How to compare two interior design quotes fairly

Budget · H Hue Design Studio, Nanakramguda

Two quotes for the same flat can look wildly different. Usually they are not quoting the same thing. Here is how to line them up.

Ask for the same format from everyone

Request a line-by-line quote: each item with its room, size, material, finish and hardware. A lump sum per room cannot be compared, and makes it hard to see what you are paying for.

Check the materials, not just the item

• Board: the type and grade of plywood or board for carcasses and shutters, especially in kitchens and bathrooms.
• Finish: laminate, acrylic, veneer, lacquer or PU, and on which faces.
• Hardware: the brand of hinges, channels and lift-ups, and whether drawers are soft-close.
• Edges and backs: whether exposed edges are banded and which back panels are used.

Line up inclusions and exclusions

One quote may include false ceilings, electrical work and painting; another may leave them out. Make a simple table with every item down the side and every quote across the top, and mark what each one includes. The cheapest quote often turns out to be the shortest.

Look at payment stages

Each payment should be tied to visible progress: design sign-off, material delivery, carpentry completion, handover. Be careful with very large advances before any work has started.

Ask what happens when things change

Find out how changes are priced during execution. A slightly higher quote with clear change rates is often cheaper in the end than a low one that grows.