My cousin got it done in Bangalore recently. He hired some interior design studio and had a proper contract for delivery in stages and for exit.

• for delivery of 3D visuals/designers (he mentioned a name for it) —> and a proper cost for it and it will be my cousin’s
• then assessment of time and cost and it was a meeting —> there was a cost (nominal) for this as well (they billed hourly and he was fine with that)
• then another part or contact that talks about payment in instalment based on agreed cost and duration.

First of all the studio was talking about an overall estimate and cousin said - fuck no, I want you to break down to me and then I will proceed if it’s acceptable to me.

Anyway at the meeting stage it fell apart.

Design was good and he liked it but execution seemed shady and those folks were just full of buzzwords. Cost too fucking expansive and what they were delivering at that cost was simply not worth it. And time they were planning to take was just too long and on top of that they wanted to add 6 month’s buffer to it!

So decided not to go further with contract.

He talked to few more people in the family - one of them had a interior designer relative.

He came to the conclusion that no matter what these folks always do a shitty job - because it’s not their house. Most of these run their business on buzzwords. He also compared works done by such studios and people who gave it their own time. Difference was clear.

So,

• he used the design that he had already paid for
• hired contractors for plumbing, carpentry etc - he was very specific about hiring migrants (he was advised on this by his Kannadiga friends who had got these done before)
• got the materials - some things he allowed the contractor as well to get but always verified the purchase
• he gave it his time - he had wifi etc setup there (he pretty much WFH from that location for this period)

I have really not seen an interior design work that well done in any fucking house ever. It’s just solid! Not even in the houses that got it done by those “boutique” studios. And no, the woods are not chipping away after after 3 months, cupboard doors are not misaligned after 7 weeks. Wood quality, glass, everything is fucking top notch and just as he wanted in his budget.

Since he had hired the contractors (carpenters etc) directly a lot of things he got done in solid wood and just like he wanted. In fact for two rooms he decided to buy branded full cupboard panels as it was semi opaque fiber sturdier, of better quality, definitely better looking - with strong aluminium rails. It looks fab! All that looks personal.

It took less time than what the studios were quoting him and much less money!

I know it’s not the answer to your question, but it’s your house and nobody else’s. So unless money is not a concern (which doesn’t seem to be the case) you’ll always get a shoddy job, no matter what.