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How Much It Costs to Work With a Bathroom Designer
Learn what these pros do and how they charge for their work
If you’re planning a bathroom remodel, hiring a professional bathroom designer could be well worth the expense. These specialized professionals have creativity and technical knowledge that can make your new bathroom more beautiful, functional and safe. But how much does it cost to hire one?
Bathroom design by Kitchen Intuitions
- Confirm a realistic budget. Bathroom designers know current costs for products and materials as well as for making layout changes. Therefore it’s a good idea to share your budget with your bathroom designer at the outset — that way they can help you understand how far it will go. Many homeowners are surprised at the price tag for a bathroom remodel, but when you think about all the components going into a relatively small space, the relatively high price per square foot for bathroom remodels makes more sense. “It is the most complex room in the house, with complex plumbing along with electrical and space constraints,” says Michelle Fee of bathroom design firm Change Your Bathroom in Atlanta. Once a final budget is established, a bathroom designer can help you stay within it.
- Select and design products, finishes and materials. Depending on their business models, bathroom designers may recommend cabinet door styles or countertop materials, pick out the fixtures for the sink and shower and talk you through the merits of keeping the tub or going with a shower alone. They also can purchase products and materials that are available only to the trade (not sold directly to homeowners).
- Order products and manage delivery to the home. Bathroom designers take care to ensure that the right products are ordered and delivered on time. This is particularly helpful with cabinetry, which often involves many detailed specifications.
- Ensure the project is properly installed. If regulations in your city, county and state allow, a bathroom designer may oversee a project like a general contractor would, managing the trades on the job. Often, they instead become important players on the overall remodeling team, where they act as your advocate and collaborate with the builder to ensure the bathroom is installed to plan. Either way, bathroom designers follow a job through to completion.
Bathroom design by Lauren Levant Interior
How Much Does a Bathroom Designer Charge?
Bathroom designers charge for their services in a variety of ways. These professionals may be found in cabinet or kitchen and bathroom showrooms, on the staff of design-build firms or managing their own independent businesses — and their fee structures often depend on the structure of the business. The key distinction is whether your bathroom designer sells products. Many do, though others are independent and don’t sell any products. (It’s worth mentioning that most bathroom designers also design kitchens, though a few specialize in bathrooms alone.) Here are some of the terms you may hear when you meet with potential bathroom designers and learn about their fees.
Hourly rate. Independent bathroom designers often charge an hourly rate. This could be as low as $45 per hour or as high as $250, but often it’s around $125 to $150. In addition to time your pro spends actually designing your new bathroom, the hourly rate may apply to time spent in meetings, on phone calls, on site visits and more.
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How Much Does a Bathroom Designer Charge?
Bathroom designers charge for their services in a variety of ways. These professionals may be found in cabinet or kitchen and bathroom showrooms, on the staff of design-build firms or managing their own independent businesses — and their fee structures often depend on the structure of the business. The key distinction is whether your bathroom designer sells products. Many do, though others are independent and don’t sell any products. (It’s worth mentioning that most bathroom designers also design kitchens, though a few specialize in bathrooms alone.) Here are some of the terms you may hear when you meet with potential bathroom designers and learn about their fees.
Hourly rate. Independent bathroom designers often charge an hourly rate. This could be as low as $45 per hour or as high as $250, but often it’s around $125 to $150. In addition to time your pro spends actually designing your new bathroom, the hourly rate may apply to time spent in meetings, on phone calls, on site visits and more.
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Bathroom design by Michelle Graham Design
Design retainer or flat fee. For their initial design services, bathroom designers often charge a flat fee or a design retainer. For the introductory meeting with you to brainstorm design options, some designers do charge a fee. We spoke with designers who charge $350 to $500 for that first conceptual meeting. Other designers may not charge for this initial meeting.
Once you’ve decided to work with a particular pro, he or she may ask for a design retainer (sometimes also called a flat fee) that covers the designer’s time spent planning your new bathroom — frequently at a discounted rate. For a full bathroom design package, we spoke with designers who charge design retainers of $500 to $10,000, though $2,500 to $3,500 was more typical. Some pros set their design retainer fees based on a percentage of the total project budget.
Know that your designer may specify a certain number of hours of work on the project — or a specific number of design revisions — that are covered by the design retainer you pay. It may be that beyond that number, your designer will charge an hourly rate for additional time spent on your bathroom renovation. Be sure to check with your prospective designer to understand these details.
Another important thing to note is that these initial fees are usually nonrefundable. But bathroom designers who sell products may apply the design retainer or flat fee as a credit toward product purchases. And many bathroom designers let you keep the plan they create even if you choose not to move forward with them. Other bathroom designers don’t hand over a plan until you’ve signed a contract to work with them. Again, check with your designer on these details.
How to Talk About Your Style With Home Pros
Design retainer or flat fee. For their initial design services, bathroom designers often charge a flat fee or a design retainer. For the introductory meeting with you to brainstorm design options, some designers do charge a fee. We spoke with designers who charge $350 to $500 for that first conceptual meeting. Other designers may not charge for this initial meeting.
Once you’ve decided to work with a particular pro, he or she may ask for a design retainer (sometimes also called a flat fee) that covers the designer’s time spent planning your new bathroom — frequently at a discounted rate. For a full bathroom design package, we spoke with designers who charge design retainers of $500 to $10,000, though $2,500 to $3,500 was more typical. Some pros set their design retainer fees based on a percentage of the total project budget.
Know that your designer may specify a certain number of hours of work on the project — or a specific number of design revisions — that are covered by the design retainer you pay. It may be that beyond that number, your designer will charge an hourly rate for additional time spent on your bathroom renovation. Be sure to check with your prospective designer to understand these details.
Another important thing to note is that these initial fees are usually nonrefundable. But bathroom designers who sell products may apply the design retainer or flat fee as a credit toward product purchases. And many bathroom designers let you keep the plan they create even if you choose not to move forward with them. Other bathroom designers don’t hand over a plan until you’ve signed a contract to work with them. Again, check with your designer on these details.
How to Talk About Your Style With Home Pros
Bathroom design by Kitchen Design Concepts
Cost-plus or markup. This is a common way that bathroom designers are paid for their services, at least among designers who sell products or purchase them for you. With this model, a designer buys products at a trade (or wholesale) discount and then marks up those products to the client, keeping the difference. This is much like a retail store that buys T-shirts directly from a manufacturer and then marks up the shirts to shoppers. Just as you won’t see the wholesale price of an item on the sales tag at a store, you aren’t likely to see the trade price and cost-plus markup on your invoice from your bathroom designer.
Independent designers who charge only by the hour won’t mark up products (since they don’t sell them), but you’ll usually still pay a markup — either to a showroom or retailer that sells products or a different pro who does, such as a general contractor. Markups are baked into the cost of remodeling a bathroom.
Cost-plus or markup. This is a common way that bathroom designers are paid for their services, at least among designers who sell products or purchase them for you. With this model, a designer buys products at a trade (or wholesale) discount and then marks up those products to the client, keeping the difference. This is much like a retail store that buys T-shirts directly from a manufacturer and then marks up the shirts to shoppers. Just as you won’t see the wholesale price of an item on the sales tag at a store, you aren’t likely to see the trade price and cost-plus markup on your invoice from your bathroom designer.
Independent designers who charge only by the hour won’t mark up products (since they don’t sell them), but you’ll usually still pay a markup — either to a showroom or retailer that sells products or a different pro who does, such as a general contractor. Markups are baked into the cost of remodeling a bathroom.
Bathroom design by Cabri
Deposit. It’s common for bathroom designers to require a large deposit, or down payment, before ordering products for a bathroom remodel. Initial deposits may range from 25 to 65 percent of the total project cost, though around 50 percent is typical. Another large chunk of the project cost (30 to 50 percent) is usually due when the cabinetry is delivered to the home.
Project milestone-based fees. If your bathroom designer comes from a building background or is part of a general contractor or design-build firm, you may encounter a milestone-based fee structure. With this method, the total cost of the project is divided into payments you make at specific milestones in the remodeling process — for example, when you get the building permits, after the cabinets are ordered, once the bathroom is demolished, after cabinets are installed.
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Bathroom
Deposit. It’s common for bathroom designers to require a large deposit, or down payment, before ordering products for a bathroom remodel. Initial deposits may range from 25 to 65 percent of the total project cost, though around 50 percent is typical. Another large chunk of the project cost (30 to 50 percent) is usually due when the cabinetry is delivered to the home.
Project milestone-based fees. If your bathroom designer comes from a building background or is part of a general contractor or design-build firm, you may encounter a milestone-based fee structure. With this method, the total cost of the project is divided into payments you make at specific milestones in the remodeling process — for example, when you get the building permits, after the cabinets are ordered, once the bathroom is demolished, after cabinets are installed.
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Bathroom
Can You Afford to Hire a Bathroom Designer?
Bathrooms are complicated spaces to plan. “A full bathroom, even a small one, is nearly as much time and effort as a medium-sized kitchen,” says Todd Smith, owner of Renaissance Inc. - The House Whisperer in Blacklick, Ohio. Having a bathroom designer on your team can prevent a lot of headaches — these pros can recommend products and materials you may not have known about and help you maximize space with smart layout options that your contractor might not mention. It’s common for homeowners who hire designers to say they are happier with their remodel as a result.
If you don’t see how a bathroom designer might fit into your budget as a full-fledged part of the renovation team, you might think about hiring one on a limited basis for a consultation. A good design professional could offer a number of valuable ideas that you can incorporate into your new bathroom.
Find bathroom designers near you and see their work
More on Houzz
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Bathrooms are complicated spaces to plan. “A full bathroom, even a small one, is nearly as much time and effort as a medium-sized kitchen,” says Todd Smith, owner of Renaissance Inc. - The House Whisperer in Blacklick, Ohio. Having a bathroom designer on your team can prevent a lot of headaches — these pros can recommend products and materials you may not have known about and help you maximize space with smart layout options that your contractor might not mention. It’s common for homeowners who hire designers to say they are happier with their remodel as a result.
If you don’t see how a bathroom designer might fit into your budget as a full-fledged part of the renovation team, you might think about hiring one on a limited basis for a consultation. A good design professional could offer a number of valuable ideas that you can incorporate into your new bathroom.
Find bathroom designers near you and see their work
More on Houzz
Top Styles, Colors and Finishes for Master Bath Remodels
Find a pro to help with your remodel
Shop for home products
A bathroom designer’s fees can vary depending on the work to be done as well as the price of materials and design services in your area. To get a sense of the range, we interviewed 11 bathroom designers around the country. Here’s what you need to know about what these professionals do and how they charge for their work.
What Do Bathroom Designers Do?
Bathroom designers can transform the spark of a remodeling idea into a beautifully refreshed bathroom. They:
- Create design concepts. A good bathroom designer will ask questions to find out what isn’t working about your bathroom now — whether it functions poorly, has unappealing style or lacks space. Your designer will want to know who uses the bathroom and how often. He or she may also ask how long you plan to stay in your home and whether you’d like your redesign to include features that support aging in place. “If you’re planning to retire in this home, maybe we’ll look at anti-slip porcelain tile options and opt for a linear drain without shower glass so that one could wheel into the shower should there ever be a need,” says Lauren Levant of kitchen and bath design firm Lauren Levant Interior in Pittsburgh. A designer will also want to know which styles, colors and materials you like. Your bathroom designer will use this information to come up with a vision — or design concept — for your new bathroom.
- Create design plans. Some bathroom designers plan every detail of the room, from layout changes down to the precise pattern of tile for a shower niche. Others design or select only cabinets and hardware. Either way, bathroom designers create drawings and 3D renderings that offer a realistic preview of how your new bathroom will look. And good bathroom designers can help you prioritize your wish list. “A lot of times we’re working with a limited amount of space, so our clients have to decide what is most important to them — a larger vanity or a larger shower? A walk-in shower or a large tub?” says Claire Teunissen of Mingle, a kitchen and bath design firm in Plymouth, Minnesota.
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