Interior designer contracts protect both homeowners and interior designers by preventing misunderstandings during a home interior design project. An interior design agreement lays a framework for the project, including when the project will be completed, a payment schedule, and other important elements.

Elements of Contracts

Interior design contracts should contain as much detailed information as possible. At the minimum, an interior design agreement should include the following:

• A detailed description of the contract
• A detailed list of what the interior designer is, and isn’t, responsible for
• An explanation of how disputes will be resolved
• How long it will take to complete the project
• The designer’s fees and payment schedule
• The home interior design project’s budget
• The interior designer’s name, address, phone number and certification or license numbers
• Your name, address and phone number.

More Detailed Interior Design Contracts

The elements of contracts mentioned above should only be the basic building blocks of an interior design agreement. There are many other elements of contracts that might appear in your interior design agreement, such as:

• A list of additional services that may be offered during the project, along with fees for each service
• A list of home improvement contractors the designer will use (with contact information and licensing numbers)
• A maximum interior design fee
• A statement of ownership for project documents
• An explanation of how disputes between homeowner and interior designer will be mediated
• Periods when the homeowner must give the designer permission to proceed to the next stage of the project
• Provisions of fee changes due to unforeseen circumstances.

Your Interior Design Agreement

Before signing an interior design contract, you should understand the entire document. If even one sentence seems vague or unclear, hold off on signing the interior design agreement until you understand it. An interior design contract is a legal document; both you and the interior designer are bound by the agreement.

Some homeowners insist that their lawyer examine the contract before signing. This is recommended, as legal experts are familiar with elements of contracts that most people don’t understand. Don’t worry about insulting a home interior designer by insisting on a lawyer’s involvement. As a professional, the designer should understand the need for due diligence.

Record Keeping and Interior Design Projects

An interior design contract is the most important piece of paperwork associated with your home interior design project. You will, however, want to keep copies of all documents pertaining to the project.

Every time you talk to the interior designer, make a note of what was discussed and decided. Include the date and time of the discussion, and send a memo to the designer summarizing the discussion. Keep a copy of any memos you send for your own records.

In most cases, memos and record keeping just help your project run smoothly. In the event of a dispute, however, written records help you and the designer agree on what happened, when it occurred, and why individual design decisions were made.