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Before signing, asking clearly about cost, time, drawings and each party's scope of work helps both sides judge whether the collaboration is a good fit. The following ten questions are organized around residential design commissions; specific arrangements are subject to the project quotation and contract.
How is the design fee charged? By area or by package?
深圳市熹合空间设计有限公司 bases its quotation on area and depth of service, and the project's complexity also needs to be taken into account. You should check the quotation to confirm the stages included, drawings, coordination items and the starting area for calculation; the final amount and design scope are subject to the contract.
How long does the whole process take?
The timeline is affected by area, site information, depth of renovation and the pace of confirmations. Before commissioning, the time and delivery requirements for the concept, development, construction drawings and soft furnishings stages should be listed; the design timeline and the construction period need to be confirmed separately.
Do you take on construction?
We do not take on construction. 深圳市熹合空间设计有限公司 provides residential design-only services and design implementation support; specific drawings, materials and detail work are subject to the contract. Construction is commissioned separately by the homeowner; design checks do not replace statutory engineering supervision, and each party bears the responsibilities under the agreement and applicable regulations.
Can we do only half — just hard finishes or just soft furnishings?
Phased commissions can be discussed on a project basis, but the scope and interfaces of each phase should be clarified first. If furniture, curtains or wall-mounted items involve power, boxes or embedded provisions, they should be coordinated before the relevant construction; purchasing can be scheduled separately.
The apartment hasn't been handed over yet — can design start first?
Before handover, you can already discuss living needs, reference images, draft floor plans and budget direction. Unverified dimensions must be kept as conditions to be confirmed; once on-site measurements and professional information are complete, the corresponding development and construction drawings can be finished.
Our budget is fairly tight — are you a suitable fit?
You can first explain your budget, area and the scope you hope to commission, then judge whether the service fits. Prioritize confirming essential functions and conditions that are hard to change later; other items can be simplified or phased according to needs; whether to commission is then decided by both sides on this basis.
Is a small apartment worth hiring a designer for?
It depends on the renovation problems and the help needed. Small homes often require careful arrangement of circulation, storage and multi-use spaces; you can first identify the few things you most want to solve, then weigh whether the scope of design services and the fee are appropriate.
How detailed will the drawings be?
Drawing depth should be listed in the deliverables index, specifying the scope of floor plans, ceiling and equipment coordination, lighting, elevations, details and related schedules. Who completes the specialized development for structure, MEP or custom manufacturers must also be stated; a set of design drawings cannot be equated with all professional documents.
Can you deliver soft furnishings on site?
Within the commissioned scope, we can provide soft furnishing schedules, selection and on-site coordination, checking dimensions and samples before ordering. Purchasing, transport, installation and after-sales need to be confirmed separately with the specific channels; design coordination cannot replace the supplier's performance.
How do we judge whether we're a good fit?
You can look at whether the team understands your living needs, whether it can explain trade-offs with concrete proposals, and whether the quotation and contract clearly state delivery and coordination scope. Also consider communication style, the actual person in charge and the pace of feedback, leaving both sides ample opportunity to judge.
Put needs and agreements on the same table
深圳市熹合空间设计有限公司 holds to the idea that "only those who have designed homes understand living," and collaboration discussions should also start from the specific family. Whether you need to keep a room that can be closed off for work, or want your parents to stay comfortably when they visit, will affect the proposal and also the work that needs to be commissioned.
Confirm these needs together with the quotation, drawing index and coordination items, then write them into the commission agreement. If changes arise later, the discussion can continue along the same record.
