You’ll get the best out of your relationship with an interior designer if you understand their processes. Here’s a handy guide to the stages and timescales involved in a typical house renovation that doesn’t require significant building works. You may be asked lots of questions when you first make contact with an interior designer. Your home location, project requirements, budget and timescale will need to fit in with their existing workload.

Step 1: initial meeting

Your designer will be keen to understand your project brief in detail.

• They’ll be interested in the age and architectural style of your home.

• They need to understand your lifestyle and what makes you tick.

• You’ll both need to decide if you can work happily together.

• Even in these early stages, it’s advantageous to work out how much you want to spend.

• Your designer needs to be fully informed to be able to make design and spending priorities.

• They’ll also use this opportunity to make sure that you’re familiar with their project portfolio and their professional terms and conditions.

Time: 2 weeks

• The designer will soon be in touch to confirm their interest in your project and provide you with a quote for their initial design services.

Step 2: initial design stage

• The next stage will be to appoint your designer formally.

• They’ll then develop the project brief, come up with initial design ideas and confirm budget guides.

• They’ll present their initial designs in the form of :

  • Floor plan (planing the function)

  • Mood boards (defining the style, color, materials)

  • Concept sketches (visualize the initial concept with perspective sketches)

  • Budget breakdowns

Time: 4-8 weeks

Step 3: detailed designs

• It’s then time to fine-tune the designs and make any changes.

• The designer will make agreed changes, prepare any:

  • Materials sample board

  • 3D models, renderings

  • FF&E specification list

  • Construction drawings

  • Prepare detailed costings

Time: 1-6 weeks

• This stage will provide you with the opportunity to ask any questions you might have, and to finalize any changes you might want to make to the initial design.

Step 4: procurement & project management

• Once you have approved the designs and budget, it’s time to plan an ordering schedule so that all items arrive on time.

• Lead times can vary, and there are sometimes multiple suppliers involved in the manufacturing of a single piece.

Time: 6-12 weeks

• Building works can be proceeding simultaneously, and product deliveries will be scheduled to coincide with any building program.

Step 5: deliveries & installations

• The running time for deliveries and installations will often take up to 2 weeks in total.

Step 5: snagging

• Inevitably small jobs get missed, or paintwork gets knocked, so it’s best to add in a few days to make sure everything is completed correctly.

Time: 2-5 days

Total timescale

• Every project is unique with varying requirements.

• Give your designer plenty of time to think through all the details, so that you get the best results.

Time: 14-31 weeks