Deposits
Interior design deposit calculator: how much to collect up front.
A deposit is not just a payment detail. It sets the seriousness of the project, protects early work, and keeps the designer from financing the client's indecision.
For a flat-fee project, the deposit should match the amount of work that happens before the next payment. If the first phase includes discovery, design direction, sourcing, and a presentation, a tiny deposit can leave the designer exposed.
Start with cash-flow protection
Ask what work happens before the next invoice. The deposit should cover that phase with enough margin that the designer is not doing meaningful labor before the client has made a real commitment.
Match the deposit to the offer
A small consultation might be paid in full up front. A room package might use a deposit and a final payment. A larger design project might use several milestones. The right structure depends on how much risk and labor sit in each phase.
Use payment timing as a scope boundary
Payment milestones should line up with deliverables. For example: deposit to begin, second payment before presentation, final payment before final files or shopping list delivery. Clear timing reduces awkward collection conversations later.
Deposit questions to answer before sending the proposal
- How much work happens before the client sees the first deliverable?
- What costs or tools are required to start?
- How many client delays can the business absorb?
- When does the next payment become due?
- What happens if the scope changes before the next milestone?
Want the workbook? The Interior Designer Flat-Fee Calculator includes deposit terms and proposal language alongside the fee math. Get the calculator.