I'm working in the construction field in Canada, I have very good interior design ideas to give to my clients but...
Can I do interior design without any credential as a interior designer?
Is it possible to offer interior design ideas?
Thank you very much Best Regards,
Juan
Reply:
Hi Juan
Thank you for contacting me.
As I understand it, in much of the USA and Canada, you need to be licensed to call yourself an interior designer - the certifying body is the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) - you would need to pass an exam, as well as have relevant work experience.
However, you can become an 'Interior Decorator', without such certification and licensing - which, from my point of view, would certainly include being able to offer ideas on interior decor: color, style, space, furnishings etc.
More about the differences between Interior Design and Interior Decoration as a career in licensing areas, are at NCIDQ website:
I really appriciate the support you are providing people, interested in interior design, through your web page.
I have done my diploma in interior design from CEE (affiliated from Edxcel).
I truly enjoyed what I learned, which mostly comprised of projects using Autocad and 3Dmax.
I dont know how to get into market and get work in the field.
I will truly appriciate your guidence and support.
Hope to hear from you.
Asma
Reply:
Hello Asma
Firstly, very well done on achieving your interior design diploma - a great achievement in itself! Congratulations!
There are some jobs available as employed interior designers, although it seems that many interior designers are self employed.
If you want to find paid employment, why not contact some of the larger interior design businesses in your area, with your CV, ask if they have any opportunities for employment, or you may also be interested in enquiring about a period of unpaid training or internship with them - kind of like an apprenticeship to help you learn the ropes and gain some industry experience.
Do you have a portfolio of designs built up through your course? This is always useful to be able to show people, potential clients or employers. You can keep building this up.
If you are interested in setting up as self-employed, check out professional insurance, and inform appropriate authorities in your country that you are setting up a business.
Investigate local competition, and check out prices in your area, as a guide to how you should be pitching your own business.
Don't forget to advertise lots as you get started, to find your first customers - local newspapers, local and trade magazines, notice boards - and don't forget the internet.
In this day and age a web presence is really a must - and I can recommend taking the time to build a website that shows your business off to its best advantage.
SBI, the company I used to build this website, have truly excellent advice for small business owners and local businesses setting up, and using the internet as a primary model to drive their business...
If the SBI website business program recommended on this page interests you, please support my website by coming back and using the links on this page to buy.
The price to you is always the same, but I will earn a small commission, for recommending something I love anyway.
This helps allow me to continue to provide you with the information on this website, all for free.
I hope this information is of some help to you in your new interior design career.
Sorry for any delay in my reply, I've been on holiday.
You can quote an interior design consultation fee as a one off fee or as a percentage of the finished design budget or finshed project cost, if you are managing the whole project for the client.
It is also acceptable to charge the client an initial consultation fee, which can then be taken off the final bill if they go ahead with the design.
This is something to consider particularly in cases where you need do considerable work to provide a quote or proposal for the client to consider before they agree to go ahead with your full services.
You may want to estimate how long you think the project will take you to complete, and the amount you require per hour, before you decide your fees.
It may also be a good idea to check out what other interior designers in your area charge, so that your quote is competitive.
Whichever method you choose, you should make sure your client is fully aware of the charges before they agree to go ahead with any work, and set out the charges and how they are worked out in writing, in an invoice or letter.
