Cost of Remodeling a Bathroom -
Using a Bathroom Designer or Not

Your cost of remodeling a bathroom may be a bit higher when using a bathroom designer, but there are many levels at which you can use their specialized skills.

We'll show you a breakdown of designer fees, but have a look at the advantages of retaining a Bathroom Designer to help you decide on the best way to approach your bathroom remodeling. Thereafter you can use the Bathroom Remodeling Costs checklist to calculate your total budget.

To understand the fees charged by a bathroom designer, one needs to bear in mind that:

• An interior designer is a trained, qualified professional and may have to be licensed (in certain states or countries) to carry the title - unlike an interior decorator.
• They may have business overheads and regularly invest thousands in sample books for wallpaper, paint, fabric etc.
• They've often invested in expensive software to enable you to see (in fantastic detail) their vision of your bathroom design. That's not necessarily a guarantee of a good designer though. (An expensive camera does not make for a good photographer.) However, it is especially helpful for clients who cannot visualize an end result from a two-dimensional drawing.

A design project typically progresses in stages and designers may show a fee structure for every stage - giving you a choice as to which level you want to make use of their services. This allows for flexibility - both for budget planning and for clients who wish to oversee some (or most) of the implementation themselves.

Product Based: If you buy your bathroom products from a retailer, there may be no bathroom design fees at all. Buying from a designer on this basis may get you a specified number of free consulting hours where the designer makes an income from marketing a product range.

Initial Consultation: This is often free, allowing the client to view the designer's portfolio and discuss fees. The designer may make some good design suggestions at this point which may persuade the client to use his/her services. Subsequent meetings may be charged at a per hour rate and can range from $30 to $300 per hour.

Design Fee: Your designer may quote you a fixed rate for your bathroom design. They will supply detailed design drawings, a sample board showing a color scheme and materials to be used, as well as brochures of suggested fixtures and fittings. This could extend to custom designed vanities etc. They may also assist you with submission plans to the relevant authorities at an additional cost.

Construction Specifications: Plumbing and electrical diagrams and construction drawings (which your contractors can use to quote upon and implement the work) may carry an additional cost.

Project Management: If you need your designer to oversee the work, expect to be billed at a per hour rate as well as for traveling costs to the site.

Commission on Materials: Where your designer makes the purchases for you, they may charge a commission of 20 percent on the total cost of the job (which will include delivery charges, installation, custom fabrication, retail cost of materials etc.) Your bathroom designer may also insist on using specific contractors or craftsmen, who may not be the cheapest available. However, they trust their workmanship for custom designs and reliability to work within time and budget constraints. 

Alternatively, the designer may source material at wholesale price and supply to the client at normal retail price. Whilst this has a cost advantage to the client, the range of products may be limited and not necessarily ideal for the project.

Note: Items specified by your architect and not by your designer should not form part of your designer's fee structure.

As soon as you engage the services of the bathroom designer, you'll be expected to pay a retainer or design fee deposit. You can work on a 50% - 75% deposit, calculated on the services that you'll require from the designer.

Check the agreement to see what portion (if any) will be refundable should you decide not to go ahead with the project. Thereafter progress payments must be made at pre-determined stages.

A further deposit will be due prior to the ordering of materials on your behalf or the commissioning of any work.

The above are guidelines only and fees will vary depending on your location and the reputation and level of expertise of the designer.

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