You've met two or three designers, and the quotes are in. One total is much lower than the others. Before you decide, check whether the quotes describe the same home. Usually they don't. One includes the false ceiling and painting, another leaves them out. One specifies BWP plywood and branded hinges, another just says "plywood" and "hardware".
This checklist helps you line quotes up item by item, so you compare like with like.
In short: compare what's included, not the totals. For every item, check the size, the material grade, the hardware brand and the finish. Then check what sits outside the modular work (civil, electrical, ceiling, painting), how taxes are shown, the timeline, the payment schedule, and what happens if you change something midway.
1. Scope: what is actually being made
A good quote lists every item by room, with a size:
- Kitchen: base units, wall units and tall units, usually by running feet or by module, with the layout drawn.
- Wardrobes: width × height, with the inside layout (shelves, drawers, hanging space) and the shutter type (hinged or sliding).
- Other storage: TV unit, crockery unit, shoe rack, study, bed storage.
- Loose furniture: if it's included at all.
If one quote has eight items and another has six, find the missing two before comparing prices.
2. Materials: grade, thickness and finish
This is where quotes differ most, and where a low price usually comes from.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Carcass board | Grade (MR, BWR or BWP), thickness (commonly 18–19 mm) and the Indian Standard. See MR vs BWR vs BWP plywood |
| Sink base | BWP, stated separately |
| Shutters | Board type and finish: laminate, acrylic, PU paint, veneer |
| Edge banding | All exposed edges, especially near water |
| Inner laminate | A finish on the inside faces, not bare board |
3. Hardware and accessories
Hinges, drawer channels and baskets wear out first, so they shouldn't be one line called "hardware".
- Hinges and channels: brand, model, soft-close or not, and how many.
- Kitchen accessories: cutlery tray, plate rack, corner unit, tall pull-outs: which are included?
- Handles and profiles: included, or an extra?
- Lights inside wardrobes or under wall units: included, or an extra?
4. Work outside the modular units
Full-home quotes often differ in what they include beyond carpentry. Mark each of these as included, excluded or priced separately:
- False ceiling and cove lighting
- Electrical work: new points, wiring, switches and light fixtures
- Plumbing: sink, taps, water purifier and dishwasher points
- Painting, wallpaper or panelling
- Flooring or tiling changes
- Civil changes: platform removal, wall changes (check society rules first; see our guide to society permissions)
- Countertop, sink, hob and chimney
- Curtains, blinds and soft furnishing
- Deep cleaning before handover
5. Design services
- How many design revisions are included?
- Will you get 2D drawings and 3D views before production?
- Who supervises the site, and how often?
6. Taxes, transport and other charges
- Is GST included in the total or added on top, and is it shown clearly?
- Are transport, installation and debris removal included?
- Who pays society charges or deposits if the society asks for them?
7. Timeline
- The total duration, counted from design approval.
- Milestones: design sign-off, production, delivery, installation, handover.
- What happens if work is delayed, and how you'll be kept informed.
8. Payment schedule
Look for payments linked to project stages rather than mostly upfront. At Huda Interior, for example, payments are split into stages: 10% at booking, 40% at production, 40% at installation and 10% on handover.
Whichever designer you choose, check that:
- each payment is tied to a visible stage of the work;
- a meaningful amount stays due at handover, after you've inspected the work;
- the schedule is written into the agreement.
9. Changes and after-sales
- Changes midway: how are they priced and approved? Ask for any change in writing, with its cost, before the work is done.
- After installation: what's covered, for how long, and who handles it: the designer, or the hardware or board manufacturer?
A simple comparison sheet
Copy this table, put each quote in its own column, and fill every row before you compare totals.
| Item | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Items included (count by room) | |||
| Carcass grade and thickness | |||
| Sink base grade | |||
| Shutter finish | |||
| Hardware brand and models | |||
| False ceiling, electrical, painting | |||
| Countertop, sink, chimney | |||
| GST shown separately? | |||
| Transport, installation, debris | |||
| Timeline (from design approval) | |||
| Payment schedule | |||
| After-sales terms | |||
| Total |
Red flags
- A single lump sum with no item list.
- "Plywood" or "hardware" with no grade, standard or brand.
- A large share of the payment due before production starts.
- No drawings or 3D views before production.
- Vague answers about what's excluded.
Frequently asked questions
Why are interior quotes for the same flat so different?
Because they rarely cover the same scope and specifications. The differences are usually in board grade, hardware brand, shutter finish, and whether ceiling, electrical and painting work are included.
Should I just choose the cheapest quote?
Only after the comparison sheet shows it includes the same items and specifications. A lower total that leaves out the sink base grade, hardware or ceiling work isn't cheaper in the end.
What payment schedule is reasonable?
One where payments follow visible stages of work, and a part stays due at handover. Huda Interior's schedule is 10% at booking, 40% at production, 40% at installation and 10% on handover.
Want a quote you can compare line by line?
Book a free consultation with Huda Interior. You choose the materials, hardware and finishes with your designer, and every item is shared with you for approval before anything is ordered. You can also try the budget calculator on our homepage for a first estimate.