How to Calculate the Cost of a Design Project and What It Depends On

At the start of planning a renovation, it is always very difficult to understand how much it will finally cost, how much the finishing and materials will cost. But with a design project, things are a bit easier; its cost can be calculated independently.

In this article, together with Vlad Sedov, the head of the LINES design bureau, we explore how the cost of a project is calculated, what external and internal factors affect it, and also what segments exist in interior design.

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Vlad Sedov — the head of the LINES design bureau

What is Included in the Cost of a Designer's Work

In our understanding, a good interior designer is a professional who fully takes responsibility for the project and its implementation from the moment of filling out the brief to the tenant moving in. Designers who only work on developing a design project and visualization are more like design artists. Such designers won't be able to show their implemented projects, because in fact, they haven't done any. But implementation, material procurement, and author's supervision are the most difficult stages. And at these moments, the client needs the designer the most.

Basic Pricing in Interior Design

The cost of a project is calculated based on the price per square meter and the total area of the room — the price is multiplied by the number of square meters. Finally, the cost of materials, finishing, and construction crew is added to the project cost. The cost of author's supervision by the design bureau is also calculated separately if the client wants to relieve themselves of control over the process.

But to understand what factors affect the cost of a primary design project for an apartment, it is necessary to examine the segments and formats of work of specialists in this field.

What Types of Design Exist

For convenience, in this part of the article, we will divide segments not only by price but also by organizational aspects.

500–1000 rubles per sq. m (freelance designer)

In this segment, beginners or students usually work who do all the work themselves: communicate with the client, develop a concept, make visualizations and drawings. For such specialists, the total cost of work equals revenue, because there are no other employees or additional expenses.

The advantage of working with a designer in this segment is the price. If the client has a small budget for the project, this is an ideal option. Beginners can also be hired to do cosmetic renovations, renovate one room, or delegate the finishing of a White Box apartment.

The disadvantages of ordering a design project in the low-price segment should also be taken into account when planning. First, the client will have to work with a beginner specialist, which means that they are not yet familiar with all the nuances of renovation and there might be expensive mistakes in the project.

Also, due to limited experience, the designer may not have properly organized organizational and legal aspects. For example, such a contractor might work without a contract or standard documentation templates for the project. This prolongs the working time.

Design: Ekaterina Karaseva

2500–3000 rubles per sq. m (design bureau)

Let's look at an example of a small design studio. It has a team of 3–4 specialists who joined together to simplify the organization of their work.

Among the advantages for the client, one can highlight that in such studios each employee usually does their part of the work. For example, there is a designer, projector or visualizer and manager. Therefore, the designer will only be occupied with creating a design concept, the projector will transfer this concept to drawings, and the manager will dedicate all their time to communication with the client. The final project will be much better than if one specialist did all the tasks.

Also, with a design studio that has official status, all organizational aspects are regulated, there are their contracts and documentation templates, and the rules for managing projects are clearly defined. Therefore, during cooperation, there will be fewer uncomfortable moments for the client.

However, this price segment also has its downsides. Due to low prices, small design studios usually work on a flow of typical projects and don't understand premium-quality design. Because of this, the client might get an apartment project based on the simplest and most popular design solutions from the internet.

Design: Vladа Vologirova

Up to 4–6 thousand rubles per sq. m (private designer)

Let's talk about professional designers who continue to work independently but have accumulated a large amount of experience in managing design projects and can take orders in a much higher price segment. Usually, these specialists take 3–5 projects per year but work with them as efficiently as possible. This is the segment of authorial design projects, which are developed taking into account all the client's requests.

Due to a small number of projects, the designer will be completely focused on managing the client's project; they know how to communicate and understand how to solve even a complex task. Therefore, from the perspective of workflow cooperation with such a specialist will be comfortable, and the final project will definitely please.

On the other hand, whenever a designer works alone, many different stages and tasks on the project can interfere with the overall process. Imagine one designer doing the concept, compiling project documentation, communicating with the construction crew, ordering and controlling all materials and interior items. Even an experienced specialist might miss something or overlook something.

Design bureau LINES

From 5–6 thousand rubles per sq. m (design bureau)

Design bureaus in this price segment, working in Moscow, manage projects in large comfort and business-class apartments and have a large team of specialists. This means that the bureau has been on the market for more than just a year, and the client can expect high-quality work execution. The team of the bureau likely already includes several designers, projectors, visualizers, managers and marketers.

However, the interior design market is uneven, so, for example, in St. Petersburg 5–6 thousand rubles per sq. m is already a high premium segment, while in other regions only 1–3 bureaus in the city at best work with such prices.

The growth process is different for all design bureaus. For example, in LINES everything happened evolutionarily. Initially, we had several specialists and a project manager, just like in small studios, but then the number of projects increased, they became more complex. Therefore, an art director was added, and when the project manager no longer had time to control each object's implementation, a manager for author's supervision joined the team. Gradually, specialists from marketing and accounting departments were added.

Among the advantages of working with such a large design bureau, one can highlight:

• Experience and results. The client can always look at already implemented projects and read reviews. There will be no organizational difficulties during the work process.

• Client comfort level — this is a priority for the bureau. Working with companies that have been on the market for a long time in interior design, one can be confident that they won't forget about the project, and if the timeline shifts, they will always discuss it with the client and offer a comfortable solution. Additionally, the bureau might have a compensation system for client inconveniences. For example, if there is a mistake on the construction site or something from the interior items doesn't arrive, the manager will always offer to compensate for the cost or make a gift in the form of buying some furniture part from the bureau.

• Individual style: the higher the price segment, the more likely it is that the contractor works in a particular design style. In such cases, the bureau is an expert in their niche and knows how to do the job properly, choosing only high-quality materials.

But cooperation with a premium design bureau also has its downsides. The presence of an individual style implies that the designer is not ready to work in another style. If the client likes the bureau and its work, but asks for more classicism or scandinavian style in the project, they will be refused.

Design bureau LINES

From 15 thousand rubles per sq. m (design bureau or freelance designer)

In this price segment, design bureaus and specialists with big media presence, niche approaches, and very few clients work. They themselves choose orders based on whether it's interesting to add the project to their portfolio.

Among the advantages — exceptional quality of every element of the design and interior items. If the bureau or designer works in a very narrow segment, the client can have no doubts about the taste and expertise of the contractor. The design project itself will also be authorial, and the client can be sure that the bureau developed such a concept only for them.

Disadvantages:

• Project cost: depending on the area and requirements, the price can reach up to 45 thousand rubles per sq. m without counting implementation.

• The design bureau might not take your project, even if you really like the style and approach to work. The criteria will be interest in implementing such a project.

What Other Factors Affect the Cost of a Design Project

As we said above, the cost of a designer's or bureau's work depends on their expertise, experience, and reputation. Competition on the market also sets its conditions — the fewer bureaus working in the same segment and style, the higher the cost of the contractor's work.

Another factor is the additional value and comprehensiveness of the service. If a design studio can offer the client an author's consultation or provide high-quality author's supervision, helping the client not worry about the renovation at all, the more people are willing to pay.

It's also worth mentioning prices for real estate, materials and interior items. Prices constantly change depending on market conditions and inflation. But directly, this does not affect the cost of a design project because a competent specialist has a fixed price per square meter for their work.

However, market conditions will reflect on the total project cost, as the designer compiles a set and estimate for implementation within the contract. The client must consider this aspect when planning the renovation.

We've said a lot about what price segments of design projects exist, their pros and cons. But it's also important to choose a designer who will meet your criteria at the decision-making stage.

Design: Violetta Golubeva

Criteria for Choosing a Contractor

The style of the bureau's design and its previous projects

As we wrote above, all designers work in different styles. Some make projects in minimalism style, while others specialize in classicism. The choice of a designer should be based on projects that really appeal to the client. Only in the case where the client's taste matches that of the contractor, will they feel comfortable working together. Therefore, before making a final decision, it's necessary to look at the bureau's portfolio and website.

The entire budget and implementation timelines

Understanding how much the entire renovation of the future home will cost is much more important for any client than just the cost of the design project alone. Nobody plans how much they want to spend on design and then separately on its implementation and materials.

However, a competent designer at the beginning of communication, considering all inputs, preferences, and budget, can tell a potential client approximate figures for the future project. Knowing the apartment area, preferences in style, and the available sum, the specialist will calculate that the design project will cost 150 thousand rubles, its preparation will take two months, and the renovation will cost about 4 million rubles and last up to six months.

It's also important during the planning stage to remember that the total cost of the renovation doesn't always depend directly on the area of the room. Of course, if you take the same design project and calculate it for a 50 sq. m apartment and a 150 sq. m apartment, the cost of implementation will be different. But no one compares like this. It's necessary to compare based on what design solutions are important to the client, what engineering communications are needed, and in what style the apartment will be. Because in a 150 sq. m apartment, on one side, there are more walls and surfaces, meaning more materials need to be purchased. But on the other side, in a small apartment, you can implement such a design that it will be several times more expensive.

Design: Svetlana Galchenko

Values and Voice of the Bureau

Creating a design project and its implementation is a process that can take several years. And for every person, it's more pleasant to communicate with those companies and people who share their values. Of course, the client doesn't need to go to football games with the designer and discuss their favorite music. But in general, they should align.

For example, some designers prefer informal communication and jokes with the client, while others will always address on a formal basis and won't allow themselves to dispute a request. To understand how and what the bureau says, it's enough to look at their social media, YouTube video reviews, and the style of text on the website. This way, the client will have an initial impression, making it easier to make a decision.

On the cover: ISTOK BUREAU