How does this even work? I've heard of the terms, but am skeptical as to how these two work together? What do they each entail?
4). How much should my initial retainer fee be (others may know it as an initial deposit / Do I also charge hourly for my design services after this retainer fee is given to me?
5). Does the retainer fee equal the proposed number of hours worked? How would you approach this?
6). How do I track my time working on a client's project? (want to hear everyone's insight, please). Do I literally just have a clock on hand while working?
7). What are the steps to designing an entire new build family home? As you know, these have several rooms, so how do I start and how do I charge for this? Room by room, entire home as a whole, etc?
8). If I'm designing the interiors of a new build home, do I design all of the spaces first and then present to the client or do I design 1 or 2 rooms at a time and then present? If I design everything first, this process may take anywhere from 3, 6 to 12 weeks depending on scope of project. Does this mean I don't communicate with the client for this whole time until I'm done designing?
8b). How often should I be sending my client a bill for my services? After I finish designing a room?, etc. Please be specific. The whole fee / bills thing is extremely confusing to me. I want to be fair, but also make money and receive it when I must.
9). How do you approach client presentations? What visuals do you use? (design boards, mood boards, samples?). What happens during this meeting from start to finish? Please explain thoroughly.
10). How do you sell your design to your client?
11). How do you show your client what each single item on your design costs? Through spreadsheets?
12). Do you offer your client a design booklet with a swatch / sample of every single feature on their design? I really like this idea, but may be costly to have to print out a booklet for every project and then stick each sample onto it. Not to mention I'll have to order a sample for my clients to receive, too.
13). I want to confirm; how do I grow my materials library? Do I have to purchase every single sample myself? Should I just go ahead and invest on buying every sample I love (fabrics, stone, finishes, hardware, etc) or should I buy them as I need them? How many do you recommend I order per fabric, tile, etc? Again, should I also be giving my client a sample to take home?
14). Must the client sign off / sign a contract stating that they have accepted the designs presented or do I simply move forward to the ordering phase once they verbally say they like everything? How do you architects tackle client approvals at your firms?
15). How soon after should I begin ordering the design components after my client has approved the designs? (for a new build or renovation). I need insight on these logistics, please. Don't want to order too soon as sometimes delivery is quick, and the home may not even be built yet or do not want to order late because I want these pieces to be available to the client for when my first installs the home with all the furniture and accessories.
15b). How / when should the client be sending my firm the money to order all of the deign features we created? Is there an specific method you use? Pay pal?
16). VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION: As I'll be hiring interior architects, designers, projects managers, ordering assistants to help me, who will tackle each project? A designer individually or as a team? If so, how does the money get distributed? Do we charge the client a single design fee for all in which case we distribute it, or do we charge the client a different fee for every single designer working on their project? PLEASE HELP!
17). As the CEO / Founder, how do I make my money? Do my designers pay me a percentage of their pay for the work they're getting through my firm / clients? How does this work? I plan to eventually be the creative director only and have my designers create the schemes that I should be approving before presenting to clients. This is why I ask.
18). How do I overlook my designer's work as the creative director / founder? How do I distribute my time between them all in order to make sure they are following the aesthetic of my firm. Again, Eventually I do not plan to actually sit and create schemes or drawings. I want my designers to tackle this.
19). What company / method do you use to receive money from clients for both design fees and to buy their design features for their project? Do I send them a proposal stating how much money is needed to buy everything? How does this work?
THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE. HOPEFULLY WE MAY CREATE A VERY INFORMATIVE THREAD FOR EVERYONE WHO MAY BE IN THE SAME SITUATION :-) Thorough responses please!
Miles Jaffe
Nov 10, 17 12:13 pm
Good luck with that.
Opine
Nov 11, 17 7:27 am
Thank you
Wilma Buttfit
Nov 10, 17 12:15 pm
Ivana? Is that you?
Wilma Buttfit
Nov 10, 17 2:52 pm
I mean Ivanka. I get those two confused.
proto
Nov 10, 17 12:22 pm
you aren't ready to start a business with those questions
go work for someone else until you learn a little more about how the industry functions
Opine
Nov 11, 17 7:25 am
Thank you for your response. Working for someone else would be ideal, yes. Not something I've considered or feel keen about, though. Surprisingly! Very strange, but I simply know I can tackle it myself if I may confirm a few key things, which I was hoping to receive through this thread. Many seem to view the thread as a joke when in reality it was meant to be a genuine, educational + insightful thread useful for so many out there. I'm imagining these "professionals" just find their jobs so quotidian to the point where they find a beginners inquiries pointless. They must remember, though, that they were once beginners, too. Comes to prove
furthermore there is a lot of cruelty in the world.
Non Sequitur
Nov 10, 17 12:47 pm
dont call it interior architecture.
won and done williams
Nov 10, 17 12:57 pm
Oy vey... millennials...
archinine
Nov 10, 17 12:59 pm
You have never worked for a firm...and you want to run one? Wow. You must have deep deep pockets.
Opine
Nov 11, 17 7:17 am
No, I'm not at all rich and wouldn't be the first one to open an interior design firm without having ever worked in one. I'm ambitious, true and feel to have a very good support system and strategy in place.
JCArchi
Nov 10, 17 1:21 pm
I'd like to tack on a few questions as well:
How do I find extremely wealthy clients that will give me total creative freedom with projects without having any history of built projects or project management experience?
How do I open a business account at my local bank?
How do I keep my business open without generating any revenue or having any personal wealth?
How many black t-shirts am I allowed to own before it's too many?
How do I sound like I know what I'm talking about without knowing anything at all?
Thanks Archinect! :^)
Opine
Nov 11, 17 7:31 am
@JCArchi, very funny... good one! Maybe reply to people's thread when you have something contributing to say. Or better yet, find a suitable hobby. The sarcastic response was certainly not your strongest comeback. Lame!
tduds
Nov 10, 17 1:33 pm
Is this satire?
jcarch
Nov 10, 17 1:36 pm
This has to be a joke, but it's a pretty good one, I LOL'd 4 or 5 times.
But OP, you forgot your last question:
21). MOST IMPORTANT OF QUESTIONS! How will I spend the many millions of dollars I'm going to be making with my firm? Do people put all of this in their mattress, or bury some in their back yards too?
JCArchi
Nov 10, 17 1:38 pm
So you're the one that had my user name. Good question, though.
jcarch
Nov 10, 17 1:40 pm
It can be yours for $10,000...trust me, it's worth every penny to be the original jcarch
JCArchi
Nov 10, 17 1:41 pm
Once I get some answers to my above questions I'll be in a good position to pay that in cash. Perhaps over a nice lunch? This "i" at the end is barely hanging on.
JCArchi
Nov 10, 17 2:13 pm
Unfortunately, it's a seller's market, David.
JCArchi
Nov 10, 17 3:00 pm
You make it look so easy, David. I'll hold off on the purchase for now.
jcarch
Nov 10, 17 3:28 pm
Sorry not to chime in sooner, I was getting a massage from the masseuse who comes into the office everyday...her services came free for life with the user name. Anyway, I'll be here, ready to deal, when you come to your senses JCArchi.
Everyday Architect
Nov 10, 17 2:42 pm
I took the liberty of providing some excerpts for the TL;DR crowd ...
"What are the steps to designing an entire new build family home? As you know, these have several rooms"
"The whole fee / bills thing is extremely confusing to me. I want to be fair, but also make money and receive it when I must."
"how do I grow my materials library?"
"Must the client sign off / sign a contract stating that they have accepted the designs presented or do I simply move forward to the ordering phase once they verbally say they like everything?"
"As the CEO / Founder, how do I make my money?"
"How do I overlook my designer's work as the creative director / founder?"
Schoon
Nov 11, 17 9:26 am
Thank you for this
wurdan freo
Nov 10, 17 2:58 pm
ha! Hahahaha... this has got to be a joke right?
Tinbeary is that you :)
Wilma Buttfit
Nov 10, 17 3:22 pm
Maybe. I have sleepwalked before, I could have done this without remembering.
Opine
Nov 11, 17 7:40 am
It's very clear you're so accustomed to
Opine
Nov 11, 17 7:44 am
your skills and so called knowledge to the point where you find a beginners inquiries worthy of laughter. Find a hobby, man. Seriously. This thread is actually incredibly useful for so many out there. Students, interns, people thinking about potentially studying the profession or even new business owners. Let's keep it informative and cut the jokes. Would be great!
Opine
Nov 11, 17 2:30 pm
Thanks. Someone's gotta be, right?
Have a happy weekend! Cheers!
JLC-1
Nov 10, 17 3:01 pm
8b) Every Wednesday to be paid on Friday so you have money for the weekend. (save some for the rest of the week as well)
Opine
Nov 11, 17 7:45 am
Thank you for your response :D
BulgarBlogger
Nov 10, 17 5:24 pm
This is the most disrespectful post I have ever seen. Trying to start a business you know nothing about is in essence saying that you want to profit off of other people's talents.
Fuck you!
Opine
Nov 11, 17 7:08 am
You've taken it all the wrong way while being incredibly rude and disrespectful yourself. I've gone to school for design and know my craft so I am too providing the business my time and talent. This post was merely a way to confirm what I already know and receive insight through other's people's business strategies. I'm not trying to profit out of other people's talent. In fact, I'm extremely passionate about design. I find it extremely unnecessary for you to comment in such a degrading way considering this was meant to be educational for so many people out there whom I'm sure need the help as well. Interns, students and even new business owners like myself. It is very dissapointing that you or anyone would take this post the wrong way :-(
Opine
Nov 11, 17 8:05 am
What I've gotten from this post is... Way too many "professionals" out there swearing to the gods that they are so much better, skillful, and knowledgeable. Finding their days so annoyingly quotidian to the point where a beginners inquiries is deemed pointless or worthy of laughter. Is this how you would treat an intern at your firm? I actually read a thread by an intern who went through something very similar at the firm he was interning for. Oh and of course, after a long day at the office why not belittle someone through a forum. It's disgusting! For those of you who genuinely responded any of the questions with no cruel intention behind it, I thank you. So many waste their time responding useless things into these forums.... it's very disgusting!
JLC-1
Nov 11, 17 9:47 am
Op, we make fun of these posts because this is not how you learn anything. The internet is a source of information, but you are asking for experience, and learning from experience is to be present, you're never present in the internet.
Opine
Nov 11, 17 2:32 pm
I appreciate your input
Non Sequitur
Nov 11, 17 9:10 am
This is such a beautiful post: So much ignorance, so much naivety, so little understanding of the profession... you’ll be eaten alive kid.
archi_dude
Nov 11, 17 10:09 am
People are treating your post like a joke because with zero experience you are saying you could compete for clients with people who have 20+ years experience and for everything you don’t know you could just google or hire people with 20+ years experience to do for you. What fool would work for someone who doesn’t have a clue and basically build the business for someone else. No, they’d make their own business.
Opine
Nov 11, 17 2:38 pm
I understand your standing, I know my craft a lot better than it appeared. Trying to confirm a few key things through a forum was no reason to trigger so much incomprehension. Than again, we've gotta embrace the cranky like David Curtis said :-)
archi_dude
Nov 11, 17 10:14 am
But actually maybe you’ll be fine, every interiors set I’ve dealt with was a wreck....ah it’s quite entertaining when they take on the purchasing scope.
Owner- “...the contingency budget is not for you messing up your job and simple math.”
Opine
Nov 11, 17 2:40 pm
I'm glad you find it entertaining. One always needs to have a bit of fun at the job sight. No harm in that.
Cheers!
x-jla
Nov 11, 17 10:17 am
1). How to approach clients once they've contacted you with an inquiry? What do tell them / how to respond on the email?
- Yell as loud as you can and threaten them with lawsuits
2). How much should I charge for consultation + what information should I be providing the client during this initial meeting? NYC edition.
- free. Just put on a movie and ask them to sit and watch it with you.
2b). How to charge for my services? Please be as specific as possible. I want to charge an hourly rate (how much should this be?) + a markup on wholesale products clients buy through my firm (how much should this markup be? I know some designers do a 35% markup. Does the markup cover my installation services once the project gets to that phase?
- 1million dollars per pillow sham
3). What happens first; the design proposal contract or contract? How does this even work? I've heard of the terms, but am skeptical as to how these two work together? What do they each entail?
-contracts are for sissies
4). How much should my initial retainer fee be (others may know it as an initial deposit / Do I also charge hourly for my design services after this retainer fee is given to me?
- Retainer? Dunno ask your orthodontist.
5). Does the retainer fee equal the proposed number of hours worked? How would you approach this?
- just keep it clean
6). How do I track my time working on a client's project? (want to hear everyone's insight, please). Do I literally just have a clock on hand while working?
- I put a slice on my forearm with a Rambo knife for each hour. A clock or sundial would probably work too
7). What are the steps to designing an entire new build family home? As you know, these have several rooms, so how do I start and how do I charge for this? Room by room, entire home as a whole, etc?
- step 1, pick paint colors. Step 2 have a pizza party. Step 3 repeat step 2
8). If I'm designing the interiors of a new build home, do I design all of the spaces first and then present to the client or do I design 1 or 2 rooms at a time and then present? If I design everything first, this process may take anywhere from 3, 6 to 12 weeks depending on scope of project. Does this mean I don't communicate with the client for this whole time until I'm done designing?
- sorry I wasn't paying attention
8b). How often should I be sending my client a bill for my services? After I finish designing a room?, etc. Please be specific. The whole fee / bills thing is extremely confusing to me. I want to be fair, but also make money and receive it when I must.
- every day
9). How do you approach client presentations? What visuals do you use? (design boards, mood boards, samples?). What happens during this meeting from start to finish? Please explain thoroughly.
I usually masterbate in front of them
10). How do you sell your design to your client?
- At night in a dark location away from the police
11). How do you show your client what each single item on your design costs? Through spreadsheets?
- I use stacks of casino chips
12). Do you offer your client a design booklet with a swatch / sample of every single feature on their design? I really like this idea, but may be costly to have to print out a booklet for every project and then stick each sample onto it. Not to mention I'll have to order a sample for my clients to receive, too.
Swatch are cheap I usually get them a Casio
13). I want to confirm; how do I grow my materials library? Do I have to purchase every single sample myself? Should I just go ahead and invest on buying every sample I love (fabrics, stone, finishes, hardware, etc) or should I buy them as I need them? How many do you recommend I order per fabric, tile, etc? Again, should I also be giving my client a sample to take home?
Water it everyday
14). Must the client sign off / sign a contract stating that they have accepted the designs presented or do I simply move forward to the ordering phase once they verbally say they like everything? How do you architects tackle client approvals at your firms?
No They have no say
15). How soon after should I begin ordering the design components after my client has approved the designs? (for a new build or renovation). I need insight on these logistics, please. Don't want to order too soon as sometimes delivery is quick, and the home may not even be built yet or do not want to order late because I want these pieces to be available to the client for when my first installs the home with all the furniture and accessories.
I offer a 20 minutes of less or it's free deal
15b). How / when should the client be sending my firm the money to order all of the deign features we created? Is there an specific method you use? Pay pal?
- cash in rubber bands
16). VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION: As I'll be hiring interior architects, designers, projects managers, ordering assistants to help me, who will tackle each project? A designer individually or as a team? If so, how does the money get distributed? Do we charge the client a single design fee for all in which case we distribute it, or do we charge the client a different fee for every single designer working on their project? PLEASE HELP!
- HELP ME I FELL IN A WELL OF STUPID
17). As the CEO / Founder, how do I make my money? Do my designers pay me a percentage of their pay for the work they're getting through my firm / clients? How does this work? I plan to eventually be the creative director only and have my designers create the schemes that I should be approving before presenting to clients. This is why I ask.
- CEOs are rich, so don't matter
18). How do I overlook my designer's work as the creative director / founder? How do I distribute my time between them all in order to make sure they are following the aesthetic of my firm. Again, Eventually I do not plan to actually sit and create schemes or drawings. I want my designers to tackle this.
- overlook it? You mean oversee?
19). What company / method do you use to receive money from clients for both design fees and to buy their design features for their project? Do I send them a proposal stating how much money is needed to buy everything? How does this work?
I use my cousin Veto.
x-jla
Nov 11, 17 10:22 am
* Vito. FU spell check
Opine
Nov 11, 17 2:41 pm
Thank you for taking the time to respond :-)
archinine
Nov 11, 17 12:36 pm
I still can't tell if this is a joke.
OP is offended? Your insinuation that you could profitably/competitively run a design firm with zero experience is an insult to all the people out there that have spent years learning the business before opening their own. And even with that experience it's still no guarantee. Asking for free advice online and your surprised people aren't happy to share 20+ years of lessons learned with a stranger?
Don't compare yourself to an intern - that is someone who has actively pursued learning from more experienced mentors in exchange for their own time, that isn't what you're doing. So no I would never scold someone who is trying to learn and has taken a junior role in my company to do so. But you sir are wanting free advice for nothing and are naive enough to think a few key strokes can make up for years in the field. It can't.
Try working in a firm for a while, 90% of your questions will be answered. That's why every successful business owner works for someone else first to learn the ropes regardless of the field. That's especially important in architecture.
And while you're at it maybe once you see how much work it is perhaps you'll realize how incredibly narcissistic it is to think you could do it with zero practical training.
In short you've got a lot of growing up to do.
Opine
Nov 11, 17 2:54 pm
Genuinely thankful for your thorough response. Seriously! I understand your standing, but I also see and understand mine. Trying to run a business vs working for someone else is not an innovative idea, though. I dont see this thread as a means to "free advice vs real world experience" considering the questions were 100% general merely seeking to confirm and receive insight anyone willingly wants to give. No one was under any obligation to share their profound experience attained through tedious, sweaty, teary, labor intensive years. We've gotta "embrace the cranky"
. Really love that one... it's true!
Beepbeep
Nov 11, 17 12:53 pm
You would of at least covered some of these questions at the basic level if you payed attention in school during your Professional Practice course.
If you can't answer these simple questions you have no business starting a company- It's like asking how to whip your a$$.
Opine
Nov 11, 17 3:01 pm
My point exactly. These questions are 100% general and simple. Capable of helping someone else in need. This thread was meant to be educational and insightful, that's it. I know my craft. Maybe it doesn't appear that way, and it's fine.... heck, it doesn't affect me in any way.
Creating something useful for others and even myself is deemed as a "narcissist genuine idiot who wants to receive free advice from someone who has undergone tedious, sweaty, teary, labor intensive years of experience" No one was under any obligation to contribute. Again, I'm confident of my standing and what I ACTUALLY know.
randomised
Nov 11, 17 1:26 pm
Have fun and enjoy until your trust fund is empty and you'll have to get a real job ;-)
Opine
Nov 11, 17 3:02 pm
Thanks, I'll look into that ;-)
Opine
Nov 11, 17 2:29 pm
Thank you everyone for your input, seriously! Not even being sarcastic like the rest of you were throughout this thread. Not looking to turn what was meant to be an educational and insightful post into a ridiculous internet war. Cheers! Sending happy weekend vibes to everyone.
Non Sequitur
Nov 11, 17 3:15 pm
Good stuff. Now stick around, perhaps you'll be able to fill in the blanks where
.your design degree did not prepare you for.
archi_dude
Nov 11, 17 7:54 pm
We are clearly dealing with someone who has never been told no before and has been shielded from negative outcomes. The trust fund is clearly deep if right out of school they are looking to begin a business instead of ensuring student loans are paid. Not to mention the shock that people aren’t lining up to work for them clearly indicates a shielded privileged life. Unfortunately since the rich stay rich you are probably speaking with your new boss at some point lol.e
b3tadine[sutures]
Nov 12, 17 9:56 pm
This is my favorite thread of all time, better than fancy graphics. I literally think this is how capitalism works; have zero clue, hire a bunch of pleebs that do have said clue, don't actually do anything, and force the people, err pleebs, to pay you for work they ultimately do. I don't know why I didn't think of it first, I could've saved a shit ton in student loans.
Wilma Buttfit
Nov 13, 17 4:52 pm
Your fate is your own. Determinism.
icksdeh
Nov 13, 17 3:04 am
lol you open a firm without even knowing what it takes to run it nor have the professional skills of an interior designer/architect? good luck
Do you have the budget you pay employees and insurances out of your pocket for at least 2-3 years? No bank will give you a loan without credentials.
So, get a job, work a few years and try again.
James Aleister Barcelona
Nov 13, 17 4:25 pm
Work for a firm first before you set out on your own. And if possible, try and experience the different trades and tasks (design, production, real estate, project management, etc.) because once you start out on your own, you'll be a one-man office aka you'll be doing all the work. And you need to master that before you start training interns or hiring your staff (because you'll be training them as well in the process)
I agree with what someone said above to get a partner who's already experienced with managing your own practice (also maybe take business courses or read books on entrepreneurship while you're at it). Good luck!
And PS: Contract first before everything else. No contract, no drawing, no anything.
Lson92
Nov 13, 17 5:24 pm
Opine, I wouldn't pay attention to any of the trolls on this thread, because they obviously have nothing better to do with their time than to troll people on the internet for a living. I'm a recent college graduate and I know an interior designer, a colleague of mine, who got her bachelors in interior design and opened up her own interior design company right after she received her bachelors. She has 0 experience with working in a firm. What she did was take a couple business classes during undergrad and applied the design principles she learned in school in her business and so far her business has been pretty successful in terms of her being able to grow her business and maintaining a loyal client base. She then proceeded to go back to school to get her Masters in Architecture to get more experience in the Architecture aspect of things. Bottom line is, I understand you have all these questions which might make you feel overwhelmed, but you just got to jump in and take the leap of faith. You're going to hit a lot of snags and setback in the beginning, but a lot of the answers to your questions will come through from experiencing many trial and errors. I was in the exact same predicament with starting out designing homes for potential clients. I had a lot of questions and I done a ton of research to try to ensure the steps I were taking, were the correct steps, but in the end it was only through trial and error and learning on the job experience which made me more confident in my decision making process. Just stay confident in what you are doing and learn from your mistakes as you embark of this adventure and I am confident you will do just fine. Also make sure you check out the AIA website for a lot of the necessary documents you will need such as contracts and invoice forms. The AIA has a lot of material which will help you with the paperwork side of things. I wish you the best of luck.
hellion
Nov 13, 17 7:18 pm
Preach!
Non Sequitur
Nov 13, 17 10:58 pm
Strange, there was no trolling in this discussion.
wurdan freo
Nov 13, 17 8:22 pm
In Kollege... did they teach you to use paragraphs?
vidulajoshi
Sep 25, 18 3:38 am
umm...actually u need to find tht person who has complete knowledge of your above mentioned questions. ..u jst need to be lil confident trust me this will help u a lott. .wish u a best luck ahead..progress well!!!
Hi everyone,
I have recently launched my interior design firm. My main concern is that since I do not have prior experience with running an interior design firm and have not worked for any firms either, I just do not feel confident on how to run it. My plan is to hire the right people (when the time is right) such as interior architects and designers, project managers, etc to help me do this, but I truly need to be able to know this myself beforehand. I'm sure many will agree.
Please help me learn the following things, I'll be forever grateful. (Please state the number of the question you'll be responding on your answer so that we could keep this thread informative and organized for others to learn, too :)
1). How to approach clients once they've contacted you with an inquiry? What do tell them / how to respond on the email?
2). How much should I charge for consultation + what information should I be providing the client during this initial meeting? NYC edition.
2b). How to charge for my services? Please be as specific as possible. I want to charge an hourly rate (how much should this be?) + a markup on wholesale products clients buy through my firm (how much should this markup be? I know some designers do a 35% markup. Does the markup cover my installation services once the project gets to that phase?
3). What happens first; the design proposal contract or contract? How does this even work? I've heard of the terms, but am skeptical as to how these two work together? What do they each entail?
4). How much should my initial retainer fee be (others may know it as an initial deposit / Do I also charge hourly for my design services after this retainer fee is given to me?
5). Does the retainer fee equal the proposed number of hours worked? How would you approach this?
6). How do I track my time working on a client's project? (want to hear everyone's insight, please). Do I literally just have a clock on hand while working?
7). What are the steps to designing an entire new build family home? As you know, these have several rooms, so how do I start and how do I charge for this? Room by room, entire home as a whole, etc?
8). If I'm designing the interiors of a new build home, do I design all of the spaces first and then present to the client or do I design 1 or 2 rooms at a time and then present? If I design everything first, this process may take anywhere from 3, 6 to 12 weeks depending on scope of project. Does this mean I don't communicate with the client for this whole time until I'm done designing?
8b). How often should I be sending my client a bill for my services? After I finish designing a room?, etc. Please be specific. The whole fee / bills thing is extremely confusing to me. I want to be fair, but also make money and receive it when I must.
9). How do you approach client presentations? What visuals do you use? (design boards, mood boards, samples?). What happens during this meeting from start to finish? Please explain thoroughly.
10). How do you sell your design to your client?
11). How do you show your client what each single item on your design costs? Through spreadsheets?
12). Do you offer your client a design booklet with a swatch / sample of every single feature on their design? I really like this idea, but may be costly to have to print out a booklet for every project and then stick each sample onto it. Not to mention I'll have to order a sample for my clients to receive, too.
13). I want to confirm; how do I grow my materials library? Do I have to purchase every single sample myself? Should I just go ahead and invest on buying every sample I love (fabrics, stone, finishes, hardware, etc) or should I buy them as I need them? How many do you recommend I order per fabric, tile, etc? Again, should I also be giving my client a sample to take home?
14). Must the client sign off / sign a contract stating that they have accepted the designs presented or do I simply move forward to the ordering phase once they verbally say they like everything? How do you architects tackle client approvals at your firms?
15). How soon after should I begin ordering the design components after my client has approved the designs? (for a new build or renovation). I need insight on these logistics, please. Don't want to order too soon as sometimes delivery is quick, and the home may not even be built yet or do not want to order late because I want these pieces to be available to the client for when my first installs the home with all the furniture and accessories.
15b). How / when should the client be sending my firm the money to order all of the deign features we created? Is there an specific method you use? Pay pal?
16). VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION: As I'll be hiring interior architects, designers, projects managers, ordering assistants to help me, who will tackle each project? A designer individually or as a team? If so, how does the money get distributed? Do we charge the client a single design fee for all in which case we distribute it, or do we charge the client a different fee for every single designer working on their project? PLEASE HELP!
17). As the CEO / Founder, how do I make my money? Do my designers pay me a percentage of their pay for the work they're getting through my firm / clients? How does this work? I plan to eventually be the creative director only and have my designers create the schemes that I should be approving before presenting to clients. This is why I ask.
18). How do I overlook my designer's work as the creative director / founder? How do I distribute my time between them all in order to make sure they are following the aesthetic of my firm. Again, Eventually I do not plan to actually sit and create schemes or drawings. I want my designers to tackle this.
19). What company / method do you use to receive money from clients for both design fees and to buy their design features for their project? Do I send them a proposal stating how much money is needed to buy everything? How does this work?
THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE. HOPEFULLY WE MAY CREATE A VERY INFORMATIVE THREAD FOR EVERYONE WHO MAY BE IN THE SAME SITUATION :-) Thorough responses please!
Good luck with that.
Thank you
Ivana? Is that you?
I mean Ivanka. I get those two confused.
you aren't ready to start a business with those questions
go work for someone else until you learn a little more about how the industry functions
Thank you for your response. Working for someone else would be ideal, yes. Not something I've considered or feel keen about, though. Surprisingly! Very strange, but I simply know I can tackle it myself if I may confirm a few key things, which I was hoping to receive through this thread. Many seem to view the thread as a joke when in reality it was meant to be a genuine, educational + insightful thread useful for so many out there. I'm imagining these "professionals" just find their jobs so quotidian to the point where they find a beginners inquiries pointless. They must remember, though, that they were once beginners, too. Comes to prove
furthermore there is a lot of cruelty in the world.
dont call it interior architecture.
Oy vey... millennials...
You have never worked for a firm...and you want to run one? Wow. You must have deep deep pockets.
No, I'm not at all rich and wouldn't be the first one to open an interior design firm without having ever worked in one. I'm ambitious, true and feel to have a very good support system and strategy in place.
I'd like to tack on a few questions as well:
Thanks Archinect! :^)
@JCArchi, very funny... good one! Maybe reply to people's thread when you have something contributing to say. Or better yet, find a suitable hobby. The sarcastic response was certainly not your strongest comeback. Lame!
Is this satire?
This has to be a joke, but it's a pretty good one, I LOL'd 4 or 5 times.
But OP, you forgot your last question:
21). MOST IMPORTANT OF QUESTIONS! How will I spend the many millions of dollars I'm going to be making with my firm? Do people put all of this in their mattress, or bury some in their back yards too?
So you're the one that had my user name. Good question, though.
It can be yours for $10,000...trust me, it's worth every penny to be the original jcarch
Once I get some answers to my above questions I'll be in a good position to pay that in cash. Perhaps over a nice lunch? This "i" at the end is barely hanging on.
Unfortunately, it's a seller's market, David.
You make it look so easy, David. I'll hold off on the purchase for now.
Sorry not to chime in sooner, I was getting a massage from the masseuse who comes into the office everyday...her services came free for life with the user name. Anyway, I'll be here, ready to deal, when you come to your senses JCArchi.
I took the liberty of providing some excerpts for the TL;DR crowd ...
"What are the steps to designing an entire new build family home? As you know, these have several rooms"
"The whole fee / bills thing is extremely confusing to me. I want to be fair, but also make money and receive it when I must."
"how do I grow my materials library?"
"Must the client sign off / sign a contract stating that they have accepted the designs presented or do I simply move forward to the ordering phase once they verbally say they like everything?"
"As the CEO / Founder, how do I make my money?"
"How do I overlook my designer's work as the creative director / founder?"
Thank you for this
ha! Hahahaha... this has got to be a joke right?
Tinbeary is that you :)
Maybe. I have sleepwalked before, I could have done this without remembering.
It's very clear you're so accustomed to
your skills and so called knowledge to the point where you find a beginners inquiries worthy of laughter. Find a hobby, man. Seriously. This thread is actually incredibly useful for so many out there. Students, interns, people thinking about potentially studying the profession or even new business owners. Let's keep it informative and cut the jokes. Would be great!
Thanks. Someone's gotta be, right?
Have a happy weekend! Cheers!
8b) Every Wednesday to be paid on Friday so you have money for the weekend. (save some for the rest of the week as well)
Thank you for your response :D
This is the most disrespectful post I have ever seen. Trying to start a business you know nothing about is in essence saying that you want to profit off of other people's talents.
Fuck you!
You've taken it all the wrong way while being incredibly rude and disrespectful yourself. I've gone to school for design and know my craft so I am too providing the business my time and talent. This post was merely a way to confirm what I already know and receive insight through other's people's business strategies. I'm not trying to profit out of other people's talent. In fact, I'm extremely passionate about design. I find it extremely unnecessary for you to comment in such a degrading way considering this was meant to be educational for so many people out there whom I'm sure need the help as well. Interns, students and even new business owners like myself. It is very dissapointing that you or anyone would take this post the wrong way :-(
What I've gotten from this post is... Way too many "professionals" out there swearing to the gods that they are so much better, skillful, and knowledgeable. Finding their days so annoyingly quotidian to the point where a beginners inquiries is deemed pointless or worthy of laughter. Is this how you would treat an intern at your firm? I actually read a thread by an intern who went through something very similar at the firm he was interning for. Oh and of course, after a long day at the office why not belittle someone through a forum. It's disgusting! For those of you who genuinely responded any of the questions with no cruel intention behind it, I thank you. So many waste their time responding useless things into these forums.... it's very disgusting!
Op, we make fun of these posts because this is not how you learn anything. The internet is a source of information, but you are asking for experience, and learning from experience is to be present, you're never present in the internet.
I appreciate your input
This is such a beautiful post: So much ignorance, so much naivety, so little understanding of the profession... you’ll be eaten alive kid.
People are treating your post like a joke because with zero experience you are saying you could compete for clients with people who have 20+ years experience and for everything you don’t know you could just google or hire people with 20+ years experience to do for you. What fool would work for someone who doesn’t have a clue and basically build the business for someone else. No, they’d make their own business.
I understand your standing, I know my craft a lot better than it appeared. Trying to confirm a few key things through a forum was no reason to trigger so much incomprehension. Than again, we've gotta embrace the cranky like David Curtis said :-)
But actually maybe you’ll be fine, every interiors set I’ve dealt with was a wreck....ah it’s quite entertaining when they take on the purchasing scope.
Owner- “...the contingency budget is not for you messing up your job and simple math.”
I'm glad you find it entertaining. One always needs to have a bit of fun at the job sight. No harm in that.
Cheers!
1). How to approach clients once they've contacted you with an inquiry? What do tell them / how to respond on the email?
- Yell as loud as you can and threaten them with lawsuits
2). How much should I charge for consultation + what information should I be providing the client during this initial meeting? NYC edition.
- free. Just put on a movie and ask them to sit and watch it with you.
2b). How to charge for my services? Please be as specific as possible. I want to charge an hourly rate (how much should this be?) + a markup on wholesale products clients buy through my firm (how much should this markup be? I know some designers do a 35% markup. Does the markup cover my installation services once the project gets to that phase?
- 1million dollars per pillow sham
3). What happens first; the design proposal contract or contract? How does this even work? I've heard of the terms, but am skeptical as to how these two work together? What do they each entail?
-contracts are for sissies
4). How much should my initial retainer fee be (others may know it as an initial deposit / Do I also charge hourly for my design services after this retainer fee is given to me?
- Retainer? Dunno ask your orthodontist.
5). Does the retainer fee equal the proposed number of hours worked? How would you approach this?
- just keep it clean
6). How do I track my time working on a client's project? (want to hear everyone's insight, please). Do I literally just have a clock on hand while working?
- I put a slice on my forearm with a Rambo knife for each hour. A clock or sundial would probably work too
7). What are the steps to designing an entire new build family home? As you know, these have several rooms, so how do I start and how do I charge for this? Room by room, entire home as a whole, etc?
- step 1, pick paint colors. Step 2 have a pizza party. Step 3 repeat step 2
8). If I'm designing the interiors of a new build home, do I design all of the spaces first and then present to the client or do I design 1 or 2 rooms at a time and then present? If I design everything first, this process may take anywhere from 3, 6 to 12 weeks depending on scope of project. Does this mean I don't communicate with the client for this whole time until I'm done designing?
- sorry I wasn't paying attention
8b). How often should I be sending my client a bill for my services? After I finish designing a room?, etc. Please be specific. The whole fee / bills thing is extremely confusing to me. I want to be fair, but also make money and receive it when I must.
- every day
9). How do you approach client presentations? What visuals do you use? (design boards, mood boards, samples?). What happens during this meeting from start to finish? Please explain thoroughly.
I usually masterbate in front of them
10). How do you sell your design to your client?
- At night in a dark location away from the police
11). How do you show your client what each single item on your design costs? Through spreadsheets?
- I use stacks of casino chips
12). Do you offer your client a design booklet with a swatch / sample of every single feature on their design? I really like this idea, but may be costly to have to print out a booklet for every project and then stick each sample onto it. Not to mention I'll have to order a sample for my clients to receive, too.
Swatch are cheap I usually get them a Casio
13). I want to confirm; how do I grow my materials library? Do I have to purchase every single sample myself? Should I just go ahead and invest on buying every sample I love (fabrics, stone, finishes, hardware, etc) or should I buy them as I need them? How many do you recommend I order per fabric, tile, etc? Again, should I also be giving my client a sample to take home?
Water it everyday
14). Must the client sign off / sign a contract stating that they have accepted the designs presented or do I simply move forward to the ordering phase once they verbally say they like everything? How do you architects tackle client approvals at your firms?
No They have no say
15). How soon after should I begin ordering the design components after my client has approved the designs? (for a new build or renovation). I need insight on these logistics, please. Don't want to order too soon as sometimes delivery is quick, and the home may not even be built yet or do not want to order late because I want these pieces to be available to the client for when my first installs the home with all the furniture and accessories.
I offer a 20 minutes of less or it's free deal
15b). How / when should the client be sending my firm the money to order all of the deign features we created? Is there an specific method you use? Pay pal?
- cash in rubber bands
16). VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION: As I'll be hiring interior architects, designers, projects managers, ordering assistants to help me, who will tackle each project? A designer individually or as a team? If so, how does the money get distributed? Do we charge the client a single design fee for all in which case we distribute it, or do we charge the client a different fee for every single designer working on their project? PLEASE HELP!
- HELP ME I FELL IN A WELL OF STUPID
17). As the CEO / Founder, how do I make my money? Do my designers pay me a percentage of their pay for the work they're getting through my firm / clients? How does this work? I plan to eventually be the creative director only and have my designers create the schemes that I should be approving before presenting to clients. This is why I ask.
- CEOs are rich, so don't matter
18). How do I overlook my designer's work as the creative director / founder? How do I distribute my time between them all in order to make sure they are following the aesthetic of my firm. Again, Eventually I do not plan to actually sit and create schemes or drawings. I want my designers to tackle this.
- overlook it? You mean oversee?
19). What company / method do you use to receive money from clients for both design fees and to buy their design features for their project? Do I send them a proposal stating how much money is needed to buy everything? How does this work?
I use my cousin Veto.
* Vito. FU spell check
Thank you for taking the time to respond :-)
I still can't tell if this is a joke.
OP is offended? Your insinuation that you could profitably/competitively run a design firm with zero experience is an insult to all the people out there that have spent years learning the business before opening their own. And even with that experience it's still no guarantee. Asking for free advice online and your surprised people aren't happy to share 20+ years of lessons learned with a stranger?
Don't compare yourself to an intern - that is someone who has actively pursued learning from more experienced mentors in exchange for their own time, that isn't what you're doing. So no I would never scold someone who is trying to learn and has taken a junior role in my company to do so. But you sir are wanting free advice for nothing and are naive enough to think a few key strokes can make up for years in the field. It can't.
Try working in a firm for a while, 90% of your questions will be answered. That's why every successful business owner works for someone else first to learn the ropes regardless of the field. That's especially important in architecture.
And while you're at it maybe once you see how much work it is perhaps you'll realize how incredibly narcissistic it is to think you could do it with zero practical training.
In short you've got a lot of growing up to do.
Genuinely thankful for your thorough response. Seriously! I understand your standing, but I also see and understand mine. Trying to run a business vs working for someone else is not an innovative idea, though. I dont see this thread as a means to "free advice vs real world experience" considering the questions were 100% general merely seeking to confirm and receive insight anyone willingly wants to give. No one was under any obligation to share their profound experience attained through tedious, sweaty, teary, labor intensive years. We've gotta "embrace the cranky"
. Really love that one... it's true!
You would of at least covered some of these questions at the basic level if you payed attention in school during your Professional Practice course.
If you can't answer these simple questions you have no business starting a company- It's like asking how to whip your a$$.
My point exactly. These questions are 100% general and simple. Capable of helping someone else in need. This thread was meant to be educational and insightful, that's it. I know my craft. Maybe it doesn't appear that way, and it's fine.... heck, it doesn't affect me in any way.
Creating something useful for others and even myself is deemed as a "narcissist genuine idiot who wants to receive free advice from someone who has undergone tedious, sweaty, teary, labor intensive years of experience" No one was under any obligation to contribute. Again, I'm confident of my standing and what I ACTUALLY know.
Have fun and enjoy until your trust fund is empty and you'll have to get a real job ;-)
Thanks, I'll look into that ;-)
Thank you everyone for your input, seriously! Not even being sarcastic like the rest of you were throughout this thread. Not looking to turn what was meant to be an educational and insightful post into a ridiculous internet war. Cheers! Sending happy weekend vibes to everyone.
Good stuff. Now stick around, perhaps you'll be able to fill in the blanks where .your design degree did not prepare you for.
We are clearly dealing with someone who has never been told no before and has been shielded from negative outcomes. The trust fund is clearly deep if right out of school they are looking to begin a business instead of ensuring student loans are paid. Not to mention the shock that people aren’t lining up to work for them clearly indicates a shielded privileged life. Unfortunately since the rich stay rich you are probably speaking with your new boss at some point lol.e
This is my favorite thread of all time, better than fancy graphics. I literally think this is how capitalism works; have zero clue, hire a bunch of pleebs that do have said clue, don't actually do anything, and force the people, err pleebs, to pay you for work they ultimately do. I don't know why I didn't think of it first, I could've saved a shit ton in student loans.
Your fate is your own. Determinism.
lol you open a firm without even knowing what it takes to run it nor have the professional skills of an interior designer/architect? good luck
Do you have the budget you pay employees and insurances out of your pocket for at least 2-3 years? No bank will give you a loan without credentials.
So, get a job, work a few years and try again.
Work for a firm first before you set out on your own. And if possible, try and experience the different trades and tasks (design, production, real estate, project management, etc.) because once you start out on your own, you'll be a one-man office aka you'll be doing all the work. And you need to master that before you start training interns or hiring your staff (because you'll be training them as well in the process)
I agree with what someone said above to get a partner who's already experienced with managing your own practice (also maybe take business courses or read books on entrepreneurship while you're at it). Good luck!
And PS: Contract first before everything else. No contract, no drawing, no anything.
Opine, I wouldn't pay attention to any of the trolls on this thread, because they obviously have nothing better to do with their time than to troll people on the internet for a living. I'm a recent college graduate and I know an interior designer, a colleague of mine, who got her bachelors in interior design and opened up her own interior design company right after she received her bachelors. She has 0 experience with working in a firm. What she did was take a couple business classes during undergrad and applied the design principles she learned in school in her business and so far her business has been pretty successful in terms of her being able to grow her business and maintaining a loyal client base. She then proceeded to go back to school to get her Masters in Architecture to get more experience in the Architecture aspect of things. Bottom line is, I understand you have all these questions which might make you feel overwhelmed, but you just got to jump in and take the leap of faith. You're going to hit a lot of snags and setback in the beginning, but a lot of the answers to your questions will come through from experiencing many trial and errors. I was in the exact same predicament with starting out designing homes for potential clients. I had a lot of questions and I done a ton of research to try to ensure the steps I were taking, were the correct steps, but in the end it was only through trial and error and learning on the job experience which made me more confident in my decision making process. Just stay confident in what you are doing and learn from your mistakes as you embark of this adventure and I am confident you will do just fine. Also make sure you check out the AIA website for a lot of the necessary documents you will need such as contracts and invoice forms. The AIA has a lot of material which will help you with the paperwork side of things. I wish you the best of luck.
Preach!
Strange, there was no trolling in this discussion.
In Kollege... did they teach you to use paragraphs?
umm...actually u need to find tht person who has complete knowledge of your above mentioned questions. ..u jst need to be lil confident trust me this will help u a lott. .wish u a best luck ahead..progress well!!!