How to read an interior design quotation (and spot the trap)

You have two quotes for the same flat. One is ₹9 lakh, one is ₹12 lakh, and both look professional. Almost everyone picks the ₹9 lakh one, and about a third of them end up paying ₹12 lakh anyway.

Here's how to tell which one is which, before you sign.

1. Which area have they priced?

Carpet or super built-up? They can differ by 30%. A quote at ₹700/sq ft on super built-up is ₹910/sq ft on carpet. If two quotes use different bases, you are not comparing prices — you're comparing arithmetic.

2. What's excluded?

This is where the money is. The usual four are civil work, plumbing relocation, appliances, and loose furniture. A quote that lists its exclusions is being honest with you. A quote that doesn't isn't cheaper — it's incomplete, and you'll discover the rest at the point when saying no is hardest.

Almost nobody in this market publishes exclusions. That is not an oversight. It's where the surprise invoice lives.

3. What's the carcass made of?

The quote should name it: BWP marine ply, 710-grade, MDF, particle board. If it says "premium quality material", that's not a specification, it's a mood. The carcass is 60% of what you're paying for and the part you can never replace.

4. Is the hardware named?

"Soft-close German hardware" means nothing. Hettich, Blum, Hafele — a name, in writing. Hinges and runners are what fail first, and they're the easiest line to quietly downgrade between the quote and the delivery.

5. What are the payment terms?

A large upfront payment isn't automatically a red flag — materials cost money. But watch the ratio. If more than 50% is due before anything is manufactured, ask what leverage you have left if things go wrong. Milestone billing exists for a reason.

6. What happens if they're late?

Ask directly. Get the answer in writing. Most companies cannot answer it, because the honest answer is "nothing, and we'll blame the vendor" — and the reason is structural: the company selling you the kitchen usually isn't the company building it.

That's the question that separates the two quotes on your table, and it has almost nothing to do with the numbers on them.

The one question that reveals everything

Ask who makes the kitchen.

If it's a third-party fabricator, there are two margins in your price and no single owner of your date. That's not a scandal — it's how a marketplace works, and it's a perfectly legitimate business. But you should know you're paying for it, and you should know who to call in year three.