**I beseech you, PLEASE, expand your thinking to foremost consider the term “investment” to take precedence over “budget.” Ultimately, you are investing in yourself, your surroundings, and your quality of life. Stop thinking in solely monetary terms.**

What is your time worth? What is your happiness worth? What is your health worth? What are you willing to invest? What can you afford to spend? Obviously, what you can afford to spend has a direct affect on the project as a whole. It determines things like the following:

• The extent to which you can afford design services
• How much space can be affected
• What materials are available for the project
• The quality of Finishes and FF+E to be purchased

Balance the project. Most owners, including myself, want more than what they can afford. The overall success of a project is a balancing act between the parts of the project deemed critical verses those deemed desirable. And, even within those broad categories, there is room to make compromises. A worthy designer can help you determine those elements that are critical, those that can be “cheated,” and those that can be eliminated without sacrificing the overall end result of the project while ultimately maintaining a project integrity that upholds your values.

Values + Design. Your values are the most critical element within the design process. You may never have had to assess your values in design terms before, and you may not know how to begin. In some cases, you may not be well enough educated about product specifics to even have a value system in place yet. Your designer can educate you on a wide variety of things, things or events with which they have had experience, information that they have been taught, and knowledge that is industry-specific and not usually provided to the public. As much as possible, work with your designer to define your values before the on-set of the project, and the rest you’ll learn and define as you move through the process as a whole. A clear cut understanding of your values has a definite impact upon budget.

How do I develop a budget? Decide how much you are willing to spend. Decide whether this will be an out-of-pocket expense or a loan scenario. Work through lenders to figure out how much you will be able to borrow. Make a list of the items you want to address, and make that list as minutely detailed as possible.

What can I expect to spend on design services? This varies greatly depending upon the fee structure of the design firm, the available budget, the project requirements, the time or desire for involvement that the client has to put into the project, and the desired quality of the end product. Estimate 20-30% of the total cost will be spent on professional design services for full service treatment.

For many projects Expressive Environments LLC is set up on an hourly fee basis so that you can be in control of how much you spend for services. As each project is unique, we work through the pros and cons of each potential solution with our clients to ensure they receive the best value in terms that make them comfortable.

What if I have a very limited budget? Pay for a consultation. If you’re willing to do the work yourself but need help getting started, a consultation is a great way to begin. An in-home consultation enables a designer to get to know you and to review your space simultaneously. As well, it provides you with an opportunity to “pick the brain” of the designer. He or she will provide you with ideas and potential solutions for your general needs and may share with you places to shop for the best deals or tell you where not to shop.

What if I want more than I can afford? This is the most common problem. Most people want more than they can afford, and the typical American lifestyle encourages both debt and immediate gratification. Debt may be unavoidable, may be planned for, and may be necessary to improve the overall value of the property. On the other hand, debt may not be an option. Regardless of the circumstances, in most cases compromises will be made.
If immediate gratification and total transformation of the space is the goal, begin by reassessing your values regarding the various project elements. The industry calls it “Value Engineering.” Rather than adding value to the project, it provides compromises and potential solutions for devaluing (temporarily or permanently) one aspect in favor of another. Perhaps you’ll opt for paint in the powder room instead of the imported Italian wall covering.
If you can postpone the total gratification, elongate the duration of the project. Take it slow. Start with a well developed plan, divide it into the constituent elements, and attack the project bit by bit. Perhaps begin with a fresh coat of paint or new carpet and add one major piece of furniture every 8 weeks till it’s complete.
Most people decide on a combination of the two approaches by temporarily value engineering certain components that can be added at a later date without compromising the quality of the materials or the project as a whole.

How do I estimate project costs? The first step is to identify the scope. Then, develop a plan of action. Be sure to think through all of the details so that unforeseen costs don’t creep up on you. Preferably, work with a professional to be sure that you have identified all of the details. You’ll likely need to acquire estimates from a variety of contractors or sub-contractors. Visit our FREE INFO page to find some helpful means of getting started.