FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
My pricing is very transparent and upfront. I charge a fixed fee and I am able to estimate my fees during initial meeting after I see the space and learn about your requirements. In very general terms, you should expect the overall cost of hiring a designer to be between 10% and 15% of the cost of the project, so if you have already been quoted "around 100K" for your kitchen project, I will most likely ask for ~10K in order to design it.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I schedule an initial consultation at the client's home in order to learn more about you, how you live, how the home needs to change in order to suit your needs. We discuss project parameters such as a very rough budget, contractor choice, structural concerns (if there are any) and timeframe for the project. Once my design contract is accepted and space is measured, first part of design is the schematic, so floorplan, space planning, addressing needs etc. Only after we make sure the floorplan / layout of the space is good we move over to the selections portion. Unless, of course, there is a selection that needs to be incorporated that dictates part of the design. I have a very structured process but I also have a lot of flexibility that comes from experience and understanding how remodeling works.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer as tested by the National Kitchen and Bath Association and also a Universal Design Certified Professional by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. I also have large and varied work experience - I know how to stick to a budget and design with stock cabinetry, but in later part of my career I designed primarily with custom cabinetry for clients with minimal budget constraints.