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Understanding the Interior Design Process

Understanding the Interior Design Process

If it’s your first time working with a designer for a home or commercial space, you might not understand everything that goes into the process. Understanding the project as a whole, and each phase of design can ultimately save you time and money. Once you know your role and the roles of others involved in your interior design project, you will make the process much more enjoyable. You can try concrete wall skimming just click the site for more information.

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The first step is to find a design firm you feel comfortable with and trust has an experienced and respected team of architects, artisans and contractors. Each design firm works differently, and every project varies about how many phases you’ll go through. If your project is on a smaller scale, you might not have all the steps outlined in this article. Still, in general, the significant aspects of a design project are Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, and Bidding Phase. Construction Administration

Stages of Interior Design

Schematic Design 

This is the first stage of the design process when the scope of the project is defined. As the client, you’ll be very engaged in this part of the process with the designer and sometimes the architect, if necessary. The designer (and architect) will provide rough sketches and show materials to ensure the concept is headed in the direction you envision. This phase can take anywhere from weeks to months, depending on the firm you work with and the extent of the project. It can take longer if you don’t have any idea what type of design you’re looking for. In that case, the design firm can help steer you in the right direction.

 Design Development

The next stage aims to turn concepts into concrete action items. This stage will help to identify any problem areas that may not have been apparent upfront. In design development, the architect and interior design firm create initial architectural drawings and material specifications. You will be involved throughout this process as the design firm will need your feedback to zero in on the details and discuss solutions to any problems. Once you approve the direction of the design project, the next step is construction documents.

Construction Documents

In this phase, the preliminary drawings created in the design development phase of the project are now turned into working documents, refined for accuracy and code requirements. All the materials to be used in the project are finalized, and the specifications are prepared. Once this is complete, the documents serve as a tool to build out the project. You won’t be involved much in this phase due to its technicality, and the timeline depends on the scope of the project.

Bidding Phase

 In the bidding phase, the construction documents are sent to potential building contractors so they can prepare bids. The bid is an estimate of the cost and time it will take to complete your design project. You won’t be involved heavily in this phase except to review the bids. Your design firm will handle any negotiations or project management tasks in this phase. The timeline depends on the availability of the contractors. It can take up to six weeks for a residential design project to see an initial bid.

Construction Administration

 In the final phase, the manual work begins. A right design firm will ensure deadline expectations have been established and ensure you’ve approved of them before starting construction. The actual materials to be used are presented to you for final approval before installation. You should be able to make appointments at any time to view the progress (if you are living off-site). Your interior designer should be available throughout this phase to answer any questions or address concerns. At the end of this phase, your design project is complete!

 

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