Frequently Asked Questions.
Pricing
1. How much do you charge for Interior Design?
Our designers range from $175 to $225 per hour, based on the project type. We have one in-house designer and multiple freelance designers who set an hourly rate according to the specifics of the project
2. How do you price construction projects?
Each project is unique and different, so costs can vary but we always use a Cost-Plus system. This means we do not charge a flat rate for projects which is called a GMP (Guaranteed Maximum Price)
3. What is the hourly rate for a handyman?
The Handyman standard hourly rate is $100 per hour. Our handyman must be booked for a minimum of 4 hours. The only exception to our 4-hour minimum is a service call for existing and established clients. Service call fees start at $200.
4. Do you charge a mark-up?
Homes Innovation charges an industry standard 20% markup for all construction projects to cover overhead & profit. Materials and other products can be marked up between 20-35% at the contractor’s discretion. For interior design projects the Designer will use best practices to mark up items such as furniture, custom cabinets, vanities, stone slabs, etc. Keeping in mind designers can receive 10-40% off retail for design industry items and are able to pass along some of those discounts to the Clients.
5. What are considered “billable hours” for interior design fees?
The time a designer spends on your project will accumulate into an hourly fee. This includes; on-site visits, design meetings, procurement/sourcing (buying stuff), research, coordinating deliveries, contractors and 3rd party vendors, obtaining/negotiating quotes, receiving & inspecting items, staging the home, etc. Most work is performed via phone calls, texts and emails, which is part of the billable hours. The cost for the Designer directly reflects all of the time needed by the Designer to complete the project.
Keep in mind that an experienced designer with systems & processes in place, using reliable vendors, tradesmen, and contractors can work efficiently to keep billable hours as low as possible. Clients who are decisive, responsive and organized typically do not go over the estimated hours. If the Designer foresees the project will exceed more than 10% of the hours estimated, she/he will notify the Client and discuss any extra design fees.
6. How do I know how much my project will cost?
Homes Innovation first provides a rough estimate to see if a project falls within the Clients budget. A cost-plus contract with firm quotes for labor and materials will be issued when both parties agree to move forward.
We provide weekly and/or monthly financial updates through our required monthly invoices, which coordinate with receipts of items paid and invoices. This will also include the fees for the Designer’s hours if applicable.
7. How are payments managed?
Homes Innovation, depending on the project size, requires a 25% or more upfront deposit for all projects to secure your project start date. We will invoice each month and/or week against the initial deposit and continue to bill at intervals for the remaining amounts. All decor, furniture, appliances, design materials, etc. must be paid upfront before the orders can be placed.
8. What is a "Materials allowance budget"?
This budget is to cover the cost of materials, which the GC has estimated in total. Materials can include things such as; Durock, lumber, screws, brackets, plumbing parts, thin set, compound, etc. (most of items will come from home improvement stores like Home Depot, Lowes, and Floor&Décor.)
Project Overview
1. Can I live in the home while it is being renovated?
We recommend that clients find an alternate place to stay for bathroom and kitchen renovations. Other projects such as interior painting, new flooring, and windows can also be very invasive and make living in a construction zone difficult and stressful.
2. Once my project is complete, can I contact you for any free repairs?
30-60 days after we complete a project, we can come back to the job site free of charge to inspect the situation and see how we can assist. If the issue is not due to any neglect on our end or a manufacturer’s defect, a “Service Call Fee or Handyman Fee” will apply if we need to perform any additional work.
Living in Florida, we have extreme weather conditions with the hot sun heating up our roofs and cold air conditioning on the inside of our homes. This causes our homes to retract and expand which can create small cracks in our ceiling and along grout lines. We also have harsh water that can discolor our caulk. For this reason we offer to come back to your home one time, post completion of the project, to address any grout and caulk issues.
3. What is a Punch-list?
Once the project is completed, the client and GC/Designer will be conducting a final walkthrough, inspecting the work put in place. Any defects and/or imperfections discovered will be discussed and recorded. In a timely manner “punch list items” will be scheduled for repair and followed by an “acceptance walk” by both parties.
It is understood that additional items discovered after the final walkthrough will not be accepted unless there is an extenuating circumstance. Once all Punch-list items are completed and accepted, the project is closed and any additional work can be subject to additional fees.
4. What is a Change Order?
A Change Order can add or remove work from the original contract scope, and can affect the contract price and schedule. Change orders are often necessary because it’s difficult to anticipate every challenge during a construction project.
5. How do you notify the client of a necessary Change Order?
Any necessary change orders discovered along the way will be communicated to the client. In most cases we will email the client specific details about the Change Order and inform them of the cost (debit or credit) associated with the Change Order.
6. What is an example of a necessary Change Order?
Our crew is remodeling a bathroom and after demo they realize that the 2×4 wood braces behind the tiled shower wall have wood rot and are not usable. The remedy for this situation is to insert a Change Order to add ‘New 2×4 wood placement on all affected areas that are contaminated by the wood rot’. This is an example of a Change Order that would result in an additional fee for the client.
7. Can a client request a Change Order?
The Client many request a Change Order, and this request must be submitted in an email.
If a client has a Change Order Request that is after demolition has started, a $200 fee for each “Change Order Request” will be applied. This fee is for the immediate attention required to communicate and organize the information for the team and complete invoice updates for that Change Order Request.
If the Change Order Request results in delaying workers any amount of time over 4 hours, (Half Day) a rate of $350 will be applied to each day the Subcontractor is not able to perform original contracted work due to the clients Request for the Change Order.
8. What is an example of a client requesting a Change Order?
A client selected a tile, paid in full and tile is delivered. Tile installer begins to install tile and the Client starts to dislike the tile and decides to select a new tile that will take 7 days to deliver. Because this Change Order stops workers from completing the project in a timely manner, the Client will be charged $350 per day for every day workers are unable to perform original contracted work due to the clients Request for Change Order.
9. Can a client use his or her own preferred vendors?
A client has the opportunity to use his or her own plumber or electrician. A client must provide contact information for their preferred vendors far in advance of the set demo day. Homes Innovation will always provide our preferred vendors and provide quotes unless otherwise requested.
The Client may choose to receive multiple quotes for plumbing, electrical or any other vendor as long as it does not hold up production. If the request for additional quotes stops work progress, the Request for Change Order fee of $350 will be applied.
