Picture this, you’ve purchased your dream home and have just about finished getting the interiors done. You had set your budget, but when the interior designing contractor hands you the final bill, you notice a different number than what was promised to you. You realise there is an increase of 5% to 10% of your initial cost estimate!
This scenario is not an uncommon phenomenon. It is one of the biggest reasons why people may still be wary before beginning any interior designing project. Most customers like to work within a budget and don’t prefer any surprises on the financial spending front.
Understanding how ‘affordable’ interior designers work and can ruin your home
The interior designing market has plenty of players. As a customer, it may seem like you have tons of options, but this isn’t entirely true.
There may be brands that claim to offer ‘great’ interiors in lower budgets but instead, use the reverse engineering process to fit into your estimate.
Either they will use inferior quality materials or skip certain items altogether. Some may lower the cost of certain products while unnecessarily overspending on other things. You could even face low quality work issues or find that articles don’t fit right due to poor artistry.
By trying to fit things into your budget, such brands might compromise on the safety of your home and family in the long run. You could also end up overspending because the hidden costs are bound to crop up eventually.
Here are some tactics ‘affordable’ interior designing brands may use:
1. Using incorrect measurements
One of the most commonly known yet widely used tricks is to use incorrect measurements across the project. Doing so is also one of the biggest reasons why projects can go over budget, and you may end up overpaying.
You must ensure that you take the right measurements at the beginning of the project. Ideally, the numbers should match with your home plan, so the chance of encountering surprise costs reduces.
2. Providing inaccurate estimates
The interior design contractor may not give you the details of the products purchased and their price per square feet. Instead, they may provide you with lump sum quantities for products and rates.
Ideally, an interior designer should give you a quotation outlining the estimated cost of the project before work begins. This gives you a fair idea about the money you would need to spend on the project. This quotation is also called a Bill of Quantities or BOQ.
Key Features of a BOQ
A Bill of Quantities or BOQ lists down the different components of your interior design project along with the estimated cost of each component mentioned.
As a customer, understanding the BOQ makes you aware of where you are spending your money. It also helps you to modify your budget if necessary, so you can customise the components of your project as per your requirements.
Remember that a good cost estimate specifies quantities of the items purchased in the applicable units like running feet or square feet.
Do keep in mind that the BOQ is an estimate and not the final cost of the project. There are bound to be some slight variations and the total cost could go above or below the estimate.
You can always expect to get a BOQ when dealing with a professional and reliable interior designing firm. Such firms will not hesitate to let you know where and how you are going to spend money on the project.
3. Using the wrong type of products
When the materials used are of the incorrect dimensions, it directly impacts the budget of the product.
Here are some examples:
Using 16mm ply instead of the standard 18mm ply to construct the wardrobe carcass.
The industry standard is to use 18mm or 19mm ply to make shelves. If the contractor uses 12 mm ply instead, the shelves will begin sagging over time.
The back support of a wardrobe is made using 8mm ply, so it remains durable. If a 4mm ply is used instead, the back support starts bending over time.
Using the wrong type of glass can be a safety hazard for you and your family. Toughened glass is used for items that need to carry a certain load or withstand an impact. The other option is float glass, and it is used for items where the load and impact are not significant criteria.
4. Using poor or inferior quality products
Good quality products come at a premium price, and if you are looking to skimp on costs, the quality will naturally take a backseat. In the long term, this can have a severe impact on your home’s quality and safety.
Here are some common examples of how ‘affordable’ interior designing means cutting costs by compromising on quality:
The words teak wood finish may be used, but this does not mean that the furniture in question is made in teak wood. Most of the time, the factory-made item could be manufactured using a medium density board (pre-laminated or post-laminated MDF).
Another tactic is using low-quality ply. There are plenty of branded as well as semi-branded options of ply available in the market today. It’s essential to know the ply’s source to tell the counterfeit ones apart from the good quality ones. A popular choice for interior projects across the country is the semi-branded ply, which is of good quality.
Using low-quality ply means running the risk of ruining your furniture in the long term.When using laminates, the typical internal thickness should be 1 mm. Instead of using the 1 mm, contractors may use the 0.8 mm or 0.9 mm internal thickness laminate. Over time the laminate could chip off or form bubbles.
Contractors also treat the edges with laminate strips instead of treating them with wooden strips or PVC edge bands. Doing this still leaves the edges sharp and prone to accidents.When refurbishing doors, the ideal method is to apply a 4 mm thick ply on both sides of the door and finish it with laminate or veneer. Contractors may only remove the existing laminate or veneer and replace it with a new one to cut costs.
Using the incorrect method to refurbish doors affects the strength, usability, and durability over time.The function of a false ceiling is not just to conceal wires. A false ceiling can bring the space together and make it look alive.
Many contractors do not mention the brand of gypsum used for the false ceiling. Instead of using reputed brands, the contractor may use low quality or local and unbranded gypsum to cut costs. Using counterfeit brands results in issues like cracks in the false ceiling and chipping.
If you consider how much these tactics cost you individually it might not seem much. However, add them up, and you will realise it can make a significant difference to your budget.
Here is an example:
On average, the hidden costs of a project could be anywhere between 2% to 5% of its total value. This means that if the total project value is 30 lakhs, your hidden costs could be around 1 lakh. Surprising, isn't it?
Source: Hipcouch
Getting your dream home to look exactly how you envisioned it is a challenge, but it should not compromise with quality and safety. If you have come across ‘affordable’ interior designing claims, you must remember to read the fine print, so it does not ruin your home. Our goal is to make customers aware, so they can always make the right decisions going ahead.
At Hipcouch, we understand that the interior designing process and the cost may seem intimidating to you. With our expertise and high-quality service, we are here to answer all your questions. Whether it is our products, designs, or warranty and after-sales support, we aim to deliver only the very best.
You can reach out to us on +91 97698 91528 or email us at contact@hipcouch.com. You can also book a design consultation with us by clicking here.