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There has been
recent confusion about the definition of Job titles in the Interior Décor
Industry and with just cause. As
an increased variety of courses and qualifications broaden the type of
skills that individuals offering interior services have, the homeowner
needs to do their homework before they can be confident to employ the
right person for the job.
In the days when
only the wealthy could afford to employ a professional to help them to
decide what wallpaper would match their upholstery they employed an
Interior Designer. The Interior Designer would then employ or
recommend a painter and decorator to do the wallpapering and everyone
was happy.
These days we seem to have as many job
titles to choose from as wallpaper styles before we can get on with
the job and call someone.
However that is
not necessarily a bad thing. The range of people available with a
range of expertise also means that there is a range of prices and fees
on offer too. You may not need a Design House to help you choose the
right wallpaper any more.
As more optional
services become available this means that more people are finding it
affordable to employ someone to get the right advice. They can save
money on the expensive mistakes that buying the wrong wallpaper or the
wrong furniture may lead to. They can also save themselves from
pulling hair out when the un-recommended decorator didn’t turn up.
Definitions of Interior specialist job
titles with qualifications, average fees charged and where to find
them can be seen below.
An
Interior Designer
Qualifications:
Likely to have
studied Degree level at a recognised Institution accredited by a
regulated learning body.
Studies include:
Design theory, the history of design and building interiors (so they
have structural knowledge in order to make suggestions on design which
include structural alterations to a property).
Fees:
Will often contract at an hourly rate or at a percentage of cost of
goods purchased. Hourly rates may be £35 - £200.00 per hour.
Professional
body: BIDA British Institute of Interior Design
Find:
www.bida.org.uk
Interior
Decorators and Interior Stylists
Qualifications:
Likely to
have studied part-time or full time in Interior Decoration at a
recognised Institution accredited by a regulatory body. Qualification
example BTEC National Diploma in Design.
Fees
charged: £20 - £60.00 per hour,
per day or fixed job rate.
Find:
The Home Staging
Network www.hsnwk.com,
House Wow Ltd www.housewow.co.uk
Home
Staging Consultants and Property Presentation experts
Qualifications:
Likely to have
completed a Home Staging course such the Home Staging Network distance
learning course.
May have
undertaken an interior design course or interior decoration course.
May have personal
property developing experience and/or experience of Estate Agency
work.
A Home Staging
course covers home staging techniques, business practice, customer
liaison, Property market influences.
The Home Staging
Network registers Members in the UK and asks them to confirm Business
registration number, Public liability Insurance, Data Protection
registration and signing up to the Home Staging Professional code of
practice.
Fees:
£15.00 - £55.00
per hour or set rates for the job,
Find:
The Home Staging
Network www.hsnwk.com
Local Yellow
pages under category for ‘Home Staging’.
Ensuring
you contract the best person for the job:
- Ask
what qualifications they passed and when
- Ask
how much experience they have had and relevance to your project
- Check
what your job requirements are against the above criteria
- Ask
to see their personal portfolio of work
- Ask
to see their written statement of terms and conditions (the legal
document which details your rights as a customer if things go
wrong)
- Ask
if they will provide a quotation in writing with 2 copies to be
signed by each of you
- Ask
if they belong to any professional bodies and whether they sign up
to a professional code of practice
- Ask
to see their certificate of public liability insurance
- Ask
if they are registered with the data protection act.
- Do
you like them and have confidence in their skills and
professionalism
Home Staging
Consultants and Interior Designers can be found at the Home Staging
Network
Website: www.hsnwk.com
Telephone: 0845
2570 451
Contact
the Network with feedback or your comments and articles for online display
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