Why disclosing your budget is so important
When you enter into discussions with a Designer, it is important that you specify a budget for your home project or event; noting whether the total amount is inclusive of the Designers' fee or finish / product-specific only. This should be something you should either mention on initial contact with a prospective Designer or a prioritised topic to be discussed in your initial consultation once you have settled on someone you would like to work with.
Cast aside your cynicism, friends!
Designers do not use this information to determine how much they can ‘milk’ you for their time. This information is genuinely used with your best interests at heart.
In the very first instance, setting a budget will help both you and your Designer to determine if you are the right fit, cost-wise.
For example, say you plan to build a brand new 2-bed house, but your total budget is only 60k. It is unlikely that the assistance of a Designer will realistically fit into that budget, when you consider the cost of building materials and basic finishing that would easily absorb the majority (if not all) of this allowance.
In this instance, you would likely either be best to expand the budget to accommodate (highly recommended, given a Designer will stop you making costly mistakes during build that you may need to fix at an additional cost later!) or, forgo the Designer in favour of allocating the entire budget to the build itself.
Entering into discussions with a total cost in mind also helps your designer to determine realistic outcomes. Is this going to be the ultimate DIY or is there the ability to look at custom pieces? A good designer will also be able to advise if your budget is unrealistic for the exact outcome you wish to achieve, which may result in either a) you working your project in stages as the budget allows or b) you parting ways before any precious time is wasted (yours included!)
Once you do begin working with a Designer, the budget acts as a guide and constant reference point for them to determine the right finish suggestions for your project, using their industry experience and product knowledge to weigh up your practical requirements, vs. cost of materials and installation. It gives them the ability to work out where your money would be best allocated: areas to spend more on and others where you could pare back, in order to get the best overall results.
Transparency is key to a good design relationship, and just as any good Designer will aim to be as up-front about their fees as possible (though obviously they cannot account in advance for any anomalies /unexpected issues that may be encountered along the way!), it is important that as a client you extend the same courtesy for the best outcome!
