Before you approve an interior quotation, make sure you can explain what the total actually buys. Which rooms are covered? What materials will be used? Are furniture delivery and installation included? A clear answer to these questions gives you a stronger starting point for your apartment interior.
At AG, our published design process connects measurements and design development with a detailed bill of quantities. This matters because your budget should reflect the home you have agreed to create. Here is how to review an interior design BOQ in Bangladesh and why working with a coordinated design and execution team can make that review easier.
Understand the quotation and the BOQ
A quotation presents the proposed price and commercial terms for a defined scope. A bill of quantities, or BOQ, breaks the work into measurable items. A priced BOQ normally identifies each item, its description, quantity, unit, rate, and amount. Drawings and specifications provide the detail needed to understand those entries.
For example, “bedroom wardrobe” is too broad on its own. Its price depends on dimensions, internal layout, board construction, finish, and hardware. Ask which drawing revision and specification the price follows. An early estimate based on a floor plan should also be clearly distinguished from a quotation based on completed measurements and approved selections.
Match the room list to your actual requirements
Read the quotation room by room. Check the living room, dining area, bedrooms, kitchen, bathrooms, and any entrance or balcony work. Identify furniture you will retain and items you will buy separately. This avoids comparing a comprehensive proposal with another that quietly omits part of your home.
Check the work around each item too. A TV cabinet may require electrical points and cable access. Kitchen cabinets may need coordination with plumbing, appliances, and the countertop. Ask who supplies and completes each related task. A coordinated team is valuable when it can connect these decisions before production begins.
Read quantities and units carefully
Square feet, running feet, pieces, sets, and lump sums describe different things. A cabinet rate per square foot is difficult to compare until the measurement basis is clear. Does it refer to the visible front area? Are depth and internal fittings fixed? Is an overhead cabinet measured separately?
Request dimensions and the calculation behind significant quantities. Check quantity multiplied by rate against the line amount, then review subtotals and discounts. Ask whether quantities are fixed or will be adjusted after final measurement. A lump-sum entry can be appropriate, but it still needs a clear description of what is included.
Specify materials beyond the word premium
A material description should be specific enough to check during purchasing and installation. For built-in furniture, ask for the board type and thickness, finish, edge treatment, and relevant product identification. For hardware, record the brand and model or an agreed specification, together with the quantity.
Different components may need different specifications. The wardrobe carcass, shutters, back panel, and shelves should not be assumed to use the same thickness. Similarly, a soft-close hinge description does not identify its exact model. Confirm samples and the process for approving substitutions before materials are ordered.
A worked example of a wardrobe quotation
The following is a fictional, anonymous example for explaining the calculation. It is not an AG quotation or a market price benchmark.
Suppose a wardrobe measures 8 feet wide and 8 feet high, with an agreed depth of 2 feet. If the quotation explicitly measures its front elevation, the chargeable area is 8 × 8 = 64 square feet. At an illustrative rate of BDT 2,000 per square foot, the basic line amount is BDT 128,000.
That arithmetic still leaves important questions. Does the rate include the approved internal layout, drawers, hinges, handles, finish, delivery, and installation? Are mirrors or internal lights excluded? The measurement basis must be agreed; front elevation is used only for this example and is not a universal rule.
If a separate drawer package of BDT 12,000 and delivery of BDT 5,000 are genuinely excluded from the basic rate, those additions bring the illustrated subtotal to BDT 145,000 before any other applicable charges. If they were already included, adding them again would duplicate the cost. A lower headline rate can therefore be misleading without a complete inclusion list.
Check labour and the costs around installation
Ask whether fabrication and installation labour are included. Review transport, unloading, lifting, site protection, waste removal, and final cleaning. Building access restrictions can affect deliveries, so disclose lift availability and permitted working hours early.
Also clarify design and supervision fees, electrical or plumbing adjustments, and any repair work needed before new finishes are installed. Request a clear statement of applicable taxes and other charges and whether they are included in the total. Unspecified costs should be resolved before you treat the proposal as your complete budget.
Separate fixed prices from allowances
An allowance is an amount set aside for something not fully selected or defined. For instance, a light fitting allowance may change once you choose the actual model. Ask how the final purchase cost will be reconciled and whether handling or installation is included.
Mark unresolved selections and decide when each must be approved. Keep your own contingency separate from the quoted scope. A contingency is a reserve for uncertainty, not an automatic instruction to spend more.
Connect payments to identifiable progress
Review what each payment is intended to fund and what progress or deliverable confirms that stage. Depending on the project, milestones might relate to design approval, material procurement, fabrication, installation, or handover. The exact amounts and sequence should be agreed for your project.
Ask what evidence you will receive at each stage and how progress will be checked. Discuss the final inspection, correction of outstanding items, and final payment arrangements before work begins. Keep approved documents and payment records together so both sides can refer to the same information.
Agree how changes will be priced
A larger wardrobe, an extra drawer, or a different finish can change both cost and timing. Request a written change description showing additions, deductions, and any effect on completion before authorising the work. Confirm who can approve changes on your behalf.
Keep the latest approved drawing, BOQ, and selection record aligned. A message approving a new cabinet design should lead to an updated scope where necessary. This is especially useful when several rooms are being fitted out at once.
Why choose AG for your apartment interior
AG brings interior design and custom furniture into a coordinated project discussion. Our published process places measurements and design development before the detailed BOQ, allowing the scope to be built around the agreed design. You can discuss how a layout choice affects storage, materials, and the work required to build it.
For a full-apartment interior, that connection is a practical reason to hire AG. Cabinetry, ceilings, lighting, and furniture influence one another. Reviewing them together helps you identify missing work and decide where your budget matters most. If a proposal exceeds your budget, ask us to explore changes to the scope or selections while preserving your essential requirements.
Use the quotation discussion to assess the working relationship as well. Ask us to explain significant items, clarify exclusions, and identify decisions still outstanding. Your final proposal should record the services, responsibilities, and terms agreed for your particular apartment.
Your final check before approval
The room list and quantities match the agreed drawings.
Materials, finishes, hardware, and included labour are identifiable.
Exclusions, allowances, fees, and additional charges are clear.
Payment milestones and the change approval process are recorded.
Handover checks and any agreed service or warranty terms are written down.
Discuss your interior scope with AG
Share your floor plan, apartment size, location, budget range, and preferred start date with AG. Tell us which rooms need work and which furniture pieces you want to keep. We can begin with your priorities and discuss a design and execution scope suited to your home.
Contact AG to start your full-apartment interior discussion with a clearer brief and a better understanding of what your investment will cover.