Decorate Interior
Ideas, costs, tips and plans - the information you need for a successful Interior Decorating project
December 2021
Homeowners have many important questions about their Interior Decorating Project. How much will it cost? How long will it take? What problem areas do I need to watch out for? Can I recover my Interior Decorating investment when I sell? Can I do some of the work myself? What can I do to make sure that the work is done right?
Costs, materials and best practices for the example Interior Decorating project will help you answer these questions. Use this information to develop a budget, bid requirements, hiring contracts and a project plan.
Interior Decorating - Project Overview
Important considerations for this project are summarized below.
| Project description | Decorate existing room. Update molding, flooring, doors, switchplates and decorative hardware. Add built-in speakers and modern recessed lighting. Install new window treatments. |
| Project size | 210 square feet |
| Do-it-yourself assessment | The typical Interior Decorating project can be completed by a moderately skilled do-it-yourselfer; as with any project, high quality Interior Decorating requires attention to detail and careful planning. |
| First year Return on Investment - ROI | Returns vary widely and are affected by the range of home prices in your neighborhood, the overall condition of your home and sensible design choices. A high quality Interior Decorating project in an appropriate neighborhood can return as much as 77% - 91% of its initial cost. |
| First year Return on Investment - ROI | Returns will be impacted by the range of home prices in your neighborhood, the overall condition of your home and sensible design choices. A high quality Interior Decorating project can return as much as 67% - 78% of its initial cost |
| Green rating | Interior Decorating projects can incorporate renewable or sustainable resources and environmentally friendly materials. |
Interior Decorating - Project Plan and Details
The following list includes major work tasks commonly performed during Interior Decorating. Use this list to understand the timing and sequence of different steps in the Interior Decorating project. Click any task name for task details and an up-to-date Homewyse example cost estimate for the task - this essential information will help you control Interior Decorating project cost and quality.
Do you expect to spend more than $250 on your Interior Decorating project? If so, it is important create and manage a detailed plan for all project activities.
| Task | Service Provider | Time | Difficulty | - |
| Develop Home Design Ideas | Architect | 5 to 20 d | - | |
| Prepare Home Lighting Ideas | Lighting Designer | 3 to 5 d | - | |
| Specify Materials | Interior Designer | 2 to 15 d | - | |
| Specify Finishes | Interior Designer | 1 to 2 d | - | |
| Install Circuit Breaker | Electrician | 1 d | - | |
| Install Lighting Control System | Electrician | 1 d | - | |
| Remove Acoustic Ceiling | Painter | 1 to 3 d | - | |
| Repair Ceiling | Drywall Contractor | 1 to 2 d | - | |
| Repair Plaster | Drywall and Plaster Contractor | 1 to 2 d | - | |
| Install Baseboard | Finish Carpenter | 1 to 2 d | - | |
| Install Interior Door | Finish Carpenter | 1 d | - | |
| Install French Doors | Finish Carpenter | 1 d | - | |
| Install Door Hinges | Finish Carpenter | 1 d | - | |
| Hang Curtain Rod | Finish Carpenter | 1 d | - | |
| Install Interior Window Shutter | Finish Carpenter | 1 d | - | |
| Paint Wood | Painting Contractor | 1 to 3 d | - | |
| Install Laminate Flooring | Flooring Contractor | 1 d | - | |
| Install Wall Mounted Lighting | Electrician | 1 to 3 d | - | |
| Replace Electric Switch | Electrician | 1 d | - | |
| Replace Switch Plates | Electrician | 1 d | - |
Interior Decorating - Proven Ideas and Project Tips
Review these tips, design suggestions, options and lessons learned before finalizing your Interior Decorating project plan.
- To maximize return on the Interior Decorating project, limit cost to no more than 1.75% of home's total, post project value
- For best home resale value, follow a consistent design and decorating theme throughout the home
- To keep Interior Decorating costs low, do not move walls or relocate plumbing fixtures or electrical boxes
- For best resale value, select a taste neutral design for your Interior Decorating
- For best resale value, select components, appliances, finishes and fixtures of comparable quality
- Recess speakers into walls or ceiling to share media system access and create room ambiance
- Use under floor electrical receptacle(s) to provide interior portion of room with cord free electrical power
- Use low voltage interior lighting to illuminate pathways used at night
Hiring Local Professionals
Our FREE hiring guide helps you hire wisely, get quality craftsmanship and understand fair pricing for your specific project.
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