How to price interior work
By the Inbecto team · Updated
Price each item by the unit the trade uses: wardrobes and panelling by square foot of front, kitchen units by running foot, false ceilings and flooring by square foot of floor, painting by square foot of wall, electrical work by the point and furniture by the piece. Add wastage to materials, then set the price as cost ÷ (1 − margin).
Units by item
| Item | Unit | How to measure |
|---|---|---|
| Wardrobe, loft, panelling | sq.ft | Width × height of the front |
| Kitchen base and wall units | running ft | Length along each wall |
| Tall unit, bed, dressing table | number | By the piece |
| False ceiling | sq.ft | Room length × width; cove by running ft |
| Flooring and tiling | sq.ft | Floor area, plus wastage |
| Painting | sq.ft | Wall area less large openings |
| Wallpaper | roll | A usual roll covers about 57 sq.ft |
| Electrical | point | Each switch, socket or light point |
Wastage to allow
- Tiles and flooring: 5 to 10 percent, more for diagonal laying
- Plywood and laminate sheets: plan the cutting; allow 10 to 15 percent
- Paint: follow the maker's coverage per litre for two coats
Setting the price
Margin is the share of the price that is profit; mark-up is profit as a share of cost. For a 25 percent margin, price = cost ÷ 0.75, so a cost of ₹30,000 is priced at ₹40,000. A 25 percent mark-up on the same cost gives only ₹37,500, a 20 percent margin.
| Margin wanted | Divide cost by | Same as a mark-up of |
|---|---|---|
| 15% | 0.85 | 17.6% |
| 20% | 0.80 | 25% |
| 25% | 0.75 | 33.3% |
| 30% | 0.70 | 42.9% |