Billings interior design: Plan and hire with confidence

Choose the help you want to buy

Describe the problems you want to solve: a sofa blocking circulation, too little storage, an awkward dining area, or difficulty reading under existing lighting. Include what you want to keep, what you can replace, and who uses the room. Ask each designer to explain how their proposed service addresses those needs.

For a consultation, request written recommendations and identify which decisions you will carry out yourself. For a room package, clarify who measures, prepares scaled layouts, specifies products, and revises selections. If you want purchasing support, assign responsibility for orders, deliveries, damage claims, and substitutions.

Include proposed wall changes in the first conversation. The city explains that adding or removing a wall can affect structural integrity. Ask who will evaluate the change and prepare the documents needed for the construction scope. [1]

Compare fees and purchasing terms

Obtain project-specific quotes using the same measurements, photographs, budget, and deliverable list. Request separate amounts for design services, purchases, and construction. Ask whether the designer charges hourly, by phase, or for a defined package, and identify exclusions before choosing.

Have the proposal state included meetings and revisions, rates for additional work, and the point at which the designer needs your written approval. For purchases, review discounts, markups, freight, storage, returns, and damaged-goods procedures before paying a deposit.

Name the person who owns each order and contacts the supplier about delays or incorrect items. Ask the designer to explain how substitutions affect the approved layout and budget. Keep a record of the product, finish, dimensions, and price you authorized.

Assign renovation responsibilities

Ask the designer and contractor to discuss the construction scope with the Building Division before you order materials that depend on approval. Billings offers architects and designers a pre-submittal discussion with city staff. The city reviews plans by project type and receipt order, mixing minor residential projects among complex projects; workload and staffing also affect review time. [1]

Write down who will submit applications, respond to review comments, schedule inspections, and collect approvals. The city places permit responsibility on the owner but allows delegation to the contractor. If you delegate, confirm that the contractor obtains the appropriate permits and inspection approvals. [1]

Identify electrical and plumbing changes on the proposed layout. Billings says most electrical and plumbing permits can only be issued to licensed electricians and plumbers. Clarify who hires those trades and what coordination the designer includes in the fee. [1]

Check materials before removing finishes

For a home built before 1978, tell the designer about planned sanding, paint preparation, window replacement, or demolition of painted surfaces. EPA generally requires certification and lead-safe work practices for paid paint-disturbing work in covered housing, with specified exceptions. Ask the renovation firm to explain how the rule applies to your scope. [4]

Montana DEQ encourages homeowners to arrange an asbestos inspection before renovation or demolition. Its residential exemption covers single-family residences and housing with four or fewer dwelling units, subject to the qualifications in its guidance. Owners must inform contractors about known asbestos-containing materials involved in the work, and disposal requirements still apply. [3]

Assign responsibility for material assessment before approving removal work. Discuss how findings would affect the design, specialist work, budget, and schedule. Keep assessment and removal decisions separate from approval of decorative finishes.

Specify lighting you can compare

Ask the designer to specify bulb brightness in lumens. ENERGY STAR identifies lumens as light output and recommends choosing the lowest-wattage bulb that supplies the lumens you need. Its national reference table gives minimum brightness values for replacements of familiar incandescent bulb wattages. [5]

Describe where you read, cook, work, and relax. Review fixtures, bulb specifications, and dimming controls together. Try physical finish samples under the lighting you intend to use before approving paint, fabric, or cabinetry. Ask who will confirm fixture and control compatibility before purchasing.

Minimum bulb brightness for incandescent replacements

Match the proposed service to your project

Your hiring checklist

1. Photograph the room and record dimensions, door openings, and furniture you want to keep.
2. List activities, storage needs, and access needs the design should accommodate.
3. Set separate budgets for design, purchases, installation, and construction.
4. Request written deliverables, included revisions, and additional-work rates.
5. Assign ordering, substitution approval, and delivery-problem responsibilities.
6. For renovation work, document permit, trade coordination, and inspection responsibilities.
7. Discuss paint disturbance and material assessment before approving removal work.
8. Approve layouts, lighting specifications, and physical finish samples before ordering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a building permit to redecorate?

Billings lists painting, wallpapering, and similar finish work among activities that do not require a building permit. If your project also changes walls, wiring, or plumbing, describe the full scope to the Building Division before assuming an exemption applies. [1]

Who should handle permits?

The city places responsibility on the owner, who may designate it to the contractor. Record that assignment and confirm that the contractor obtains appropriate permits and inspection approvals. Agree on the designer's role in preparing and revising plans. [1]

Does my house renovation require an asbestos inspection?

Montana DEQ says its rules do not require inspection for exempt residences, including single-family homes and housing with four or fewer units. It encourages inspection before renovation or demolition. Public-service use of part of a home can change its regulatory status; ask DEQ about your circumstances. [3]

How should I compare designers' quotes?

Give candidates the same brief and compare deliverables, meetings, revisions, purchasing terms, and construction coordination. Ask them to separate design fees from furniture and contractor costs. Review exclusions, extra-work rates, and approval steps before choosing.