Choosing who does your interiors is a larger decision than choosing what they look like. You are handing someone several lakh rupees, access to your home for weeks, and control over choices you cannot easily reverse. These are the questions worth asking before you sign anything — in Bengaluru or anywhere.
About the work itself
1. Can I see projects you have actually completed? Not a moodboard, not stock renders — finished homes. Ask which images are their own work and which are references.
2. Can I visit an ongoing site? A studio confident in its execution will say yes. A live site tells you more about workmanship and site discipline than any portfolio.
3. Who designs, and who executes? Many firms sell a design and subcontract the build to whoever is cheapest that month. Ask who is actually responsible on site.
4. Will I have one point of contact throughout? Being handed between a salesperson, a designer and a site supervisor is where details get lost.
About money
5. Will the quote be itemised? Every unit with dimensions, core material and grade, finish, hardware brand and labour listed separately. A lump sum cannot be audited or trimmed intelligently.
6. What is explicitly excluded? Appliances, loose furniture, curtains, loft storage, backsplash, civil work, point shifting, GST, society charges. Get the exclusions in writing — they are where budgets break.
7. What is the payment schedule? Staged payments tied to milestones are normal. Very large upfront payments are not.
8. What happens if material prices change? Ask whether the quote is fixed for a period, and what triggers a revision.
About materials
9. What exactly is the core material, and which brand? "Branded ply" is not an answer. You want grade and brand named in the quotation — our guide on plywood vs MDF vs particle board explains why it matters.
10. Can I see samples, and can I verify what arrives? Ask for material invoices and look for the manufacturer stamp on boards before cutting.
About time and after
11. What is the realistic timeline, and what if it slips? Ask for stage-wise dates rather than a single end date, and what compensation or escalation applies to delays.
12. What warranty do I get, and what does it actually cover? A warranty on "workmanship" that excludes hardware, hinges and swelling is close to meaningless. Ask what is covered, for how long, and who you call.
Red flags
- A quote given before anyone has measured your home.
- A price that drops sharply the moment you hesitate — it means the first number was invented.
- Unwillingness to name material grades or hardware brands.
- No written contract, or a contract with no exclusions listed.
- Large advance payments demanded before design approval.
- Portfolio images that appear on several other companies' websites.
- Pressure to decide today because "the offer closes tonight".
Green flags
- They measure before they quote.
- They show you a 3D view before production, and revise it.
- They tell you what you do not need — a studio that talks you out of a unit is worth keeping.
- Their references answer the phone and are happy to talk.
- They put the boring details — grades, brands, exclusions, dates — in writing without being chased.
One last thing
Pay attention to how carefully someone listens at the first meeting. A designer who asks how you cook, how much you store and who lives in the house is designing for you. One who leads with a discount is selling a package. You can see how we approach that first conversation on our process page.
Key takeaways
- Ask to see completed homes and an ongoing site, not just renders.
- Insist on an itemised quote — and a written list of exclusions.
- Get core material grade and hardware brand named in the quotation.
- Ask for stage-wise dates and what happens when they slip.
- Walk away from quotes given before anyone measured your home.