How to plan an interior budget that survives contact with the site

Where the money actually goes

In most residential fit-outs, fixed joinery — wardrobes, kitchen, TV and storage units — accounts for the largest share of spend, followed by civil and electrical work where layouts change, then finishes, then loose furniture and styling.

Knowing this ordering matters, because it tells you where a specification decision has real financial consequence and where it is largely aesthetic.

Insist on a line-item BOQ

A per-square-foot number is not a quotation. A bill of quantities should state, for every element, the material and grade, the hardware brand and type, the finish, the quantity and the rate.

Without that, two quotes cannot be compared and no variation can be assessed fairly during execution.

• Core material and grade for each joinery item
• Hardware make and warranty terms
• Finish type with sample reference
• Quantities with unit rates, not lump sums
• Exclusions stated explicitly

Control variations in writing

Almost every project changes during execution. The problem is not change, it is undocumented change. Agree upfront that any variation is quoted and approved in writing before it is executed, and keep a running revised total.

Hold a contingency, and phase the rest

Set aside a contingency for site conditions that only appear once work begins — particularly in older properties. If the full scope exceeds the budget, phase it: complete the fixed and services-dependent work first, and defer loose furniture and styling, which can be added later without disturbing anything.

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