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FAQ

  • What is the difference between an interior designer and an interior decorator?
    Generally, an interior decorator is a person who furnishes a house or shop by way of décor. Most who work in this field are very skilled, hands-on experience. There is no minimum educational requirement to be an interior decorator. In a house, an interior decorator may chose curtains, chairs, carpets, tiles, and fittings. An interior designer, on the other hand, deals with the above but in a more complex way, such as the preparation of fully documented construction plans, council and authorities approvals, and coordinating mechanical, electrical, and plumbing issues on a site. The interior designer can be involved from small residential interior projects to more complex airport designs, or shopping centre designs. A professional interior designer will have some form of recognised college education through to a university degree in interior design or a post-graduate degree in architecture.
  • Within the interior design field, what other extra services can you provide or advise a small business operator who wants to start the design process?"
    By utilising the power differential, we use the sage advice of other professions. In return, our clients get an end-to-end design solution that is unique to HRID so that our clients do not need to do the hard work looking for these people. We combine professional disciplines, working together for the benefit of our clients.
  • I have a business, and I am looking to grow it from two or more outlets. Where do I start?"
    We have worked for more than ten years with professionals who understand our design approach and are experts in the field of franchise strategy. If you as the owner want to replicate your business and franchise it, our professionals will go through a criteria test that is based on your model. You will need to present a proven track record that it is profitable with a loyal customer service flow. Our experts will take this and help you grow your business in the most effective way possible, taking your business model and brand to the next level.
  • My business is unique, so how will you be able to fully understand my objectives?"
    We will go through a process of sorting out all the details of your business with our experts and will work closely with you to fully understand and execute your business objectives. We will analyse the target market to determine the opportunities that are available, as we know what it takes to make a business owner become successful with their brand.
  • I know what I want out of my business and understand about franchising strategies. However, finding the right site for my business is hard and too risky. How can you facilitate selecting the right site?"
    We have partnered with some of Australia’s biggest brand names and countless small emerging retail businesses. At HRID, we associate ourselves with experts in this field who have more than 30 years of experience in strategy, analysis, data, and mapping. There is a science when it comes to selecting the right site for a client. The norm is to cross check and make sure that the location is the right one by doing some form of research and getting a gut feeling for it. However, what if there was a more accurate method to identify the best selection? Rather than going by feelings or what a leasing broker advises, which could potentially end up as a costly exercise, we present to you a science that ultimately will help you choose the right site by understanding the correct location.
  • But how is it possible to choose a site that is right for my business without that gut feeling?
    Through the abundant data that we have available today, a full site analysis will be provided with accurate information so that you can proceed and make the most effective business decision. The information experts that we partner with are top notch in the field of interpreting raw data, ensuring that what they extract is relevant and related to your needs, maximising the full potential of the site, your business, adding excellent value by pinpointing the best location.
  • So what is the first thing I need do to make this happen?
    The first part of our strategy is to understand the type of business you will be providing your customers. The second is to allow our experts to provide different options through strategic business solutions that best suit your brand and service. Although this service provides a high level of alternative strategic business solutions, there is no brainstorming sessions or guess activities involved. The critical aspects of the science behind this service is to be looking at areas such as network planning, local area marketing, and much more, finding unique opportunities that are focused and tailored to your brand and service. Finally, once the location is identified, we can begin the lease negotiations and site selection that coincide with the site analytics.
  • Once I have the right location for my business, what do I do next?"
    The next stage is to find the right lease space for you. In the simplest terms, our leasing broker or yours will find the right rental property for your business. Through their sales techniques, they will find the most competitive rental price for your space. They will advise you on the current market conditions, find the best value, and ensure it remains the most competitive agreement on the property for the term of the lease.
  • During the initial lease phase of the project, does HRID get involved?"
    Yes, we will help you understand the space better, its facilities, and if it is feasible for the type of business required before any form of lease is agreed upon and signed. If the lease terms are right for you, the space, and its location is great, we will typically do a rough computer-generated sketch floor plan to determine if the space will work for you or not.
  • When can I commission HRID to start the design process?
    Once the lease is signed and the space has been thoroughly checks and inspected, the design process can begin. Through our strategic brand-centric thinking process, we will creatively help you develop a remarkable interior design that suits your brand. Our interior design service will facilitate your business so that it has the best chance to succeed and endure.
  • What do I need to consider when developing my brand so that my business has a high chance of success?
    Brand identity is much more than a logo. To make your business successful, you must go beyond a single component as there is so much more to the development and design of your brand. It can range from the look, the feel, the touch, the smell, the sound of the business, to the taste. These are critical factors for successful business brand. When you combine this with excellent customer service, you will create a profitable business model. At the end of the day, the first impression or impact that your business makes on your customers will determine whether or not they will come back. This says a lot about your business, as customers have the power to help you build it and achieve amazing results.
  • There are lots of designers who have provided great designs, but I have noticed that some businesses have closed after a year or two. Why is that?"
    There are many amazing designs out there that look great but have been designed in the wrong manner, and after two or three years the business owner ends up shutting the doors. They may look trendy for the first 12 months but are not profitable spaces for people because the designer did not fully understand the client’s brand strategy or service. At the heart of HRID, we want to make sure that our designs support not detract from the brand or the service you provide. Our proven track record and experience has helped many businesses grow beyond their expectations and become very profitable.
  • Is the role of an interior designer a simple one, like interior decorating?"
    Although interior design services may seem simple, when done correctly, they can be very complex. Not only will the success of your business be determined by how you execute it, but by the above questions, by the scale, and budget of the project. Therefore, our first approach when we listen to your “wants and needs” is that we do not impose “our wants.” We will identify the key objectives and goals so that we can discover the right design solution for your project, ensuring the best possible design outcome that has a “wow” factor and fits your budget, and project program. If the project is something new for us, we will take advantage of our inexperience to learn all that we can from your experience, and begin to build a new network. Without wasting your time, we will ask as many questions as possible because we know you welcome the chance to share your knowledge and expertise. When we have learned all that we can about your business, we can begin the design process.
  • What makes HRID stand out from the rest?
    There are many competitors that display charisma and dazzling websites through crafty photography, but what makes us different is that our projects successfully kick off without any issues because of the extensive groundwork we have done beforehand. We typically finish a project two to three weeks earlier than expected. Our realistic intelligence and technical understanding of the design and construction process has literally saved our clients thousands of dollars.
  • Do you allow your clients to be part of the creative process?
    Absolutely! What is unique about HRID is that we spend quality time cultivating creativity by allowing the client to be a creative collaborator. We welcome you to participate in the development of new ideas because you are vital to the creative process. For this reason, we do not have a unique style to our brand because our ideas on each project will always be different, authentic, and specific to the project’s brief.
  • When does a client come back to you and say I want to do a rollout?
    When our client’s business becomes profitably successful, they will generally come back to us, go to the next level, and franchise their successful model. Not only does this require design and coordination of the project, but it also requires a full setup of standards, details, and many other key aspects for interior rollouts. Our designs and drawing packages set the standards in the interior design industry. They are not just pretty designs, but they are full of content, broken up into four distinct packages. Our approach to service is of the highest standards, guiding you from beginning to end so that your business or franchise is done correctly. This is fundamental for creating a network with enterprising value, so that if and when you wish to exit the business, you have created the highest value in return.
  • Do you also organise council approvals and the like?
    Yes, all our designs go through either council or private certification, generally known as PCA. We have partnered with national specialist certification companies in this field all around Australia and New Zealand for many years. It is our responsibility to keep working alongside private certifiers to ensure our designs are up to date with the many changes the National Construction Code (NCC) so that we always meet the requirements of the Building Code of Australia (BCA). The experts we have partnered with over the years have built an excellent reputation in the field of building certification, disability access, and energy assessment.
  • What areas do you generally focus on for your design in terms of approvals?
    We generally have our PCA focus on design solutions during the Preliminary Design Review stage, Building Permit Issue, National Certification, BCA Compliance & Fire Safety Upgrade Report, Section J6, and Energy Consultancy. The PCA consultant will provide us with professional advice and evaluation of our construction plans against the Building Code of Australia. They may also offer a comprehensive service called Access Consultancy as well to ensure once the interior space is available to the public it is compliant with the principles of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).
  • Do you work closely with project managers?
    Yes. When it comes to value for money and a smooth construction program, we don’t mess around. We have partnered with some of the best project managers in the industry who work with us on “an open book policy.” That is, their costs breakdowns are transparent and open for our clients and HRID to view at any time for question. HRID will thoroughly evaluate all tender costs, and no variations are approved without review and written consent of the client. We will assist you throughout every step of this process, ensuring you peace of mind.
  • Are you limited to where your project manager can be during the construction phase?
    No matter whether the location of the project is in Australia or New Zealand, there will always be a dedicated project manager assigned to the specific job. They will check and follow up with our interior design plans, conduct a comprehensive site audit, and do a measure of the site to ensure there are no discrepancies. This is crucial as it eliminates any problems during final installation and handover of the project. Our project managers personally coordinate the construction program from beginning to end with you and HRID, ensuring the project is delivered on time and on budget.
  • What type of construction do your project managers mainly focus on?
    All types of construction. However, they mainly focus on retail shop fit-outs and commercial spaces. They provide a step-by-step timeline, keeping our clients up-to-date with weekly comprehensive reports. They will organise structural engineer’s reports, hydraulics designs, and approvals for local councils. At the end of the project, they will also arrange a final occupational certificate and OH&S permits that are required by the local councils.
  • Why do I need an interior designer, if my builder/shopfitter provides their own in-house interior designers for free?"
    As they say, “nothing is for free.” Although they say this, it is all included in the total bill at a premium. If you want transparency with an open book policy then let the builders/shopfitter cost the building works, and let the interior designer protect and defend the client’s assets.

Get connected below if you have any further questions. We will respond to you as quickly as possible.

The key to the success of the business is that prospective customers always look to a newer and fresher business than to an older one. The perception is, if it looks clean and fresh, it must be.

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