Ten Steps to Writing an Interior Decorating Proposal

C.E. Chan reports:

"An interior decorating proposal clearly spells out who is responsible for what tasks, the timeline for completion and what amount will be paid. Without the interior decorating proposal, a lot of interaction between decorator and client can be left open to interpretation, leaving the potential for miscommunications in the business relationship. There are eight main components you need to include in your proposal...Set up a meeting with your client to discuss what work is involved in the project, when the work should be done, and what the fees are and when they will be paid...Take meeting minutes and submit this to your client for review. Once all the terms between you and your client are mutually agreed upon, then start drafting your proposal...Write an introduction that summarizes what you as the interior decorator are responsible for in the project, versus your client's responsibilities...Describe the scope of work, which is essentially a summary of what decorating work will be done for the client. These items may include big picture items such as providing new finish and furniture choices and layouts. It can also range from research and shopping for design items, to providing drafting services...List the items to be purchased and the expected budget for those items...Create a timeline for any steps in the work to be completed. If the job is to be completed in phases, detail what each phase consists of, and the completion dates for each...Account for all expected fees and reimbursable expenses for your work...Include a section that clearly spells out client responsibilities, such as decision-making timelines and responsibilities for payment and fees...Write a section in your proposal that covers the terms for resolving disputes and terminating the contract...Add a place for you and your client to sign the proposal as an acceptance of its terms...Proposals can make or break a potential relationship with your client and should demonstrate that you have a firm grasp on the work that needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and for how much. Make sure you keep lines of communication open to create a proposal that benefits you and the client."