The reason we ask for your maximum budget is because we are committed to guiding you through this investment process and ensuring that you get the most value out of it.

By understanding your budget, we can tailor our design, finish, and fixture selections to align with your financial goals and the overall construction budget. Our goal is to provide you with the best possible design and ensure that the quality of products and materials we recommend are in line with your budget, resulting in a successful and satisfying outcome for your project.

Knowing your budget allows us to optimize the design and product choices to meet both your vision and financial requirements effectively.

Hiring a professional designer is a luxury service that not everyone can afford. It’s an investment in your home and our expertise, resources and years of experience. We’ll work within your budget parameters so long as they’re reasonably in line with your wish list.

The wish list (a.k.a. scope of work) is uncovered at the design consultation. Afterwards, we’ll provide a planning budget that offers a fuller picture of what costs will look like. Once we’re aligned, you’ll sign our design agreement and we’ll get to work. At the presentation, you’ll receive a price list for all items we recommend you purchase.

In the spirit of full transparency, we commit to being crystal-clear with all matters relating to your budget. Depending on the amount of work involved, you can expect to spend 30-50% over and above your furnishings budget on design fees.

We understand that some clients may have established relationships with specific trades and prefer to work with them on their design project. While we typically work with a trusted network of contractors, we are open to discussing alternative arrangements that meet the needs of our clients.

If clients prefer to act as their own General Contractor or hire their own trades, it is important for clients to understand that assuming the role of General Contractor or hiring their own traders carries a significant amount of responsibility and liability.

We have established strong relationships with trusted vendors who consistently deliver high-quality products and services. While we highly recommend using our vendors to ensure exceptional results, we understand that clients may have preferred vendors or wish to explore other options.

In such cases, we are more than willing to consider their requests and work with their chosen vendors. For the best outcome, we recommend attending vendor appointments with our team to ensure all details are thoroughly discussed and addressed.

However, if clients need to attend appointments independently, it's essential to note that we cannot be responsible for any missed details or miscommunication that may occur in our absence.

Our main objective is to provide a smooth and stress-free design process that not
only meets our clients' needs but also exceeds their expectations.

We understand the importance of budget planning for your project. While providing an exact construction cost estimate is challenging due to various factors such as project location, design complexity, and materials, we can offer a rough estimate based on past projects to help you with your budgeting and expectations.

To ensure we stay within your budget, we collaborate closely with a network of trusted contractors who are involved in the design process. Their expertise allows us to create a design that aligns with your needs while considering your budget constraints.

By having a detailed plan in place, we can ensure that contractors bid on the same project scope, minimizing the risk of unexpected costs and helping you achieve a successful and cost-effective outcome.

As part of our design process, we manage the procurement of furniture, fixtures, and finishes to ensure quality and a seamless outcome for our clients. We work with trusted vendors that we have vetted and know the quality of their work. While we do not share our trade discounts with clients, we provide competitive pricing for all items purchased through our procurement service.

Think of us as your trusted design retailer.


In the rare exception that clients prefer to purchase these items on their own, we understand and can accommodate such requests. However, we would charge for any time incurred by FOUR Spaces Design in specifying, quoting, and helping in the purchasing process at our hourly rate.

This depends on the scope of the project and what is purchased. Early on, we’ll establish a project completion timeline so you’ll know exactly what to expect and when. 

There are several factors that can lead to discrepancies between the planned design and what is executed in the field:

1.Renovations can be complex, with hidden elements that may affect the original design.
2. Subcontractors or tradespeople may lack the skills to execute the design as intended or achieve the desired level of finishing.
3. The availability of selections and materials is subject to change, and they may go out of stock or arrive damaged. Additionally, there could be misrepresentations during the selection process, or they might not align well with the progression of the design.
4. Sometimes, the intended design becomes cost-prohibitive due to specified materials, intricate details, or higher subcontractor/trades costs.

These reasons emphasize the importance of our active presence on the jobsite as the design progresses. By staying involved in the construction process and scheduling benchmark meetings, we can effectively address potential challenges that may arise. Experience has taught us that there may be a few bumps in the process.

Inevitably, bumps in the road will occur. But we are here to help guide you over those bumps and make the project go as smoothly as possible. We will work closely with your general contractor, our vendors, tradespeople, and anyone else involved on the job to ensure that we find the best possible solution.