The owner's checklist — for whoever you hire.
Quick answer
Thirteen checks protect an interiors project: six material demands (plywood specs over brand names, WPC backing, named hardware variants, GST invoices, 1mm laminates, plywood-only carcass), four money rules (line-item BOQ, milestone payments, written refund terms, never compare bottom lines), and three paper rules — warranty certificate, delay penalty, signed agreement.
We hand this to every client — including the ones who choose someone else — because these are exactly the places corners get cut, whoever executes the work.
Materials — demand these in writing
- 01
Plywood by SPECS, not brand alone: Garjan face, zero core gaps, 100% calibrated, termite-resistant; BWP 710 for wet areas, MR 303 for dry. With Century, skip entry-level Sainik and ask for ClubPrime.
Why it matters: The same brand sells very different grades — a brand name in the quote without the grade is where downgrades hide.
- 02
WPC sheets between wall and cabinets — roughly ₹25,000 for a whole home.
Why it matters: A small line that can extend plywood life dramatically in Indian kitchens and utility walls.
- 03
Hardware: soft-close only, mid-range or above, from Hettich / Hafele / Blum / Ebco — and know exactly which variant is being installed.
Why it matters: “Imported hardware” without a named variant usually means the cheapest line the brand makes.
- 04
Insist on GST invoices for ply, laminate and hardware.
Why it matters: No legitimate brand sells genuine goods without GST — a missing bill usually means counterfeit material.
- 05
Laminates ≥1mm with 2mm edge banding; acrylic at 2mm; shutters in HDHMR only.
Why it matters: Thin laminates chip, thin banding peels, and plywood shutters wave — these three lines are where furniture visibly ages.
- 06
Carcass in plywood only — never MDF, HDHMR or particle board — and prefer fully factory-finished modular.
Why it matters: A site carpenter cannot apply a 100-ton press; factory finishing is what keeps shutters straight for decades.
Money — compare properly
- 07
Never compare quotations by the bottom line — compare specs, grades, warranties and brands line by line.
Why it matters: The same scope gets quoted ₹5L to ₹10L in Bengaluru; the gap is almost always specification, not generosity.
- 08
Demand a line-item BOQ: every unit with its material, grade, brand, dimensions and rate as its own priced line.
Why it matters: Lump sums and “as per actuals” clauses are where overruns hide — an itemised BOQ is a quote you can audit.
- 09
Check the payment schedule is tied to delivery milestones — design sign-off, material delivery, installation, handover.
Why it matters: A large upfront share against nothing tangible is the single most common pattern in interior complaints.
- 10
Read the cancellation and refund terms before paying any booking amount.
Why it matters: What you get back at each exit point should be written down before money moves — not negotiated after.
Paper — the contract is the product
- 11
A written warranty certificate: years, what is covered (carcass, shutters, hardware, workmanship) and the claim process.
Why it matters: Verbal “lifetime warranty” claims rarely survive a service call; most cover the board only, not hinges or handles.
- 12
A committed handover date with a per-day delay penalty written into the agreement.
Why it matters: A firm that won't put a date and a number on paper is telling you what it thinks of its own schedule.
- 13
Get every commitment into a signed work agreement, and visit the factory to verify materials match it.
Why it matters: If a promise is real, it survives being written down. If it isn't written down, it was never a promise.
Checklist questions, answered
What should I check before making the final payment to my interior designer?
Walk the site against the signed BOQ line by line, test every hinge, channel and soft-close, inspect edges and alignment, and get the documented quality checklist plus the written warranty certificate in hand. Final payment is your last leverage — the snag walk-through happens before it, not after.
What questions should I ask before hiring any interior designer?
Four that reveal everything: will the quote be a line-item BOQ with brands and grades; does the timeline carry a written per-day penalty; does the warranty exist as a certificate stating coverage; and who exactly supervises my site day to day. Strong firms answer all four in writing without flinching.
Why do you give this checklist to people who don't hire you?
Because these are exactly the places corners get cut, whoever executes the work. A homeowner who checks specifications is a better client for any honest firm — and if the checklist steers you to someone else done properly, it has still done its job.
Can I download or print this checklist?
Yes — the page is deliberately published as a plain, complete web page with a print stylesheet, no sign-up and no email wall. Use your browser's print function to keep a copy for site visits.
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