It's the first question almost every client wants answered and the last one most designers want to commit to in writing, because the honest answer is a range, not a number. The range itself, though, is knowable — and worth laying out clearly before you sit down with anyone.
Cost by finish level
| Finish level | Rate per sq ft (carpet area) | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | ₹1,200 – ₹1,800 | Modular kitchen and wardrobes, factory-finished carpentry, minimal customisation |
| Refined | ₹1,800 – ₹3,000 | Considered materials, some custom joinery, upgraded fittings |
| Bespoke | ₹3,000 – ₹5,000+ | Solid wood and stone, fully custom carcasses, nothing off-the-shelf |
Finish level moves the budget more than any other single decision. Modular, factory-made carpentry is manufactured at volume and priced accordingly; custom joinery is built once, for one space, by someone paid for their time rather than their output — that difference compounds across every room in the house.
What drives the price in Bengaluru specifically
Two projects at an identical finish level can still land apart in cost depending on where in the city they are. Established, central neighbourhoods — Indiranagar, Koramangala, parts of Jayanagar — tend to run higher on labour and logistics, partly because narrower streets and older buildings make material delivery and site access slower and more expensive. Newer developments further out — Whitefield, Sarjapur Road, Electronic City — often see slightly lower execution costs simply because sites are easier to work with, even when the design itself is identical.
Bengaluru's climate adds its own line items that a generic national cost guide won't mention: monsoon-driven waterproofing for balconies and terraces, humidity-resistant board grades for kitchens and bathrooms, and ventilation detailing for homes without consistent cross-breeze. None of these are optional extras in this city — they're standard scope, and worth confirming they're already included in any quote you're comparing.
Cost by room
Not every room costs the same per square foot — kitchens and bathrooms carry a disproportionate share of any interiors budget because of the fittings, plumbing, and waterproofing involved, even though they're often the smallest rooms in the house.
| Room | Relative cost intensity | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | Highest | Cabinetry, appliances, plumbing, and hardware concentrated in a small footprint |
| Bathroom | High | Waterproofing, tiling, and fittings, again in a small area |
| Living room | Medium | Depends heavily on custom units, TV walls, and seating choices |
| Bedroom | Lower | Mainly wardrobe, bed, and lighting — fewer trades involved |
This is why two homes of the same total area can land at different budgets even at the same finish level — a kitchen-heavy renovation costs more per square foot overall than one weighted toward bedrooms.
What's actually in a quote
The number a designer quotes rarely means the same thing from one quote to the next unless you check what's inside it. A design fee, execution cost, and 18% GST on services are usually separate line items, not bundled into the headline rate. Civil work — moving a wall, redoing electrical points, laying a false ceiling — is frequently quoted apart from the interiors budget entirely, as are soft furnishings, curtains, and loose appliances. Ask explicitly what's excluded, not just what's included — that's where most budget surprises come from.
Getting from ballpark to an actual number
A calculator can get you to a range in under a minute. Getting from that range to an actual number takes a site visit, a look at your existing electrical and plumbing, and a conversation about what you actually want each room to do.