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CostInterior Design

How much does an interior designer cost in Virginia?

There is no standard Virginia price, because designers charge in different ways: hourly, a flat fee per room or project, a percentage of the project, or a markup on furnishings. The total depends on scope, room count, how much you buy through them and whether they manage contractors. Compare at least three written quotes built on the same brief.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Write the brief

    List the rooms, what is wrong with them, your budget for furnishings and any building work, and the date you want it finished.[1]

  2. Step 2: Ask for the fee structure

    Ask each designer whether they charge hourly, a flat fee, a percentage or a markup on furnishings, and what each one covers.

  3. Step 3: Get three written quotes

    Ask at least three designers to quote the same brief in writing so the numbers are comparable.[1]

  4. Step 4: Ask what is not included

    Find out whether furniture, shipping, installation, contractors and revisions are inside the fee or on top.

  5. Step 5: Check the licences

    If the designer will manage building work, ask for the contractor licence number and check it with DPOR.[1]

  6. Step 6: Limit the deposit

    Pay only a modest deposit up front and tie later payments to deliverables.[1]

  7. Step 7: Sign a written agreement

    Make sure the agreement states the scope, the fee, payment dates and how changes are priced.[1]

What decides the price

There is no standard Virginia price for an interior designer, and anyone quoting a flat number without seeing your rooms is guessing. What you pay depends on five things:

  • How the designer charges. The common models are an hourly rate, a flat fee per room or project, a percentage of the project cost, or a markup or commission on furnishings bought through the designer. Some mix two.
  • The scope. One consultation about a layout costs far less than concept boards, sourcing, ordering, delivery and on-site styling for a whole house.
  • The number and size of rooms, and whether the designer needs to measure and draw them.
  • Who buys the furniture. A fee-only designer charges for the design and you buy; another may buy for you and earn on the purchases. Neither is wrong, but the totals look very different.
  • Whether building work is involved. Moving walls, lighting circuits or plumbing is a contractor's price, on top of the design fee.
A living room with a yellow sofa, a wooden desk behind it, brick walls and tall white-framed windows and doors
Photo: Corey Taratuta, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to get a real number

Write a one-page brief before you call anyone: the rooms, what is not working, your budget for furnishings and for any construction, and when you want it done. Then ask each designer to quote the same brief in writing.

DPOR advises getting at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications.[1] That advice comes from its guide to hiring a contractor, and it works just as well for design. Different scopes make totals meaningless to compare, so make sure each quote says what is included: concept and drawings, product sourcing, ordering and tracking, delivery, installation, a set number of revisions and a site visit or two.

Beware of any bid substantially lower than the others, because it probably indicates that the contractor has made a mistake or is not including all the work quoted by competitors.[1] Ask what the low quote leaves out before you celebrate.

Deposits and written agreements

Expect to pay a deposit, and keep it modest. DPOR's guide says a good rule of thumb is an initial deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less, and that a reasonable deposit could be as high as 30% of the total contract value when the job requires custom-made items or special orders.[1] A designer who orders custom furniture on your behalf may reasonably ask for more toward those items, so ask for that to be itemised.

For building work, Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work.[1] Ask for a written agreement from a designer too. It should name the scope, the fee and how it is calculated, the payment dates, and how changes and extra revisions are priced.

Licensing and why it affects the price

You do not need a certified designer. The Code of Virginia says its interior design chapter does not restrict an uncertified interior designer, architect, engineer or any other person from rendering the services that make up the practice of interior design.[2] Certification is optional, and an uncertified designer can still be a good choice. Read whether interior designers need a license in Virginia for the details.

Construction is different. No person shall engage in, or offer to engage in, contracting work in the Commonwealth unless he has been licensed.[3] The Code defines a contractor as a person who, for a fixed price, commission, fee or percentage, bids on, accepts or offers to accept contracts for performing, managing or superintending the construction, removal, repair or improvement of a building or structure.[4] A designer who manages your renovation for a percentage is doing exactly that, so ask who holds the contractor licence and verify the number with DPOR before you pay.

Ways to spend less

  • Hire for a consultation or a layout plan and carry it out yourself. Start with the free changes in how to make a small room look bigger.
  • Design the rooms that matter most, such as the living room, and leave the rest.
  • Agree a furnishings budget before the design starts, so the plan fits it.
  • Ask for a phased plan, so you can buy over time.

Stop and call a pro if

  • A quote includes structural, electrical, plumbing or gas work. That is contracting work, which needs a licensed contractor.[3] Ask your local building office about permits, and ask for the licence number, not just the designer's promise.
  • Someone asks for a large payment up front. DPOR's rule of thumb is a deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less, except for custom or special orders.[1]
  • You are handed a verbal quote only. Do not start until the scope and price are written down.

Getting help in Virginia

Browse interior design pros on Loclis, or more interiors answers.

When you are ready, describe your project and designers can quote it.

Common questions

Why is there no standard price for an interior designer?
Because the job ranges from a two-hour consultation to a whole-house project, and designers price it differently: hourly, a flat fee, a percentage of the project or a markup on what you buy through them. A quote only means something when it says what it covers, so ask each designer to price the same written brief.
Should I choose the cheapest quote?
Not automatically. DPOR's contractor guide says to beware of any bid substantially lower than the others, because it probably indicates a mistake or that the bid leaves out work the others include. The same applies to a design quote: check what is in and out before comparing totals.
How much deposit is reasonable?
DPOR's guide says a good rule of thumb is an initial deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less, and that a reasonable deposit could be as high as 30% when the job requires custom-made items or special orders. It is written for contractors, but it is a sensible yardstick for any home-improvement payment.
Do I have to hire a certified interior designer?
No. The Code of Virginia says its interior design chapter does not restrict an uncertified interior designer, architect, engineer or any other person from rendering the services that make up the practice of interior design. Only the title "certified interior designer" is protected.
Is it cheaper to buy the furniture myself?
Sometimes. Some designers add a markup to furnishings they buy for you, some pass on trade discounts and some charge a fee only. Ask how they handle it and whether you are free to buy items yourself from the plan.
Does a designer's fee include a contractor?
Usually not. Building work is priced by the contractor. A person who, for a fee, accepts or offers to accept a contract for managing or superintending construction, repair or improvement of a building is a contractor under the Code and must be licensed, so ask who holds the licence.

Sources

  1. [1] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, DPOR. Checked October 27, 2026.
  2. [2] Va. Code § 54.1-412. Applicability (interior designers), Code of Virginia, Virginia General Assembly. Checked October 27, 2026.
  3. [3] Va. Code § 54.1-1103. Necessity for license, Code of Virginia, Virginia General Assembly. Checked October 27, 2026.
  4. [4] Va. Code § 54.1-1100. Definitions (contractors), Code of Virginia, Virginia General Assembly. Checked October 27, 2026.

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