Yes, it is my understanding that this is common practice.

I think it is common, but there are ways some people work. For example, we got some professional help with lighting design. She had a high hourly rate, but she got a really good discount at the lighting stores and we paid her price with no markup. I think it is easier for people to relate to, you don't get the feeling that she picks more expensive stuff in order to make more, for example. Plus her prices were better than even the online prices we found (for things that were available that way). The first time we hired her, I would say the savings paid for her consultation charges. The second time we had a more complicated project, so we might not have quite broken even, but it still worked out well.

Lori's experience is "supposed" to be the way it works..it doesn't always so buyer beware!!

No, many do not share the "discount" with you ... that is their profit or markup on the furniture, so you will pay retail if they help you make a purchase at a furniture store.

Fees should be discussed up front and can vary quite a bit.

- some charge hourly plus x% markup from their wholesale cost for furniture/fabrics/labor

- some just charge hourly and will let you have the goods at their wholesale price.

- some don't have an hourly fee, but have a much larger % markup on goods/labor to make up the difference.

- and many other variations of the above

Ask all these questions up front so there are no surprises. Also make sure that they itemize their bills so you know what the charges are for. DO NOT use a designer that refuses to itemize their bills.

Any retail shopping i did with our interior designer was an hourly or daily fee charge. Furniture ordering was at his cost plus 35%. Occasionally that meant i paid more than i might have paid online or on sale; however, i might not have known those goods even existed. We also did not order anything in stock materials, so all fabrics were ourchased separately (same fee structure, his price plus 35%) for custom upholstery. Each item ordered, purchased or commissioned had a separate proposal sheet that i signed and sent back with a 50% deposit check before it was ordered. Every single item. There were no surprises----he had signed propsals it all, as did I. He said this was the way he was taught to conduct business as the industry standard (everything proposed and accepted prior to purchase or order) .

It isnt inexpensive to hire a good designer but having done two big projects and several small ones with ours i believe we have received excellent value from the association.