Chapter 3
Practice and Hiring
Fee models, contract contents, ASID and IIDA dues, and the software stack a US studio pays for.
The Practice and Hiring section is written for two readers at once: the designer setting up a studio and the client about to sign an agreement. The fee article compares the four billing models used in the United States (hourly at $100 to $500 per hour, flat fee, percentage of project cost at 10% to 30%, and cost-plus markups near 20% in 2026 price guides) and lists the eleven schedules in the ASID Residential Contract Package, sold at $249 for members and $349 for non-members. The membership and software article prices ASID practitioner dues at $549 per year plus fees, IIDA professional dues at $599 per year, and a working software stack from AutoCAD LT at $45 per month to Studio Designer at $69 to $119 per user per month. All prices were read from the vendor or association pages in September 2026.
- 3.1 Interior designer fee models and contracts: 2026 rates and terms
Four US interior design fee models with 2025 and 2026 ranges ($60 to $500 per hour, 10% to 30% of budget, 15% to 35% markups) and the 11 ASID contract schedules
- 3.2 ASID and IIDA dues and interior design software costs in 2026
2026 dues for ASID ($549 plus fees) and IIDA ($346 to $599), with US prices for AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Chief Architect, Enscape, Adobe and Studio Designer