Taking on a home renovation project can be a great investment, leading to long-term property value improvements. Bathroom remodel projects or kitchen makeovers can effectively breathe new life into your home and make it more enjoyable to live in.
However, while a DIY project may sound like an exciting and cost-effective way to renovate a space, it’s important to consider whether or not it might be worth bringing in an interior designer to assist.
Understanding the Role of an Interior Designer
An interior designer is a professional individual who specializes in helping to plan and design a variety of spaces throughout a property. Their lists of services often include:
- Custom Design Concepts – Interior designers have extensive experience transforming rooms and open spaces in a home and can give you various design options when completing a renovation project.
- Material Sourcing and Selection – Because of their past experience working with contractors and suppliers, interior designers help homeowners better understand their options when choosing materials for their projects.
- Project Management – Interior designers can help offload much of the heavy lifting when planning and executing a home renovation project while also helping to ensure everyone stays on task and within budget.
Benefits of Hiring an Interior Designer
There are a variety of benefits to hiring an interior designer. Below are some of the reasons why many people choose to work with these professionals when taking on a new renovation project:
Expertise and Experience
While some homeowners may already have a certain amount of DIY experience, others may not be able to take on extensive projects without support.
Interior designers typically have years of experience and are experts in their field. They’re aware of popular housing trends and may even be up-to-speed with complicated city and building codes that are necessary to know before starting a project.
The experience they have also makes them capable of quickly identifying solutions to common challenges that can occur during renovations.
Time Savings
Not all renovation projects take the same amount of time to finish. While renovating an entire home may take several months to complete, individual rooms can be done in just a matter of weeks. However, interior designers can play an important role in expediting project timelines.
An interior designer can help you source materials and identify home furnishings much faster than you can do yourself. This can free up significant time for you to focus on other important parts of a project, helping to move the project forward with fewer disruptions.
Access to Exclusive Resources
Many interior designers will have access to certain trade discounts on materials that you won’t be able to get on your own. They also have pre-established relationships with contractors and suppliers that can lead to significant cost savings on your renovation project.
Less Stress
No matter how experienced you may be, a home renovation project can come with varying stress levels before it’s completed.
When you decide to hire an interior designer, you’re able to offload a lot of this to a professional who will remain accountable for seeing the project from inception to completion.
Potential Drawbacks of Hiring an Interior Designer
Although working with an interior designer can be beneficial in a variety of ways, there are some potential drawbacks to consider. These can include:
Additional Costs
Much like working with a contractor, interior designers are an additional expense that will add to the total cost of your renovation project.
Although a good portion of these fees can be successfully recovered due to the better pricing they’re able to provide you on materials or subcontractor quotes, it is important to factor their services into your total budget.
Potential for Creative Differences
Adding another individual to a home renovation project can create the potential for certain creative differences throughout the process. It’s important to go into your interior designer relationship with the right mindset, as you’ll want to use the experience and perspective they’ve developed over the years.
However, it is important to keep an open mind, as regular disagreements on the scope of a project can create expensive timeline delays.
Loss of Control
Most homeowners already have a certain vision when deciding to start a renovation project. While some may simply be interested in increasing their home value before selling, others may be excited about adding their personality into a space.
Some people find giving up a certain amount of design control difficult, and it could impact their ability to work effectively with a professional designer.
Need for Approvals
An interior designer will be able to work with a certain amount of autonomy, which is one of the primary benefits of hiring their services. However, in order for a designer to feel confident they’re moving the project in the right direction, you may be asked to have various feedback sessions or provide approvals when necessary.
To some individuals who want a completely hands-off approach to a renovation project, this may not be an ideal arrangement.
Make the Right Choices for Your Next Renovation Project
While hiring an interior designer can significantly improve the efficiency and scale of your next home renovation project, the decision on whether or not to hire an expert will depend on a variety of factors. By understanding the benefits and potential downsides of working with a designer, you’ll make sure your next project is a success.
Author Information
Author Name: Rebecca Denis
Author Bio:
Rebecca Denis, Head of Design at Revive Real Estate, is an accomplished and highly creative interior designer with over ten years of experience in the industry. With a passion for transforming spaces and a keen eye for detail, she has successfully completed numerous projects ranging from commercial spaces to custom show homes.
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