Interior Design Cost Checklist: Free Budget Planner
Room-by-room budget planner with % splits, contingency, and payment stages. Copy the tables to plan a 2BHK without overshoot.
Print this before you pay anyone. Most overshoot comes from missing lines (transport, hardware, contingency), not from sofa price.
Step 1: Fix total + contingency
Total cash available minus 10% contingency (15% if old flat / plumbing move). Example: MAD 51,000 cash = MAD 46,000 plan + MAD 5,100 reserve. Never plan to zero.
Step 2: Split by room
| Room | % of plan | MAD 46,000 example | |---|---|---| | Kitchen | 28% | 151,000 | | Wardrobes + beds (2 rooms) | 24% | 130,000 | | Living + dining furniture | 14% | 76,000 | | Ceiling + electrical + paint | 18% | 97,000 | | Baths (2 light refresh) | 6% | 32,000 | | Curtains + rugs + decor | 6% | 32,000 | | Transport + misc | 4% | 22,000 |
Adjust: new build needs more electrical, resale needs more bath/plumbing.
Step 3: Line-item checklist (copy)
Kitchen: carcass ___ shutters ___ counter ___ backsplash ___ sink+faucet ___ hob+hood ___ hardware ___ labor ___ Bedrooms: bed+storage ___ wardrobe ___ loft ___ mattress ___ curtains ___ lights ___ Living: sofa ___ chairs ___ TV wall ___ dining ___ rug ___ curtains ___ lights ___ Base: putty+paint ___ ceiling ___ sockets/DB ___ plumbing ___ cleaning/polish ___
Get 2 quotes with same lines. Different lines = incomparable.
Step 4: Payment stages
30% advance (materials), 40% after carcass/frame, 20% after polish/fix, 10% after 30-day snag. No 80% upfront. Pay by bank, keep memo.
Step 5: Track changes
Any change (acrylic instead of laminate, quartz instead of granite) = written delta + days added. Verbal “small change” is where MAD 6,000 appears.
Hidden lines that blow budgets (add them now)
Transport + lifting: high-rise lift booking + manual carry MAD 430–1,020 per delivery, 3–4 deliveries per flat. Many forget and pay from contingency. Debris removal: old kitchen/bath breakout + disposal MAD 680–1,280. Cleaning + polish after work: MAD 510–850.
Hardware count: hinges (MAD 20–40 each x 40 = MAD 850–1,530), channels, baskets, handles — totals MAD 3,000–5,100 in a 2BHK, often lumped as misc and disputed. Get brand + qty in BOQ.
Electrical extras: each extra socket MAD 70–100 each spot MAD 130–210 with wiring. Ten extras = MAD 1,700. Decide socket map before false ceiling, not after.
Design changes mid-work cost 3x: laminate to acrylic after cutting = re-buy shutters. Freeze finishes in writing with codes before wood cutting. One signed finish sheet prevents MAD 6,000 surprise.
Tracking sheet that fits on one page
Columns: item | quoted | actual | paid | balance | date. Update every payment. Red flag if actual exceeds quoted 5% without written change order. Pay by bank with memo (kitchen stage 2), never full cash — proof for warranty.
Snag list at handover: open every shutter, run every tap 2 min, check every switch + spot, look under sink with torch for leaks, test soft-close 3 times. Hold 10% 30 days — contractors return for paid balance, not for free goodwill.
Global tip: US/UK projects need 15–20% contingency (labor overruns); Morocco needs 10% but strict stage payments (material diversion risk). Both need same sheet.
FAQ
How do I know if a quote is too low to be true? MAD 47,000–68,000 semi-modular 2026. Turnkey with appliances MAD 85,000–111,000.
Where do people overspend most? Shutters finish upgrade (+25%), stone upgrade (+MAD 2,600), extra spots/pelmet (+MAD 1,700), last-minute decor trips (+MAD 2,600). Lock finishes before cutting wood.
Negotiation tactics that save 10–15% without cutting quality
Get 3 quotes with identical BOQ lines — same ply grade, same hardware brand, same counter thickness. Unequal specs make cheapest look best while hiding thin board. Ask each: what is excluded? Transport, lifting, debris, polish, and GST often hidden. Written exclusions reveal true total.
Time buying: order ply and hardware during dealer off-season (rainy season slow months) for 5–8% discount; avoid pre-Eid rush when labor charges 15% premium. Pay 30/40/20/10, never 60% advance — staged pay keeps leverage for snag fix. Offer prompt payment (48 hours after stage approval) for 2–3% cash discount; contractors value cash flow.
One change rule: any finish change after cutting restarts cost. Sign finish sheet with laminate codes and stone slab photo. Verbal "similar" becomes MAD 2,600 dispute. One signed page saves more than haggling.
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