FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What will I have to do?

The more we know about you and your family, the easier it is for us to immerse ourselves in your style. We also want all family members on board during this phase so there are no potential conflicts later. At our first official meeting we will take you through a questionnaire and then we ask you to look through books, magazines, and online resources so we can be sure we fully appreciate your taste. We leave you with some fabulous design books and encourage you to go through them and tag anything you like. This the best way to take your design “temperature” and to be sure we know all of your key do’s and don’ts. We insist on your active participation in all design decisions because we consider you our partner, and after all, this is YOUR home and we want you to love it.

WHAT IF I ALREADY HAVE FURNITURE?

We do have a one room, full-design minimum and we do our best work when we can envision an entire room from the start. We'll make every effort to work with a cherished heirloom or a newly purchased piece, and we definitely want your home to reflect your unique personality, but we aren’t stagers or furniture buyers and we don’t typically fill in furniture holes or “finish” rooms.

How much time does it usually take?

Every project and every home is different. It's difficult to know exactly how long your project will take until we know exactly what you need. That said, most projects tend to go through similar phases. The first phase consists of our getting to know you and your style and developing models and layouts for your approval. The second phase is typically the most time intensive and involves active sourcing and shopping. We like our clients to know that, unless you are ordering an in-stock piece of furniture, you will need to allow 10-14 weeks for delivery of any new items, and it’s wise to expect some delays or backorders. Once all of the items are delivered, we return for the finishing and final touches.  A project can span several months, even though the middle may be quiet while we are waiting for furniture, and most of the activity typically happens at the beginning and the end.

What does it typically cost?

Every project is unique but once we have gone through the vetting process and have seen your home we can usually provide a broad range of furniture costs along with our fee proposal. House Whole has a project minimum of $4,000 for design fees and we work on projects where we are designing at least one complete room. We charge $70/hour for travel which is below the industry standard.

How is payment handled?

We handle the payment processing for you using all of your information so everything is in your name, and we use your credit card(s) so you can spread out the spend if you like. There is complete transparency and quotes are approved in advance and all order paperwork is shared upon completion. In some instances, the vendor requires that House Whole pay directly and we will ask you to pay us before these orders are placed. Payment of fee invoices (including any out of pocket costs like travel) are scheduled in four installments at key project intervals.

What if my husband and I want completely different things?

This is the most difficult question we get. We like to to work these types of issues out up front so they don't become costly battles down the road. When completing our questionnaire and pulling together your wish list, we ask that you work together and only include things that you can both agree on, or are willing to compromise on. We can usually come up with a solution that works for everyone, especially if we know what the pain points are at the beginning of the project.

What if I want help with accessories and decor?

If, at the end of our project, you want us to purchase accessories and décor items for you, we will come up with a flat rate for our time to do all of the purchasing, staging and returns for the rooms you want to finish. This usually consists of time for shopping, delivery and staging, and time for returning. If we shop together, an hourly rate will apply and you will be responsible for purchasing and returning.