Interior Design Fees in India — How Much to Charge (or Pay) in 2026
Written for interior design and architecture studios pricing their services, with worked numbers homeowners can use to sanity-check a quote. If you're a COA-registered architect looking for the regulatory fee scale, see the full COA Scale of Charges guide — interior architecture sits at the same 7.5% minimum as residential work.
Design Fee vs Execution Cost — the Distinction That Matters
Every interior quote splits into two very different things, whether or not the paperwork says so explicitly:
- Design fee — concept design, layouts, material and finish selection, 3D visualisation, working drawings, vendor coordination, site visits. This is the designer's professional service.
- Execution cost — civil work, carpentry, electrical, painting, furniture, soft furnishings, and the material that goes into all of it. This is what actually gets built.
A ₹1,500/sq ft quote and a ₹150/sq ft quote can both be "correct" for the same apartment — one is turnkey, the other is design-only. Always ask which number you're being given before comparing studios.
Fee Model 1 — Design-Only, Per Sq Ft
The designer charges purely for services; the client procures materials and hires contractors separately, either directly or through vendors the designer recommends.
| Finish level | Design fee (₹/sq ft) | Typical for |
|---|---|---|
| Economy | 50 – 100 | Budget-conscious full-home projects, Tier 2/3 cities |
| Standard | 100 – 175 | Mainstream residential, most metro apartments |
| Premium | 175 – 300 | High-spec residential, boutique studios |
| Luxury | 300 – 500+ | Bespoke design, named-designer studios |
Worked example: a 1,400 sq ft 3BHK, standard finish, design-only engagement.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Design fee | ₹140/sq ft × 1,400 sq ft | ₹1,96,000 |
| GST @ 18% | 18% × ₹1,96,000 | ₹35,280 |
| Total payable | ₹2,31,280 |
Fee Model 2 — Percentage of Project Cost
The designer's fee is calculated as a percentage of the execution budget — materials, fabrication, and labour — rather than the built-up area. This is closest in spirit to the COA percentage model used for architectural fees.
Worked example: the same 3BHK, with a client-approved execution budget of ₹22,00,000, at a 10% design fee.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Design fee (10%) | 10% × ₹22,00,000 | ₹2,20,000 |
| GST @ 18% | 18% × ₹2,20,000 | ₹39,600 |
| Total payable | ₹2,59,600 |
Note this works out to roughly ₹157/sq ft on the same 1,400 sq ft home — in the standard-to-premium band, and a useful cross-check when a client wants to compare a percentage quote against a per sq ft one.
Fee Model 3 — Turnkey (All-Inclusive)
One number covers design plus materials plus execution plus, often, loose furniture. This is what most homeowners searching "interior design cost per sq ft" are actually looking at.
| Finish level | Turnkey rate (₹/sq ft) |
|---|---|
| Economy | 800 – 1,200 |
| Standard | 1,200 – 2,000 |
| Premium | 2,000 – 3,500 |
| Luxury | 3,500 – 6,000+ |
GST on turnkey contracts is more complex than a pure design fee: the goods component (furniture, fittings, material) can sit anywhere from 12% to 28% depending on the item, while the labour and service component is separately rated. Get the invoice breakdown confirmed with your CA before signing — this is a common source of billing disputes on turnkey projects.
Does the COA Scale of Charges Apply?
Only when the work is delivered by a COA-registered architect operating under their registration. The COA Scale of Charges sets interior architecture and signage at a 7.5% minimum — the same floor as residential architecture — and that minimum applies regardless of whether the fee is quoted per sq ft or as a percentage.
A large share of India's interior design market is delivered by designers who aren't registered architects — IIID members, diploma-holders, or unregistered practitioners — and the COA scale simply doesn't reach them. If you're an architecture firm that also takes on interior work under your COA registration, don't quote below the 7.5% equivalent even when competing against non-architect studios that can legally price lower.
Why the Lowest Quote Often Costs More
A design fee quoted at or near zero, with the promise that "it's covered in material costs," usually means the designer is earning a vendor commission on everything you buy — often 10–20% baked into the material price, invisible to the client. It isn't illegal, but it removes any incentive for the designer to help you spend less. A transparent, separately stated design fee — whichever model it uses — is the clearest way to keep material sourcing and design advice on the same side of the table.