Choosing a Designer

Should I Get Multiple Design Proposals Before Deciding?

7 June 2026 · 4 min read

The logical consumer move is to get multiple quotes before committing to any significant purchase. Interior design is more complicated than that — but the principle is still sound, with some important caveats. Read our related post on interviewing multiple designers before choosing for the meeting strategy.

When Multiple Proposals Help

Comparing scope. The most valuable thing multiple proposals reveal is how differently designers define the scope of their work. Designer A's ₹1,80,000 package includes 3D renders, AutoCAD drawings, material boards, and execution oversight. Designer B's ₹1,60,000 package includes a moodboard and a site visit. These are not the same product. You can't compare the prices without comparing the deliverables.

Multiple proposals force each designer to be explicit about what they're including — which benefits you regardless of who you choose.

When Multiple Proposals Confuse

If you ask three designers to present their design vision for your flat, you'll get three different aesthetic directions. One goes warm minimalist, one proposes a contemporary Indian palette, one pushes something more dramatic. Suddenly you're deciding between visions rather than between professionals.

Multiple proposals work best when you're comparing structure and scope — not design direction. If you want to compare design thinking, have conversations, not full proposals. A good conversation in your space tells you more about a designer's aesthetic intelligence than a 10-slide deck.

How to Compare Fairly

Give every designer the same brief: same room list, same scope description, same budget range. Ask each for an itemised deliverables list.

Then compare:

Who specifically works on your project (principal designer or junior)?
How many site visits are included?
What's explicitly in scope and what's extra?
What's the revision policy?
What are the payment milestones?

What Not to Compare

Don't compare based on who gives you the most ideas in the proposal meeting. Some designers are excellent salespeople in proposals and mediocre on delivery. Others are quiet in meetings and exceptional on site. The proposal is a marketing exercise. Ask for references and visit a completed project instead. Browse our interiors portfolio as part of your research.

Ali's Experience

Clients who come to me having already met two other designers are often my easiest to work with. They have a clear sense of what they want, they've heard different perspectives on their project, and they're making an informed choice rather than a reactive one.

The best outcome rarely comes from the lowest quote. I've never seen a client regret spending on good design. I have seen them regret the alternative. Read more about what you're actually paying for when you engage a designer.

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