Do you want professional helpdesigner? Are you sure it will cost you dearly? You are wrong! We will prove to you in this article that the services of a specialist will help you save a large amount. Any repair is a costly pleasure. Starting to it, almost every owner of a house or apartment is sure that he himself is able to cope with all the tasks, subtleties and nuances of this difficult event. And if not sure, then he is warmed by the thought of tangible savings that he will receive without resorting to the help of a professional architect or designer. This is where an unexpected and unpleasant surprise lies: you can, of course, do it yourself, but it will come out several times more expensive. You will ask why? Our mathematical calculations will prove it to you clearly and convincingly. 
We turned for help to a competentthe person, the head of the architectural and construction company "SM-Home" Vitaly Likhov. He already knows very well how many unplanned expenses there are for any repair, and can calculate how much money a good designer will save the owner. Vitaly Likhov General Director of the architectural and construction company "SM-Home" Graduate of the Faculty of Economics, Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov sm-home.ru
Customer and designer responsibility areas
The customer of the project is never left on the sidelines,he receives comprehensive information from the designer, is present, if necessary, on the working site. He needs to tell what technologies will be used, what kind of materials can be used and what is the advantage of this or that finish. He should have the right to choose within the acceptable range, based on information received from professionals. Vitaly Likhov was convinced from experience that both the time and the efforts that have to be spent on the implementation of the project in the "from and to" mode pay off significantly: there is no need to dissipate efforts to connect intermediate performers, to control the quality of their work, the risk of unjustified expenses is minimized, if the hired workers buy the wrong material or at a suboptimal cost. And how important it is to come to an agreement with manufacturers of plumbing fixtures, equipment, furniture! The specialist takes it upon himself, makes an advance payment, controls deliveries, resolves emerging issues with representatives of managing organizations and even dissatisfied ones - and where without it! - neighbors. In short, the job of the executing designers is a routine part of the work plus the creative embodiment of what was conceived, and the task of the customer is to formulate wishes, make key decisions and control. I often say at the first meeting with a potential customer: do not get hung up on the amount that the designer calls as payment for his services. There are many nuances thanks to which a specialist can significantly save money by minimizing the initial budget!
Vitaliy Likhov 
Let's look at the calculations made by Vitaly Likhov,to make sure he is right with a calculator in hand. The word to the master: - I decided to calculate the amount of savings, if we do everything ourselves. Of course, the amounts will be approximate, because budget optimization depends to a large extent on many factors, including the customer's needs, the level and style of the designers' work, the materials chosen, and so on. Let's take a virtual dwelling with an area of 100 square meters for clarity. Let's say that it is in the segment of the metropolitan business level. Let's determine the prices for the designer's work at $ 100 per square meter. It is clear that it is also very conditional. Moving on to the budget. Let's define it at 8 million rubles, intended to pay for the work of a designer, builders, for the purchase of all materials, furnishings and decor elements, for the necessary engineering projects, etc. For this price, the owner of the premises can count on the consent of a good designer (3,500 rubles per sq. M. X 100 sq. M. = 350,000 rubles), on an adequate construction worker (12,000 rubles per sq. M. X 100 sq. M.) m. = 1,200,000 rubles), for decent materials, for a parquet board at 4,000 rubles per sq. m. (400,000 rubles), the kitchen of a good Russian or Italian manufacturer, but not pretentious (700,000 rubles), two bathrooms with good tiles (2 x 200,000 = 400,000 rubles), plumbing of reliable European brands (300,000 rubles) , a decent sofa and two armchairs of domestic production (300,000 rubles) and so on. This is only 4 350 000 rubles, the rest of the amount will be spent on other furnishings, lamps, decoration and decor, engineering projects, settlements with the management company, for air conditioning systems and other necessary things. From the eight million, we subtract what will be at the full disposal of the designer - within this amount, he can make decisions on the purchase of everything necessary within the framework of his responsibility. Conventionally, such a "design" fund is equal to 5 million rubles. 
Now we turn to the consideration of specific moments, due to which we will save the customer's money. So, five secrets of Vitaly Lihov.
1. Optimal product selection
- By studying data on products in different markets, weWe can buy them at a more optimal price. It is assumed that the designer has an idea of all possible proposals, and then he will be able to purchase everything so that the savings were evident. And on materials, it can make up on average 5% of the "design fund", that is, approximately 250,000 rubles. 
2. Optimal choice of the seller of the product
- Any product can be bought in several storesor at different bases. The price for it, of course, differs depending on the location of the shopping facility and on other factors, which the designer should also know about. It is clear that we are talking about goods of exactly the same quality. It is quite possible to find tiles with a price difference of up to 5-10%. That's another minus 250,000 rubles. There are amazing cases that allow you to save fantastically at this point - up to 50%! For example, we took one order for the manufacture of furniture, and it came directly from an Italian factory. The work was accompanied by a bunch of papers, drawings, approvals, sending samples, searching for logisticians ... it was scary to imagine what awaited us at the stage of assembly by Moscow assemblers of two kitchens, four dressing rooms and four bedrooms. However, it cost us even 20% less than it would cost for an Italian buyer (by the way, many large capital furniture salons double the retail Italian price for Moscow consumers). This is a huge savings, comparable to the cost of a one-room apartment in a remote residential area. 
3. The advantage of a regular consumer
It has long been no secret that takes placeA different price for the final buyer and for the wholesaler or designer. Yes, a discount can be obtained with a one-time purchase, but a regular consumer is always in priority. A good, competent professional will allow the customer to save money in this. The minimum is another 5% or 250,000 rubles. 
4. Loss of profit from professional activities
I will name only the main thing that the customer is very oftenprefers to study independently, without a designer, believing that he will do it no worse: - the measurements are very different; - drawing options for planning, placing electricians, plumbing, types of ceilings; - studying the market of suppliers, manufacturers, collecting feedback and opinions about their work; - clarification of all the conditions of subcontractors, attempts to control their work and solve emerging problems; - settlements with workers, acceptance of materials and much, much more. How to estimate the time and nerves spent on these actions? Let's say that the project is being implemented within the framework of a contract. Then the period for arranging the apartment will be about six months. For the customer, his participation will conditionally be 1 hour every two days. Of course, he may not appear at the facility, say, a week, and then in two days he will decide to go around the shops in search of something like that. Let's count. To go to the salon for tiles or parquet for 20 km, spend three hours on the road and talking with sellers - simple mathematical actions give the result: 90 hours in six months. And this is also minimal fuss. But this time could be used wisely, for work, to generate income! By the way, about the owner's earnings - in our case, this is pure mathematics, and not interference in the area of intimate interests. So, a 100-meter apartment in a residential area costs 15 million rubles. Buying it or paying off a loan for it assumes (if there are other vital expenses) a monthly income of half a million rubles. For convenience, let's take 200 working hours per month at 2,500 rubles per hour. We get 225,000 rubles. 
5. The magic of design
About a high level of mastery of the designer you canSay, if the object looks more expensive than it cost in financial terms. A good designer has his secrets, how to achieve it. Here is just one example from practice. We bought a lamp for $ 150 in America for one project, the rest of our fabrics that we used changed the ceiling lights and got a product that looked much more expensive. We will estimate our similar efforts in conditional, but quite adequate 50 000 rubles. 
When evaluating the results of a designer's work, correctlywill also assess the reduction of risks, since, for example, for workers, the designer is a controller, and is sufficiently knowledgeable. But in digital terms, we will not take into account such savings in our calculations here. Let's calculate the total amount for all the points set out - this is the savings that a designer can provide. 250,000 + 250,000 + 250,000 + 225,000 + 50,000 = 1,025,000 rubles. Or 10,250 rubles per square meter, which is about $ 300. We get a clear conclusion: by giving the designer $ 100 per square meter, the customer saves $ 300 on the same meter. Impressive, isn't it? Do not forget that the designer fulfills his main function: he creates a cozy, beautiful, ergonomic space. And along the way, it saves the customer a rather large sum. Haven't appreciated the designers yet? Then we go to you! 
The designer of all interiors (except for the wooden house) - Julia Likhova; Photographer Evgeny Kulibaba; Source photo sm-home.ru
