Monday, December 7, 2009

Hiring a Professional Designer

Professional designers are our sources for the latest fashion trends, the most brilliant decorating ideas and the best products- they help everyone from huge corporations to individual homeowners personalize their spaces to reflect their styles and personalities perfectly and accurately, not to mention lavishly. Designers do all of the ground work for the rest of us to find the latest and greatest additions to our homes while still staying within the budgets that have been set for the projects. Here are some of the tips that you should follow to choose a designer to work for you.
Your best starting point is to interview many different designers before you decide on hiring one; that way you will be exposed to many different professionals to help you decide which will be best for you. Be sure that you ask as many questions as you can- the best professionals will be open and up front about costs and fees so that you won’t suffer from any surprises once the project is finished. Interview them over the phone if you need to and see if you can get some estimates upfront.
Be sure that you find a professional that you not only feel comfortable in but one that fits your budget too. Some designers operate while they require a minimum charge and others only deal with certain aspects of design. Just make sure that you are having an enjoyable experience with your designer that you have hired; if you aren’t, fire that one and get going with someone else. Do any friends or family members have any recommendations for you to follow up on?
Get references directly from the professional- he or she should have photos and a portfolio that shows off the work that he or she has done in the past so that you can get a good idea of what types of skills and talents they will bring to your home design. Don’t hesitate to discuss the quality and outcome that you expect in the work and what you want the end result to include. Discuss not only your budget but also the schedule that you would like to keep. Finally, get important details in writing; these important tidbits include monies to be paid, time limits, the scope of the work, any other contracts and agreements and anything else you feel like you need backed up.

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