How to compare interior design quotations

Give each team the same plan, location, rooms, intended use and reference images. State whether the building is new, occupied, being renovated or already under construction. Identify the areas you want designed; land area and total building area are not automatically the design area.

If one proposal covers a complete home and another covers selected rooms, their totals answer different questions. Resolve these differences first.

• Rooms and measured design area.
• Concept layouts, material direction and 3D view coverage.
• Drawing list, joinery details and specification schedules.
• Number of review stages, revision rounds and meetings.
• Delivery formats and any editable source files.
• Site measurements, consultant coordination and implementation support.
• Fee, payment currency, applicable taxes and payment stages.
• Programme, exclusions and how changes are approved.

A description such as “all drawings included” still needs a drawing schedule. Interior design drawings do not automatically include structural design, engineering, permits or contractor documentation.

For custom furniture, compare the same item codes, quantities, dimensions, materials and finishes. Clarify whether the quotation covers design, fabrication, packing, delivery or installation. Elements coordinates manufacturing with partner workshops around approved specifications.

Shipping is a separate line based on the destination and order. Ask what the freight quotation includes and who arranges any excluded charges or services. A furniture total without a defined delivery scope is not yet a like-for-like comparison.

Check what you approve before production, what happens when a dimension is still marked TBC, and how changes after approval are priced and scheduled. Avoid treating a reference image as an approved manufacturing specification.

Elements prepares each quotation around the agreed project scope. There is no universal design price or instant calculator result on this site. Send your plan, location and required services so the proposal can define the fee and deliverables in writing.