How design revisions work
Your design fee includes a number of revisions. Beyond that, additional revisions are billed by the hour. Here's how to make the most of the rounds you have.
Designing a renovation involves iteration. You'll see drafts, give feedback, and refine the result. This article describes how revisions work — what's included, when you'd pay for more, and how to use the rounds you have well.
What's included
Each piece of design work includes one round of revisions, plus a two-week cool-off period after the round during which smaller refinements can be folded in without restarting the clock. Before any paid design work begins, your designer will quote you for it — time, cost, and what's covered — so you know exactly what you're paying for in that brief.
Within the included revision round, you can request changes to the layout, the finishes, the materials list, or the look. Your designer will incorporate them into the next draft.
When you'd pay for more
If you go beyond the included rounds, additional design time is billed at our hourly rate. The article Design pricing — what's free, what's paid describes the rate.
The most common reason for going beyond is a meaningful change of direction part-way through — for example, switching from one kitchen layout to a fundamentally different one, or rethinking the materials palette. Smaller refinements within a chosen direction usually fit inside the included rounds.
How to use your rounds well
A few things help:
- Look at the draft properly before responding. Quick reactions often miss things; a careful read-through catches more.
- Bundle your feedback. It's easier for your designer to work through ten points in one go than ten messages over a week.
- Be specific. "I'd like a darker tile in the splashback area, something matt rather than gloss" is much easier to action than "I'm not sure about this".
- Decide before you signal. "I think I might want to change X" without a follow-up locks the round without progressing it. Land on a decision before you message.
What this means for you
Most projects land within the included rounds when feedback is bundled and decisions are clear. If you find yourself running thin, your designer will tell you where the line is — and you can decide whether to refine inside the remaining rounds or pay for additional time.
Related articles
- What's in your design pack
- Design pricing — what's free, what's paid