When planning a home renovation or makeover, a budget is always taken into account. The majority of you did not budget for professional fees. How much does an interior designer cost in per sqm in the Philippines?
Professional interior designers in the Philippines follow the organization's standard pricing. It is up to the professional interior designer to raise their fees if necessary. The Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID) is the only organization recognized by the Professional Regulations Commission.
What are the inclusions of the standard fees?
The interior design profession is beyond drawings and drafting documents. There are a lot of things to consider when an interior designer is hired to do the job. The following are the design phases, records, and standard documentation in the design process:
Schematic Design Phase
Preliminary plans with furniture layout for approval.
Image or Mood Board(s) for approval
Initial Perspective(s)
Design Development phase
Furniture Footprint Plan
Elevations and Section Details
Reflected Ceiling Plan
Auxiliary Layout (Sprinklers, Speakers, Air-Conditioning, Diffusers, Smoke Detectors, Fire Protection Devices, etc.)
Electrical Switches
Power Layout
Schedule of Window Treatments
Schedule of Doors
Materials and Furnishing Boards
Realistic Rendered Perspectives
Itemized Furniture Drawings
Cabinet Details
Floor Pattern Layout and Details
Other necessary working details
Contract Documents and Coordination Phase
Verification Check Prints from Engineers
Budgetary Cost Estimates
Sets of Blueprints/Plans
Construction Phase
Site Supervision
Punchlist
Project Turnover
It seems like a lot, and some clients don't check these documents sometimes. Check the prints and plans and discuss them with your interior designer.
Standard Professional Fee
Interior designers hired full-time can be compensated by any of the following:
1. Fee on Percentage Basis
A fee of 10% to 15% of the total interior project cost.
2. Progress Billing
The amounts are distributed per interior design phase.
Schematic Design Phase 30%
Design Development Phase 45%
Contract Documents and Coordination Phase 15% (25% if no construction phase)
Upon Construction Phase 10%
Interior designers usually charge per square meter (copy from PIID Doc 5)
a.1. Minimum of PHP 50,000.00 per unit or PHP 1,000.00 per sqm for a max floor area of 75 sqm depending on the Scope of Work.
a.2. Minimum of PHP 50,000.00 per major room or maximum of PHP 300,000.00 per house regardless of the number of rooms for 76-300 sqm
a.3 Minimum of 400 to a maximum of 800 per sqm regardless of the number of rooms (price charge gets lower when the space gets bigger, but this depends on other interior designers)
Interior design practitioners mostly use progress billing because fees on a percentage basis are tricky to apply. Difficult, why? The project must have an overall interior design and construction quotation to earn the payments on a percentage basis. With this situation, interior designers must prepare the approved plans for the contractors to quote. The signed contract from the client for the interior designer to proceed with an acceptance fee should be made.
Are The Professional Interior Designers Expensive?
That is not the question at hand. To answer your question, it might be to some people. The interior design profession is both a way of life and a business that must be respected. The stated fees are reasonable, and you can negotiate a discount with the interior designer. Design is not a free service. If you cannot afford to hire an interior designer, you can always request a consultation, which will cost you around 500 pesos per hour.
Space Project is under the management of FEROLINO ALEJO CORPORATION is a design and construction company focusing on creating engaging, comfortable, and deeply personal spaces. Inspired by the philosophy of “designing solutions,” Space Project is situated at So-oc, Mandurriao, Iloilo City with a satellite headquarters in Wagner, Ideal Subdivision, Commonwealth, Quezon City, Metro Manila, 1121.
For interior design inquiries, please email us at design@spaceprojectph.com. Visit our website at https://www.spaceprojectph.com/.