established 2014 - Central Florida
(407) 758-9772
FAQs
Budget, Fees & Purchasing
How do you handle budget setting, tracking, and unexpected costs?
Interior & Exterior Design LLC will discuss your budget with you to evaluate the best options for achieving your project goals, how we track costs, process ordering, and recommendations for contingency amounts for unexpected expenses.
How is billing handled, from how I’m charged to when my payments are due?
Interior & Exterior Design LLC charges hourly rates for design & specification, design project management, and project administration. After an initial Design Meeting to establish the scope of the project, we provide you with a proposal including an itemized project fee and payment schedule so there are no surprises.
Do you offer designer discounts or do you charge markups as part of your fee?
Interior & Exterior Design LLC offers designer discounts to our clients; we do not charge any markups at all.
How are merchandise orders and installation services paid for, do I pay the supplier/service provider or does the designer process payments on my behalf?
Interior & Exterior Design LLC processes payments on our clients’ behalf and email them receipts making the process effortless for our clients.
Process & Communication
How do you approach a new project from first meeting through final installation, and what are the project phases, so I know what to expect?
Interior & Exterior Design LLC starts with a phone call to discuss your project, tell you about us and how we work, and give you a chance to decide if you want to move forward with an initial Design Meeting to discuss the details of your project onsite and establish a specific scope. After the initial Design Meeting we present you with an itemized proposal for the project fee, concept boards to visually express the ideas for the project, and a payment schedule.
Once the contract is signed and first payment is received, we begin the design development phase where plans are drawn, 3D renderings are created, and fixtures, finishes, & furnishings are specified. The project documents allow the contractor & trades to commence Construction in accordance with the design concepts. Procurement occurs as well to ensure merchandise is ordered and logistics are arranged.
Jobsite visits & meetings will ensure that the project proceeds in keeping with the design concepts. And after construction is complete, furnishings are installed and styled to wrap up the project with photography.
How will you communicate and provide updates, and who will be my primary contact?
Interior & Exterior Design LLC will communicate with you via phone, text, email, online meetings, onsite meetings, and shared online project folder with images & documents. At Interior & Exterior Design LLC clients have direct contact with the Lead Interior Designer, Sonja Rogers during the entire project; our clients will never have to go through an Assistant to reach the Lead Designer or be handed off to an Associate.
What happens if I don’t like a part of the design or a specified item - how many revisions and reselections are included without additional expense?
Interior & Exterior Design LLC includes two design revisions without additional charges and merchandise reselections are included but once approved, additional changes are billable.
When paying for merchandise orders and installation services do I pay the designer, the supplier/service provider or does the designer process payments on my behalf?
Interior & Exterior Design LLC processes payments on our clients’ behalf and email them receipts making the process effortless for our clients.
Contractor, Timeline & Scope
Do you work exclusively with your contractor or can I select the contractor of my choice?
Interior & Exterior Design LLC is happy to connect you with a contractor who does outstanding work for our clients, but we will happily collaborate with any contractor you choose.
What is a realistic timeline for a project like mine, and what could delay it?
At Interior & Exterior Design LLC, in our experience projects can range from 3-6 months for re-design or kitchen & bath remodels, while major renovations and new construction can take 8 months to over a year. It’s important to anticipate and be prepared for custom elements extending production times, backorders occurring, along with permitting and project changes causing delays.
How long should it take to complete the design & specification phase so I have an idea of when renovation and ordering would begin?
Interior & Exterior Design LLC generally takes 4-8 weeks or more depending on project complexity, size & scope for design development: drawing plans & 3D renderings, creating layouts, selecting fixtures, finishes & furnishings, and revisions.
What services are included and what are not (floorplans, layouts, 3D renderings, contractor coordination, etc.)?
At Interior & Exterior Design LLC, depending on what the client decides to include in the project scope, we include all necessary services in the project fee. That can include architectural design, space planning, landscape plans, 3D renderings, project documents, project management, coordinating with contractors & trades, fixture, finish & furnishing selections, procurement, and styling.
Project Timeframes
How long does a typical interior design project take?
Individual rooms can take 4-6 months from kick-off through final installation. This allows for design work, merchandise ordering, shipping, trades and final installation.
When it comes to Kitchen or Bathroom re-models, it can take as little as 3 months, but sometimes longer depending on merchandise availability, inspection schedules, and project complexity.
New construction & major renovations are typically 8 months to over a year while large custom projects can take 1-2 years depending on many factors related to the size & scope of the project.
How long does does it typically take to do the design work and ordering?
In general, Design development: creating layouts, selecting fixtures, finishes & furnishings, and revisions often run 4-8 weeks or more depending on project complexity, size & scope.
Procurement, from ordering to receiving, can run 4-8 weeks or more depending on shipping times.
What happens when a project is completed?
Construction can run several weeks or months depending on the size and complexity of the project but once complete the final phase of the project happens. Installation & Styling, which usually takes 1-4 weeks to complete. The project wraps up the with photography.
What can cause surprise delays?
When it comes to timelines it’s important to anticipate and be prepared for custom elements extending production times, backorders occurring, along with permitting and project changes causing delays.