Two interior design quotations are only comparable when you understand what each one includes. A lower fee may cover fewer deliverables, while another proposal may include additional drawings, sourcing or implementation support. Ask for the scope in writing before making a decision.
Check the scope and outputs
Look for the spaces covered, stages of work, number of concepts or revisions, drawings and schedules, material selections, meetings and any site visits. If the proposal says “full design,” ask what that means in practical terms. Request examples of the documents you will receive.
Separate professional fees from project spending
Ask whether the amount covers design work only or also includes products, furniture, labour, delivery, installation, taxes or supplier fees. If the designer helps procure items, confirm who pays the supplier, who checks deliveries and how substitutions are approved. Do not assume that an item shown in a visualisation is included in the fee.
Read exclusions and assumptions
Check what the proposal does not cover: specialist consultants, approvals, additional rooms, site conditions not yet visible, transport, storage or extra revisions may be treated separately. Ask how unknown conditions will be assessed and documented before further work proceeds.
Understand payments and changes
The proposal should explain payment dates or milestones, how long the offer is valid, how either side can pause or end the engagement and how changes to scope are priced. Agree who can approve a variation and how its cost or timing is confirmed. Keep approvals in a shared written record.
Compare value against your brief
Ask yourself which proposal provides the information and support your project needs, whether its responsibilities are clear, and whether the proposed process suits your timing. References and relevant completed work can help you evaluate fit, but they do not replace a clear agreement.
Use the brief template to request comparable proposals, and see our guide to planning interior design costs in Nairobi. You can find professionals in the IDAK directory.
