ArtistEyeDesigns|FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few questions that are often asked and may help you understand the role of the designer...

That is an option, but sometimes it is a case of being “pennywise and pound foolish”. If the designer is brought into the decision-making early, often the decisions made are different. As a designer, I look much farther down the road than just the immediate decision. The builder’s person does not usually know or ask about you functional uses, your furniture styles, and your lifestyle. They only look at the floorplan, not the space planning of the furniture and traffic flow. They are concerned with getting the decisions together fast so they can move on to the next. Do they go to the granite yard, the hardware company, the tile company, the lighting company with or for you? Do they research online for various options outside of their supplier for you? As a designer I work as a liaison between the builder’s team and the client, meeting with his subcontractors when needed and providing sketches and specifications so that all details are covered. This is important to achieve the goals of the finished project.

Can’t I just rely on the salespersons or contractor’s sub to help me with the decisions since they are the professionals in their field?

Unfortunately, they can only give you advice from their perspective. Yes, they know about their product and service, but they don’t necessarily know it in the context of your overall design. They often give you opinions based on their likes and dislikes or what they want to sell.. And they have no idea of what other choices you have made or will make. As a designer, I can assist by asking the questions and weighing the answers as they pertain to all the other decisions we are making and how they affect the overall design plan.

Actually it may not. It may take the designer a longer time and more effort to work around previously made decisions after the fact than if they had been able to assist with them in the first place. In value-based design you are paying for the designer’s knowledge and expertise about the subject and the time is only one factor in that fee structure. Also, if things need to be corrected to achieve the desired end results, you are paying twice for that product or service. It may be more cost effective to have the designer on board during construction than to compromise the design and have to settle or pay more to change.

I offer hourly fees, a value-based fixed fee, and/or square foot fees depending on what fits the parameters of the specific job. New construction projects and commercial projects are usually the square foot jobs. Sometimes a combination is appropriate.

A value-based fee pays the designer based on the value they bring to the job. It is a fixed fee for the scope of work that is predetermined in detail. Based on past experiences, I determine the time it should take to accomplish the full design desired, the budget level of the project, and the risk factors involved. The fixed fee is established for the specific areas and tasks specified, but additional work can be done for additional fees. This method may sound high at first, but is calculated on a lower rate than the hourly rate and is fixed, so you know up front what you will be paying rather than being open-ended. With hourly, you will be paying whatever time it takes for the designer to find that perfect item for you…which could be 3 hours or 3 days. For me, I don’t have to track the time, so the focus is on getting the right product and I am paid for knowing what to look for and knowing it when I see it.

Yes, depending on what kinds of discounts that I receive from my suppliers. Since suppliers offer different discounts, I do not have a discount that works across the board for all products. In general, the discounts typically range from 10-40% off of retail.

Yes, my time is valuable to me and it costs me to drive to wherever you are. If I come to your home to see the project I want to have the freedom to answer your questions and give you my advice without feeling used. A professional, whether a plumber or doctor, typically charges for a visit. I would be wary of someone who doesn’t. But, that said, I do not charge for a phone call and always open to discussing your project first over the phone or email.

It is nice when a client has an idea of what they want in terms of quality of product and workmanship as well as an idea of the costs associated with that level. Clients who have not been in the marketplace for 20 years can really get sticker shock. You may see ads that advertise a sofa for $500, but when a high quality sofa may cost $1500-3000, they need to understand the difference in the level of product and its comfort and serviceability to them.