The seven things it must state
- Scope — room by room, with what is and is not included.
- Rates and quantities in an itemised BOQ, not a lump sum.
- Payment schedule tied to milestones, not to dates.
- Programme — working days, with a start trigger and a completion date.
- Exclusions — usually civil work, electrical modifications, society charges and appliances.
- GST — 18% on interior works contracts, stated separately.
- Validity — 15 to 30 days is normal; material prices move.
Payment schedules that are fair
| Stage | Reasonable | A warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| On signing | 10–15% | Above 25% |
| On design freeze / drawings | 15–20% | Merged into the booking amount |
| On material procurement | 30–35% | Above 45% before anything is on site |
| On installation start | 25–30% | — |
| On handover | 5–10% retained | Nothing retained at all |
A retention of 5–10% released after the snag list is closed is the single most useful clause a client can insist on.
Rates that should raise a question
Two quotations for the same 2BHK can differ by 40% and both be honest, because they are not describing the same flat. Before assuming one is overpriced, check three things: the carcass grade, the hardware brand and the area basis the per-sq-ft rate uses. A rate quoted against super built-up area looks 25–40% lower than the same money quoted against carpet area, for identical work.
Reading the exclusions
The exclusions paragraph is where the surprises live. Four items are excluded more often than not: civil work and demolition, electrical rewiring beyond points shown, society deposits and charges, and painting of surfaces not part of the joinery. Each can be ₹30,000–2 lakh on a flat. Ask for them to be priced as provisional sums inside the quotation rather than left outside it, so the total you are comparing is a total.
A quotation is a commercial document; a BOQ is the technical schedule inside it. Read them together. See payment schedules explained, GST on interior work and how we quote.
Frequently asked questions
Is GST applicable on interior design work?+
Yes. Interior works contracts attract 18% GST, and design-only professional fees also attract 18%. Every rate published on this site is ex-GST. A quotation that does not state GST treatment is incomplete.
How long is an interior quotation valid?+
Typically 15 to 30 days. Board, hardware and stone prices move, and a quotation held for three months will need revisiting. A firm that holds a price for six months has either built in a margin for it or will ask for a revision later.
How much advance is normal?+
10–15% on signing and 15–20% at design freeze. Anything above 25% before drawings are issued is worth questioning, as is any structure where more than 60% is paid before material reaches site.
Should I sign the quotation or a separate contract?+
A signed quotation with an annexed BOQ, payment schedule, programme and warranty terms functions as a contract for most residential projects. For anything above roughly ₹25 lakh, a separate agreement with a variation-order clause is worth the effort.