Question: How do interior decorators determine their...

Question: How do interior decorators determine their charges?

Answer: There is no standard method. Assuming that you have found the right interior designer, the following methods may be used to determine the fee, and you should choose the one that you feel best suits your particular needs.

The “flat fee” method is usually determined by the size of the project and the amount of time needed for completion. I prefer this because you are working with a fixed price, which you can budget. However, you should be certain that services, such as help in selecting carpeting or draperies, will be included in the fee.

Some decorators will bill you by the square foot. This could run as much as $50 a square foot. The square-foot charge is a rough estimate because the actual price depends largely on the size of the project.

Some decorators charge a percentage of the total job. This can range from 15% to 35%. Therefore, if the total cost of the project is $50,000, your designer might charge you 15% of that figure--$7,500. This is the method of billing employed by some of the higher-priced designers.

Others may charge by the hour. These fees can range from between $50 to $200 an hour. I do not care for this method of billing as it may run the charges up considerably for what may or may not be useful activity.

Lastly, and you will find this to be very common, many decorators still charge you retail for your purchases, while purchasing them wholesale.

The difference is usually between 25% to 50% of the cost of the entire project. Therefore, if an item has a high markup, this can be very expensive. Some antique items and art objects have markups of 100% or higher. However, many interior decorators are switching to other ways to pass the savings on to their clients.

I suggest that you budget an additional 10% over and above the estimated cost of your project, just to be on the safe side.

Fontaine is president of the Western Regional Master Builders Assn. and a director of the American Building Contractors Assn. He will answer questions concerning home improvements. Phone 213/653-4084 or write him at 6404 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 850, Los Angeles 90048-5510.