8 questions to ask an interior designer in Delhi before you sign anything

Hiring an interior designer in Delhi is rarely a decision people repeat. Most homeowners do it once, under time pressure, with an unclear brief, and without knowing which questions separate a studio that will honour its quote from one that won't. The ones who get it right usually made a short list from referrals, met two or three firms, and asked the same structured set of questions across every meeting. The ones who struggled almost always skipped the same question — usually question 2.

This guide is the eight-question framework we give to homeowners who call us asking how to compare Re Room against another studio. Ask every designer the same questions. Compare the written answers, not the verbal ones. And if a firm won't commit anything in writing at the quoting stage, that is the answer.

Question 1: Who is actually going to design my home?

The first meeting is almost always with the studio principal — the senior designer whose portfolio is on the website. The question is what happens after you sign. In many Delhi NCR studios, the principal sells the project and a junior coordinator runs it. Three months in, when a critical decision about ceiling height or joinery finish needs to be made, the person you speak to is the coordinator, not the designer.

Ask: "Who will design my home, specifically? Who will be accountable for the design decisions through handover? Will that person be present at site visits, or will a coordinator?" The right answer names a person, attaches them to your project in writing, and commits to their involvement at specific milestones.

Question 2: Will you give me a BOQ, or an estimate?

This is the question most homeowners don't ask — and the one that most predicts whether your final bill will match your original quote.

A BOQ (Bill of Quantities) is a line-item document. Every cabinet, every square foot of flooring, every fixture, every material. Specifications named. Brand names named. Quantities fixed. Prices locked. A BOQ is a contract.

An estimate is a guess. It's usually presented room-by-room or in broad categories ("civil work: ₹4,50,000"). It's flexible. It's provisional. It's the first number on a journey that almost always ends somewhere higher.

The difference plays out six months later. The BOQ-based project delivers on the number you signed. The estimate-based project produces change orders every few weeks — "the tile you selected is out of stock, the replacement is ₹40/sqft more, we need your approval for ₹35,000 additional cost" — until the final number is 20–40% above the starting one.

Ask: "Will you give me a BOQ or an estimate? If it's a BOQ, when will it be locked? What is your change-order process after lock?" If the answer is any variation of "we'll give you a proper estimate, the BOQ comes later during execution," that is a studio that hasn't committed to a number.

Question 3: Will you put the timeline in writing?

Every interior designer in Delhi will tell you verbally that your 3BHK will be done in 90 days. Very few will write it into a contract. Fewer still will define what happens if they miss the date.

A credible timeline commitment has three parts: a start date (tied to a defined milestone — usually BOQ sign-off), a handover date, and a named consequence for missing the handover date. The consequence doesn't have to be a penalty clause — it can be a commitment to continue site supervision at no additional charge, or a rebate on the final tranche. The point is that there is some consequence, because a timeline without consequences is a suggestion.

Ask: "What handover date will you commit to in writing? What happens if you miss it?" A studio that can answer both specifically has a project-management discipline. A studio that gives you a range and deflects on the consequence does not.

Question 4: What warranty do you give — on what, for how long?

The four things that typically need warranty coverage in an interior fit-out: workmanship (installation, joinery, finishing), hardware (hinges, sliders, soft-close mechanisms), materials (plywood, laminates, engineered stone), and electrical work.

Credible warranty structures in the Delhi NCR market today:

• Workmanship warranty: 1–3 years, covering installation defects — loose fittings, peeling edges, doors not closing flush.
• Hardware warranty: Pass-through from the manufacturer (Hettich, Hafele, Blum typically offer 3–10 years). The designer should be the single point of contact for claims.
• Material warranty: BWP plywood carcass: 7–10 years against warping and delamination. Engineered stone counters: 5–10 years against stains and chips.
• Electrical: 1–2 years on workmanship from the contractor.

Ask: "Can I see the warranty terms in writing before I sign? Who do I call if something fails in year two?" A firm that answers specifically, with documents attached, treats warranty as real. A firm that waves it off as "don't worry, we'll handle it" has not built a structure to handle it.

Question 5: Will I see the full cost upfront — including items I haven't asked about yet?

Items routinely excluded from initial quotes and added later: electrical points beyond a baseline count, plumbing rerouting, chimney ducting, false ceiling in rooms not originally specified, soft furnishings, window treatments, painting of non-fit-out walls, demolition and debris disposal, and GST.

A comprehensive quote names every one of these, either with a price or with an explicit "not included." An incomplete quote lists them as "extra" mid-project, after your budget has already tightened.

Ask: "What items are not included in this quote? Can you show me a completeness checklist?" A designer who has done this a hundred times can show you the checklist immediately. A designer who hasn't will scramble to explain what's missing.

Question 6: What is your change-order process after BOQ lock?

Changes will happen. You will see a tile in the showroom after sign-off that you want. A new appliance will come on the market. Your spouse will change their mind about bedroom wallpaper. The question is not whether changes happen — it's whether the firm has a structured process for absorbing them without chaos.

The right answer looks like: "Changes after BOQ lock are priced as change orders. We email you the cost impact, the timeline impact, and the materials affected. You sign or reject before we proceed. We never absorb a change verbally and bill it at the end."

Ask: "Can you show me a sample change order from a recent project?" A firm that runs real change orders can show you a template instantly. A firm that doesn't will describe something vague.

Question 7: Have you done projects like mine?

"Like mine" means three specific things: similar flat size (2BHK, 3BHK, 4BHK, villa), similar budget tier (Essential, Signature, Bespoke), and similar context (new possession, occupied renovation, pre-sale prep, NRI-managed).

A portfolio page shows finished photos. It rarely shows budget, context, or scope. Ask for two or three case studies that match your situation. Ask for the contact details of one reference you can call — not testimonials, a live phone call. A firm with a real track record offers one without hesitation.

Ask: "Have you done a [3BHK / 2BHK / villa] in the [Essential / Signature / Bespoke] tier, in the [new possession / occupied renovation] scenario, in the last 12 months? Can I speak to one of those clients?"

Question 8: What is the consequence if you deliver late?

Already implicit in Question 3, but worth asking directly and in writing. The answer establishes whether the firm has internal accountability for delivery, or whether delivery risk transfers entirely to you the moment you sign.

A consequence doesn't have to be financial. Common structures: the firm absorbs supervision cost beyond the original handover date, the firm provides a temporary accommodation allowance if you've vacated the flat for the project and the delay pushes your move-back, the final payment tranche is reduced proportionally. Any specific commitment is better than "we'll work hard to meet the date."

A timeline without a consequence is a suggestion. A price without a BOQ is a guess. A warranty without paperwork is a hope. Good interior designers in Delhi do all three in writing before you sign.

Red flags: walk-away signals

Questions answered verbally with no offer to put answers in writing. Portfolio claims that cannot be verified with a live client reference. "Package" pricing with no BOQ breakdown — only a per-sqft number. Pressure to sign at the first meeting. Reluctance to share a sample change order or warranty document. Credentials that don't match the scope — a team that's done studio apartments quoting you on a 4BHK renovation.

Any one of these is a yellow flag. Two in the same conversation is a red flag.

What a good first meeting looks like

You arrive with a floor plan, photos of the space, and a rough budget band. The designer asks questions about how you live — how many people cook, who works from home, where storage is painful today, what you've tried before that didn't work. They listen more than they present. By the end of the meeting, you have a next-step defined: brief document, rough BOQ band, timeline commitment, and a written next appointment.

You do not leave with a signed contract. You leave with a written proposal to review at home — in your own time, against our eight questions.

Conclusion

The eight questions won't guarantee a perfect project — interior design involves too many people, trades, and site surprises for guarantees. What they will do is separate the studios that operate professionally from the ones that improvise. The studios that answer specifically, in writing, and without deflection are the ones worth shortlisting. The rest have told you everything you need to know.

If you're comparing Re Room against another studio for your Delhi NCR home, we'd welcome being asked the same eight questions. See how we work on our interior design service page, or book a free Home Brief Session to have the first conversation.