Cost per sq ft by finish level
| Finish level | ₹ / sq ft | Joinery & finishes | 1,000 sq ft total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | ₹1,560 – 2,330 | Laminate shutters, MR/BWP ply, basic ceiling, standard hardware | ₹15.6 – 23.3 L |
| Premium | ₹2,330 – 3,490 | Acrylic or veneer, BWP throughout, designed lighting, branded hardware | ₹23.3 – 34.9 L |
| Luxury | ₹3,730 – 5,600+ | PU/veneer, stone, imported hardware, automation, bespoke furniture | ₹37.3 – 56 L+ |
Where the money actually goes
Clients routinely assume finishes dominate. They do not — carpentry does. This is the typical distribution for a full-home project:
| Component | Share | Typical range (1,000 sq ft home) |
|---|---|---|
| Joinery — wardrobes, units, kitchen carcass | 45 – 55% | ₹7 – 20.5 L |
| Modular kitchen (incl. counter & hardware) | 15 – 20% | ₹2.3 – 7.5 L |
| False ceiling & lighting | 8 – 12% | ₹1.25 – 4.5 L |
| Electrical & plumbing | 6 – 10% | ₹0.95 – 3.7 L |
| Painting & wall finishes | 6 – 9% | ₹0.95 – 3.35 L |
| Flooring (if replaced) | 0 – 8% | ₹0 – 3 L |
| Design fee / PM (design-build) | 8 – 12% | Folded into rate |
Design and build under one accountable roof
What moves the number most
- Volume of joinery. Every additional running foot of wardrobe is real money. Storage is the main cost lever in any home.
- Carcass material. BWP ply (₹120–175/sq ft) against cheaper MR-grade changes the whole joinery line by 15–25% — and it is worth paying.
- Shutter finish. Laminate at ₹1,800–2,500 per sheet versus acrylic at ₹6,000–9,000 is a three-to-fourfold difference on visible surfaces.
- Civil work. Moving a wall, shifting plumbing or replacing flooring can add 10–25% and several weeks.
- Hardware brand. Local versus Hettich, Hafele or Blum typically shifts 10–15% of the kitchen and wardrobe cost.
Two quotes for the same flat can differ by 40% and both be honest. The difference is almost always carcass material and hardware, not profit.
Greenbox principal designer
Reading a quote properly
- Is it carpet or built-up area? Built-up inflates the apparent per-sq-ft rate downward.
- Is GST included? An 18% gap looks like a discount.
- Is civil work in or out?
- Are brands named for ply, laminate, hardware and sanitaryware — or just 'branded'?
- Is there a line-item BOQ with quantities and rates, or one lump sum?
Sources: and Greenbox project records — the per-sq-ft bands above are taken from homes we have completed and billed, audited line by line and restated at October 2026. All figures exclude 18% GST unless stated.
Totals by home size
The per-sq-ft rate is only useful once it is multiplied by a carpet area. These are the premium-band totals for the four home sizes we are asked to price most often:
| Home | Typical carpet area | Premium ₹ / sq ft | Premium total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1BHK | 450 sq ft | ₹2,420 – 3,330 | ₹10.9 – 15.0 L |
| 2BHK | 700 sq ft | ₹2,420 – 3,300 | ₹16.9 – 23.1 L |
| 3BHK | 1,050 sq ft | ₹2,300 – 3,060 | ₹24.2 – 32.1 L |
| 4BHK | 1,700 sq ft | ₹2,650 – 3,790 | ₹45.1 – 64.4 L |
Carpet area × the rate band. Ex-GST. The rate eases from a 1BHK to a 3BHK because the kitchen, the design process and the site mobilisation do not scale with area; it rises again at 4BHK, where the brief rather than the size drives the specification.
What each specification level actually buys
‘Premium’ is not a marketing word when it is written as a schedule. Component by component, here is what separates the three bands:
| Component | Essential | Premium | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carcass board | MR ply above counter, BWP below | BWP plywood throughout, WPC in wet zones | BWP and WPC throughout, marine ply in coastal homes |
| Shutter finish | Laminate, ₹1,800–2,500 a sheet | Membrane or acrylic, ₹2,600–9,000 a sheet | Natural veneer with PU, ₹8,500–14,000 a sheet |
| Hardware | Ebco or equivalent soft-close | Hettich or Hafele soft-close, tandem channels | Blum tandem, lift-ups, integrated damping |
| False ceiling | Peripheral cove in two rooms | Cove plus profile lighting across the home | Multi-level designed ceilings, cornices, feature coffers |
| Countertop | Granite, ₹250–600 per sq ft | Premium granite or quartz, ₹700–1,800 | Quartz or sintered stone, ₹1,600–3,200 |
| Wall finishes | Two coats emulsion over putty | Emulsion plus one panelled feature wall | Veneer, fluted, stone cladding and upholstered panels |
| Lighting | Ceiling lights and basic points | Profile, cove and task lighting, dimmable circuits | Layered scheme with scene control and automation |
Designer-only, contractor, or design-and-build
How you buy the work changes what you pay and, more importantly, who carries the risk when a drawing and a site condition disagree.
| Model | What you pay | You carry | Sensible when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designer only | 8–15% of project value, occasionally 20% | Procurement, vendor coordination, quality control and every variation | You have time, a strong site presence and a preferred contractor already |
| Contractor only | Build cost with no design fee | Design decisions, drawings, material selection and the consequences of all three | The scope is simple and repetitive — painting, flooring, a like-for-like kitchen |
| Design-and-build | One per-sq-ft rate with design folded in | Nothing beyond approvals and decisions | You want a single point of accountability and a fixed line-item BOQ |
Compare the two commercial models against your own scope with the designer versus contractor cost comparison tool.
A typical programme
- Weeks 1–2 · Measurement and layoutsSite survey against the actual carpet area, requirement brief, two or three layout options and a first indicative budget.
- Weeks 3–4 · Design freeze and BOQ3D views, material selection, a line-item BOQ with quantities, and the contract. Nothing should start on site before this is signed.
- Weeks 5–7 · Civil, electrical and ceilingAny demolition, plumbing shifts, new electrical points and the false ceiling — the noisy, dusty sequence that must finish first.
- Weeks 5–9 · Off-site fabricationCarcass cutting, edge-banding and shutter finishing happen in the workshop in parallel with the site work, which is what keeps the programme short.
- Weeks 8–11 · InstallationKitchen first, then wardrobes and living-room joinery, then countertop templating and fitting, then hardware.
- Weeks 11–13 · Painting, snagging and handoverFinal coats, deep clean, a written snag list, rectification and handover with warranty documents.
Rates in Mumbai run above every band on this page, and for reasons that are specific rather than general — labour, restricted society hours and humidity-grade specification. If that is where your home is, start with interior design cost in Mumbai instead.
Selected work by Greenbox Design Studio. Tap any image to enlarge.
Frequently asked questions
How much does interior design cost per sq ft in India?+
₹1,560–₹2,330 per sq ft for essential finishes, ₹2,330–₹3,490 for premium and ₹3,730–₹5,600+ for luxury, excluding 18% GST. Rates are quoted on carpet area, so confirm which area basis a quote uses before comparing.
What is the biggest cost in a home interior project?+
Joinery — wardrobes, storage units, TV and crockery units and the kitchen carcass — typically consumes 45–55% of the budget. This is why storage volume, not finish choice, is the main lever on total cost.
Do interior designers charge a percentage or a fixed fee?+
Design-only practices usually charge 8–15% of project value, occasionally up to 20% for established names, or a fixed fee per sq ft. Design-and-build studios fold the design cost into the per-sq-ft rate instead of billing it separately.
Is GST charged on interior design?+
Yes, typically 18% on the service component. Many quotes are presented excluding GST, so always confirm — an 18% difference is large enough to make a more expensive quote look cheaper.
Does the cost include civil work?+
Usually not. Wall changes, plumbing relocation, flooring replacement and waterproofing are normally quoted separately and can add 10–25% to a project. Ask for them to be listed explicitly as included or excluded.