What a Designer Cannot Do 

  A designer however cannot read your mind. As a result of experience and observation , he may deduce that you prefer cool elegance to informal charm, or Gregorian to Louis XV , but that would only be an educated guess . He cannot be sure of the way you and your family like to live , and he most definitely needs to be clued in on personal idiosyncrasies , such as dislike for all oriental design.
        An interior designer cannot see your bank account and decide how much you can afford to spend. He cannot foresee the possible snags that may come up in connection with the job. He may take the greatest precaution , but events and incompetence beyond his control - delayed deliveries, discontinued items - can upset the most carefully calculated timing and budget.
         Before you start looking for a designer , you should understand the distinction between an independent and one who is affiliated with a large department or furniture store. Each offers you certain conveniences . Thus , an independent interior designer may work on his own or be the head or a member of a decorating establishment . He or she goes to your house or apartment to size up exactly what you need and want and to supervise the job until it's completion . He works your floor plans , obtains material samples. He takes or sends you to decorator showrooms, antique shops and other places, to look at furnishings he thinks will be suitable , or he helps you make selection from the pictures in catalogues.
       Among the independent designers , A one-man or one-woman operation is usually highly personal and often outstandingly good . But be very sure of your choice before you use a designer who has no office at all. In some communities, it is still all to easy for a rank amateur to assume the title , 'Interior Designer'

  The independent designer makes his profit in one of the three ways . The first and most customary way is to buy everything at a discount and charge you the retail prices. Two other billing procedures are based on the cost of everything to the decorator plus either a pre arranges percentage of that cost or a flat fee for the entire job.
      You Also pay : A designer's out of pocket expenses for travel and so on; Any sales taxes, shipping ,trucking ad storage charges; the price of blueprints; renderings and models; the cost of any revisions or changes you may make in your order after it's places; and fees for supervision beyond the amount the decorator deems reasonable for the successful completion of your job. In spite of such stand and practices , however, you may still discover that one interior designer will give you an estimate of say R s. 50,000/- and another name twice the price. The difference more often lies in the quality of the furnishings than the quality of the taste. A clever designer can use such elements as colour scale and surprise to great effect. You pay for only the cost of average furnishings and the priceless ingredient of invention is thrown in for free!! 

       In paying designer's bill, installments are usual. You pay concept fee at the beginning after you have decided what you want and your designer has drawn up an itemized estimate (not  a contract. As many prices cannot be guaranteed at this time). You pay another installment once the work commences, and the next ones sometime later - and the balance on completion. But arrangements for payment differ and the one way to be sure to ask.

        Many independent designers and store decorating services give professional advice for a fee based on the time involved. It is money well spent if you want to as certain an interior designer's customary price bracket and get a knowledgeable opinion about probable expenses. Should you subsequently decide to give the consultant your job, the fee for the first discussion will be credited to your account.