The design quote may fit your budget, but what happens if you need another month of rental accommodation before moving in? Or the cabinets arrive before the room is ready? Expenses like these sit outside the square-metre rate and are easy to miss when planning a renovation.
Put the price and schedule next to each other before agreeing to either. This covers interior design cost per square metre, how long design work takes, and where changes or delays could add to your spending.
How Long Does a Full Interior Design Project Take?
Does “finished” mean the drawings are ready, or that someone can move into the home? Get that clear at the first meeting. A design completion date alone will not tell you when the kitchen will be usable.
For reference, Denmark-based Anna P Studios gives a timeline of 2–2.5 months for its full interior design package. Work covers space planning and concept design, followed by material selections, 3D visualizations, and technical documentation. The quoted period covers design work, not a completed renovation.
Contractors need their own schedule. Their start date, the work involved, and material deliveries all affect when the property will be ready. Keep the design handover and move-in dates separate in your plan.
What Does Interior Design Cost per Square Metre Include?
Two quotes for the same floor area may pay for quite different work. One might cover a room layout. Another might include the detailed drawings needed to build it.
The full interior design service at Anna P Studios starts at €120/m², with a minimum fee of €4,000. Design supervision is optional. The final price and services need written confirmation for the individual project.
Read the quote with a few specific questions in mind:
- What floor area will be charged?
- Which drawings will be supplied?
- How many revisions are included?
- Are site visits extra?
- Does the price include VAT?
Furniture selection is also different from buying furniture. Unless purchases and building work appear clearly in the agreement, budget for them separately.
Where the Schedule Affects the Budget
A delay does not always change the designer’s bill. Under a fixed-fee agreement, the original design work might still cost the same. The expense could appear elsewhere, such as another storage payment while the home remains unfinished.
The reason for the delay helps identify which costs need attention.
| Change or delay | Possible extra cost |
| Revising an approved layout | Drawing fees for work outside the agreed scope |
| Materials arriving after the planned installation date | Contractor rescheduling charges, depending on the booking terms |
| Furniture arriving before rooms are ready | Storage fees |
| Moving in later than planned | Extra temporary accommodation |
| Requesting faster delivery | Express delivery charges, where offered |
None of these charges should be assumed. Ask the supplier or contractor what applies to the booking, and record any agreed cost before approving a change.
Settle the Layout Before Placing Orders
Suppose you decide to move the oven after ordering the kitchen cabinets. The drawing may be simple to update, but the order could need different cabinet parts. If installation has started, fitted work may also need changing.
Allow time to review the layout while it is still on paper. Walk through everyday tasks: opening the fridge, carrying food to the table, or reaching a cupboard beside an open door.
A few decisions need to happen in order:
- Approve the layout before detailed drawings proceed.
- Confirm appliance sizes before cabinet orders.
- Match installation bookings to delivery dates.
- Gather review comments into one clear response.
Once a revision is approved, send the current drawing to everyone using it. An old version on site leaves room for work that no longer matches the plan.
Plan Around the Move-In Date
If your move to Denmark is already booked, give the designer that date at the start. Explain which rooms must be usable on arrival. A delayed sofa and an unfinished bathroom create very different problems.
Some purchases may wait until after the move. Splitting deliveries or installation visits, however, could bring extra charges, so ask about those costs before dividing the work into stages.
Keep a separate allowance for expenses tied to timing, such as temporary accommodation and storage. Request a written scope, a design completion date, and a contractor schedule before committing to the project. Those details give the square-metre price the context needed to plan the full budget.
