A template should prompt the right decisions, not assume them. Separate design services from execution work and define the deliverables the client is buying.
Brief
Confirm the rooms, service type and expected outputs.
Define
List deliverables, review rounds and client dependencies.
Approve
Record the completed stage and assess later changes separately.
Start with a brief, not a copied total
Record the project type, included rooms, site condition and client's priorities before filling the quotation. Identify whether you are offering design only, execution only or both. A design service proposal needs deliverables and review stages; an execution quotation needs measurable items and material specifications.
Use placeholders for the client name, address, quotation number and revision, but make scope choices explicit. Do not carry forward another project's included rooms, transport assumptions or material selections. A repeatable structure should reduce omissions while leaving room for the actual brief.
Define design deliverables separately
List the outputs of each design stage: site documentation, layout options, concept direction, drawings or specified visualizations. State the number and type of included review rounds, the information the client must supply and the point at which a stage is approved.
Clarify whether procurement assistance, site visits, contractor coordination and execution supervision are included. These activities involve different responsibilities. Describe additional requests and changes after approval as separately assessed scope rather than leaving them hidden inside a general design fee.
Add execution schedules only where relevant
When the proposal includes execution, attach room-wise item schedules with quantities, units and specifications. Reference approved drawings and finish selections. Distinguish fixed items from provisional allowances and client-supplied products.
Show how the design-service total and execution total contribute to the selected project amount. Avoid charging the same activity under both headings without explanation. Keep optional styling, appliances and loose furniture outside the base total unless the client has selected them.
Use a reusable acceptance checklist
Before issue, verify that each promised deliverable has a completion or review criterion. Align payment milestones with those stages and record dependencies such as client feedback and access to the site. State the proposal validity and the process for rechecking supplier inputs if approval is delayed.
At acceptance, save the agreed scope, drawings, specifications and revision together. A template becomes a useful project record when the team can trace later changes back to this starting point.
What to include
- Design-only, execution-only or combined scope selected
- Deliverables and review rounds stated
- Site visits and coordination responsibilities defined
- Optional work separated
- Approved revision and supporting documents retained
Worked example
Define a design stage before you price it
A design proposal should make the deliverable visible. Instead of relying on a general design-fee line, explain what the client receives and when you will ask for approval.
Too vague to approve
Complete interior design with drawings and revisions.
A clearer version
Layout stage: furniture layout for the included rooms, one initial presentation and two consolidated feedback rounds. Approval of the selected layout closes this stage. Detailed drawings, visualizations, site visits and execution are listed as separate deliverables where included.
The review count here is an example, not a recommended limit for every practice. Choose a scope that fits your service. Define what counts as a feedback round and what happens if the brief changes after approval. This helps the client understand both the design process and the boundary of the fee.
Sample schedule
Use these fields to organize your own scope. Add the verified quantities, project-specific rates and selected specifications before issue.
Design stage
Layouts and agreed drawing deliverables
- Unit / type
- stage
- Review point
- Define review rounds
Site involvement
Visits or supervision responsibilities
- Unit / type
- visit / stage
- Review point
- State included frequency
Execution
Room-wise measurable work
- Unit / type
- item schedule
- Review point
- Attach specifications
Additional work
Changes beyond approved deliverables
- Unit / type
- variation
- Review point
- Approve before proceeding
| Item | What to specify | Unit / type | Review point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design stage | Layouts and agreed drawing deliverables | stage | Define review rounds |
| Site involvement | Visits or supervision responsibilities | visit / stage | State included frequency |
| Execution | Room-wise measurable work | item schedule | Attach specifications |
| Additional work | Changes beyond approved deliverables | variation | Approve before proceeding |
Before you send it, catch these mistakes
- Combining design and construction into an undefined fee
- Promising unlimited revisions by omission
- Leaving site supervision responsibilities unclear
- Treating optional products as approved selections
Get your quotation inputs ready
Tick off what you have, then copy the list into your project notes. Use the unchecked items to guide your next site visit or client conversation.
Use this while reading. Your selections reset when you leave this page.
Frequently asked questions
Can one template cover design and execution?
Yes, if each service has its own scope, deliverables and commercial schedule. The client should be able to distinguish the two amounts and responsibilities.
How should extra design revisions be handled?
State the included review rounds and define a process for assessing and approving additional revisions before doing the extra work.