How do you actually know when it's time to raise your interior design rates?

Not because another designer charges more. Not because someone in a Facebook group told you their hourly rate. And definitely not because you picked a number that simply feels right.

In this episode, I'm breaking down four signs that can tell you whether you've outgrown your current pricing: capacity, experience, demand, and profitability.

We'll talk about why being fully booked can mean your rates are too low, how your growing experience should affect what you charge, why saying yes to almost every proposal could actually be a warning sign, and the profitability math that ultimately settles the question.

I'm also digging into the hidden cost of waiting too long to change your pricing, from resentment and burnout to attracting the wrong clients and leaving yourself without enough margin to grow a team.

If your business has evolved but your rates haven't kept up, this episode will help you figure out whether it's time for your pricing to catch up.

And if you're ready to stop guessing at the number, check out Pricing With Confidence at rebeccahay.com/pricing.

Episode Resources:

• 280: Why Most Designers Are Scared to Raise Their Rates (And What You Can Do Instead)

This episode is sponsored by Programa.

Programa is project management software built specifically for interior designers. It's designed to save you hours every week and reduce the errors that come from managing projects across scattered documents and systems.

Use code RBD25 for 25% off annual Programa plans. Click to learn more.

When your client looks at marble and porcelain, they see two tiles.

As the designer, you see sourcing, samples, maintenance, installation, trades, lead times, revisions, coordination, risk… and hours of work they may never see.

Years ago, I charged the same design fee for two bathrooms in the same home. One involved a straightforward porcelain selection. The other involved marble, multiple suppliers, stone-yard visits, samples, revised drawings, fabricator conversations, installation issues, and a client who changed her mind after approval.

Same approximate square footage.

One took roughly three times the work.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the invisible work that needs to be considered when you're pricing an interior design project, including:

• Six questions to ask when assessing the scope of a selection
• How client preferences can impact your design fee
• Why changes after approval need clear boundaries
• How customization and complicated materials affect profitability
• Why two projects with the same square footage shouldn't necessarily have the same fee
• The importance of tracking your hours, even with flat-fee projects

Your client isn't just paying you to know the difference between marble and porcelain. They're paying for everything you know, anticipate, and coordinate because of that decision.

If your pricing isn't capturing that work, it might be time to take another look at your design fee.

Episode Resources:

• Learn more about Pricing With Confidence: rebeccahay.com/pricing
• Watch the Original Video: What's the Difference: Marble vs Porcelain

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This episode is sponsored by Programa.

Programa is project management software built specifically for interior designers. It's designed to save you hours every week and reduce the errors that come from managing projects across scattered documents and systems.

Use code RBD25 for 25% off annual Programa plans. Click to learn more.

Six years ago, Ching Tan was winging her process, second-guessing herself, and walking into client conversations unsure of what would happen next.

Today, she runs a full-service interior design firm, works with custom builders, and takes on large-scale projects with budgets reaching $1 million+.

So what changed?

In this episode, Ching returns to Resilient by Design to share how building structure behind her talent changed the way she runs her business.

We talk about how she learned to pre-qualify clients, confidently lead conversations with clients and trades, price projects by phase, communicate consistently throughout a project, and stand behind her designs instead of letting everyone else steer the ship.

We also get into working with builders versus homeowners, managing large project budgets, moving into full-service design, and why the process you use today should continue evolving as your business grows.

If you're still winging parts of your projects or waiting until you feel completely confident before taking on bigger work, Ching's story is proof that you don't have to have everything figured out before you begin.

You need a strong foundation you can build from.

Episode Resources:

• Ready to create your own process? Learn more about Power of Process® and build the structure behind a more confident, streamlined interior design business.
• Episode 28: What you need in your business to gain your clients' trust
• Find Ching at www.taninteriors.ca and on Instagram @taninteriorsds

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This episode is sponsored by Programa.

Programa is project management software built specifically for interior designers. It's designed to save you hours every week and reduce the errors that come from managing projects across scattered documents and systems.

Use code RBD25 for 25% off annual Programa plans. Click to learn more.