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how we work
Thank you for
inquiring about Pineapple House. Interior
design is a very personal process and we
appreciate this opportunity to explore your
unique situation and interpret your needs.
Pineapple House is a
full service organization. Our interior
design, construction and architectural teams
offer complete home or hospitality interiors. We can
handle any aspect of the process from design and
specification to the total construction of a new
home or location, renovations or partial build-outs.
Our Interior design method has stages of
development:
Phase One involves the Consultation and
Presentation.
Phase Two begins the Ordering
and Production procedure and culminates in the
Installation.
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The first step in Phase One is the Consultation,
which takes place at the client's location and
consists of a question and answer session. Primarily
you, the client, tell us what you want done. We
inquire about such things as color, fabric, furniture styles
and other preferences. We listen carefully and take
notes. There will be things we discuss that may seem
irrelevant to you. Ultimately, we use this information
to give you a complete design scheme.
During the Consultation, we take photographs of your
surroundings. We ask to see the major areas of your
home, office or facility even if you are not requesting our assistance
in those areas. Our intent is to create continuity in
all areas of your environment -- we want it to "flow".
Even if we do not work in every room, we will nonetheless
take all parts into consideration. You will be happier
with the final design scheme if everything is studied as a
whole.
Following our interview, the Pineapple House designer will
spend time alone walking through your space, making more
notes. We are interested in your personal items and
strive to incorporate your possessions (your history) into
our plan. A talented designer shows the client how to
use his or her things in new and unusual ways.
The initial meeting usually takes two hours. No design
advice is given to the client at this time. In fact,
this is only the beginning of the design process.
In the next step of Phase One, the Presentation, the
designer begins the creative process of developing a scheme
individually suited to your needs. Colors and fabrics
are selected, furniture styles determined and floor plans
are developed. After a few weeks you are invited to
the Pineapple House Design Center on Ottley Drive in
Atlanta for your Presentation. Your comprehensive
design scheme is displayed on one or more of our conference
tables. Using the photographs that were taken during
the Consultation, we literally "walk through" your home or
business. You see fabrics, finishes, colors, samples,
furniture, window treatments -- anything necessary for us to
give you a clear mental picture of your transformed
environment. At this time, prices are presented for
each specific item (sofa, chair, window treatment,
wallpaper, etc.) that we recommend and minimum purchase
amounts are discussed.
Naturally much dialogue is exchanged during this
Presentation and your questions are welcome. If you do
not like something, perhaps a fabric or furniture style, we
will adjust the plan to suit your preferences. Our
facility houses one of the largest independent resource
libraries in the nation, so modifications to your proposal
can be made in-house and typically do not require additional
appointments or down time. Generally we are fairly
accurate in our choices, but we will make changes and
provide options until you are delighted with your plan. Your
satisfaction is our priority!
Again, at the Presentation you receive invoices detailing
costs. Our prices are freely given and we invite their
comparison. We've been in business since 1981 and we
know that we are competitive and fair.
With the Presentation of the detailed design scheme, Phase
One is complete. You are encouraged to analyze our
comments, ideas, options, prices and suggestions. When you
are ready to move into Phase Two, you give us permission to
begin the Ordering and Production process.
Pineapple House has various teams in place to control and
track projects and this is very important in Phase Two.
In addition to your designer, you have a project manager and
both of them have support staff within our infrastructure.
When a client, contractor or vendor calls, they speak to a
person (voicemail only on request) so issues can be quickly
addressed. We utilize state-of-the-art technology to
accelerate projects and be more accessible and responsive to
our clients, industry and staff.
Maintaining quality and reasonable timeframes are hallmarks
of our company. It is characteristic for Pineapple
House to meet deadlines. Unlike many designers, we
control most of our resources. We have superior talent
in-house: we staff and operate our own drapery
workroom, artistic studios, upholstery department,
construction unit and architectural division. We
consider these components essential in getting the job done
both magnificently and thoroughly, not just a sofa here and
a chair there.
This brings us to the final step -- the Installation.
We ask that you give us the entire day alone in your space
to be creative. With the exception of paint, carpet
and wallpaper, everything is done in the same day. We
hang draperies, place furniture and accessorize the
environment. For example, let's say that in the great
room you ordered a sofa, two chairs and draperies. We
would bring those items in and place your other furniture,
pictures and accessories. Next, we would bring in (for
your approval) anything necessary to complete the room and
make it more beautiful. This could be a lamp, an end
table, a coffee table, an accent chair, or whatever is
needed. We arrange everything and leave you with a
tasteful, finished environment. You then have two days
to look over the "extra" items to decide what, if anything,
to return. Of course, our goal is to make the room(s)
so amazingly wonderful that you do not want to change
anything! However, you are under no obligation to keep
any extras. We do not pressure clients . . . we do
give them great design work! Consequently, they often
recommend us to their friends and family. Typically,
when their situation changes, they use our services again.
We take pride in the many long-term relationships that are
represented in our client base.
You are invited to tour the Pineapple House Design Center in
midtown Atlanta any weekday during office hours. Feel
free to contact Cynthia Pararo at 404-897-5551 if you have
any comments or questions regarding our services. Thank you
for considering Pineapple House!
Pineapple House Fee Structure
The
following information details the specifics of the fee
structure at Pineapple House.
Please CLICK on the link that is appropriate
for your situation
(either decorating or
construction/renovation.)
decorating
new
construction /
renovations
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Phase One
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DECORATING -- Interior Design Plan |
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Design Fee
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$4,000 fee for
Consultation, Plan Development, Presentation,
and Refinement.
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Minimum
Purchase and Deposit
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$50,000 for
one area or floor of a home or $100,000 for an
entire home. For either situation, a
deposit of $25,000 is due on the day of the
Presentation.
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Phase Two
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ordering,
Production and Installation |
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Approved Contract
50% Balance
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When the client approves the
design plan and initiates ordering, 50% of the
contract price is due. The $25,000 from
Phase One is applied to the approved design plan
cost. The remaining approved contract
balance is due prior to delivery- no later than
one week before Installation day.
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PHASE ONE
-- Consultation/Plan
Development/Presentation/Refinement
A
non-refundable fee of $4,000 covers the initial meeting of
the design team with the client (the Consultation) and the
complete development of the interior design scheme including
interior finishes (floors, walls, ceilings, etc.), fabric
and furniture selections, window treatment designs,
wallpaper selections and plans for the integration of the
client's existing furniture into the new design scheme.
The various design components are proposed during the
client's Presentation at Pineapple House.
On the same
day as the Presentation, the client enters a 60-day
Refinement Period. During this time, if the client requests
adjustments to the plan, the client and the designer work-through any changes to the plan that was proposed. There is
no charge for adjustments to the design plan during this
60-day period.
The $4,000 fee
is independent from the project's minimum purchase amount.
It is not applied to that total. However, in the event
that Pineapple House does not meet the client's
expectations, the client is not obligated to work with
Pineapple House. They may choose to withdraw from the
design process, with no obligation to pay a minimum purchase
amount.
The minimum purchase amount is
relative to the scope of the project, but is not less
than $50,000 for one area or floor of a home, or $100.000
for an entire home. On the day of the
Presentation, the client pays Pineapple House a deposit for
$25,000. This is applied toward future purchases and
services. However, if they desire, the client has 14 calendar days after the
Presentation to terminate the design process and receive a
full refund of their retainer. Ultimately, the
funds are applied to the purchase of
furnishings for the home as outlined in the client's approved
Presentation invoices, and to any changes authorized by the
client that were made during the Refinement Period.
PHASE TWO -- Ordering,
Production and Installation
When the
client accepts their design proposal, Pineapple House begins
Phase Two. Items on the approved invoices are
considered Contract items. With the client's authorization, the
design staff begins ordering and producing the Contract.
Credit is given for the $25,000 deposit that was collected
in Phase One. If additional funds are needed to meet the 50%
down payment requirement on the client's approved Contact
invoices, they are submitted at this time.
At the project's conclusion,
any remaining balance from the client's approved Contract
invoices and the charges for any authorized modifications or
services are due. The designer notifies the client of
this amount in advance, so the amounts can be
reconciled. The client submits the payment to
Pineapple House prior to delivery, at least one week before their Installation
day.
Additional items that may be
needed to complete the look of the finished areas are
placed in the home during the installation and a detailed
list of these items is provided to the client on the day of
the Install. These invoices are called Install
invoices and are often equal to half the value of the
client's Contract invoices. However, this amount is
relative to many factors, including the amount of
appropriate furniture and accessories already in the
client's possession. The client is not obligated to
purchase any of the Install items. The client
has two calendar days to review these items and notify the
designer of those items they wish to purchase. Payment
of these items is due within seven calendar days.
Hourly Fees:
Hourly fees are generally not incurred by clients that are
decorating their home. However, hourly fees are
charged for time investments resulting from the following
types of activities:
1. Architectural / design concept drawings requested by the
client.
2. Client-initiated out-of-office appointments. (Note that
hourly rates do NOT apply to the initial consultation or to
associated trips orchestrated by Pineapple House for the
Production and Installation of the project.)
3. Client changes or
alterations following their 60-day Refinement period.
The Refinement period begins the day of the client's
Presentation.
Staff Hourly Fee Schedule
Principals:
$125.00/hour. Stephen Pararo
Designers:
$85/hour.
Project Manager:
$55/hour.
Construction Manager: $110.00/hour
Architectural/design concept drawings:
$95/hour
Warehouse Staff:
$65/hour
For more
information on hourly fees, click here for Definitions
for Billable Charges under Construction -- How We Work.
Out-of-town travel
expenses
Pineapple House assists
clients with homes across The United States and Canada, and
no additional costs are associated with jobs outside the
Atlanta area for our staff. The additional expenses
associated with staff travel and the transportation of
furniture for homes located more than 100 miles outside of
Atlanta are billed to the client on a cost/reimbursal basis.
Every effort is made to keep these costs to a minimum.
There are four categories
of expense:
Transportation of Pineapple House staff (airline flights,
rental vehicle, etc.)
Lodging
Food
Transportation
costs for delivering the furnishings
Please note that the installation by Pineapple House
staff of the client's contract purchases are included in the
price of the contract
(whether in Atlanta or outside,) and there is NO CHARGE for
the hourly rates of the designer, project
manager or warehouse staff. Only the additional
expenses associated with out of town travel (as listed
above) are billable.
Construction Management
For clients who are decorating and also
have building needs, Pineapple House has decades of
experience in every aspect of the construction industry.
We offer clients partial or complete Construction Management
services. Our team is available for any degree of
involvement, from the total construction of a new home to
the control and orchestration of projects like new additions
or renovations. We are able to work independently or
integrate with the client's architect or builder.
You are invited to tour the
Pineapple House Design Center in midtown Atlanta any weekday
during office hours. Please feel free to call Cynthia Pararo
at 404-897-5551 if you have any comments or questions
regarding our services. Thank you for considering
Pineapple House.
click here to download
decorating/design contract in pdf format
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Construction / Renovation Fee Schedule
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Phase One |
CONSTRUCTION -- Finishes and
the Interior Design Plan |
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Design Fee
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$4,000 design fee.
The design fee applies to the initial Consultation,
interior design plan development, interior finish
selection, Presentation and the plan Refinement
period. It is separate from and not applied to the
minimum purchase requirement. |
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Retainer
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$5,000 Retainer. The
retainer is applied toward hourly fees incurred, if
any. Any unused portion of this fee is credited to
the minimum purchase balance. |
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Minimum
Purchase Requirement
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Construction: The minimum
purchase amount is $150,000. A deposit of $25,000
against the minimum purchase amount is due at the
Presentation.
Renovation: The minimum purchase amount for a
renovation is $50,000 for a minor project and up to
$150,000 for a major renovation. This requirement is
relative to the scope of the work and is determined
at the onset of the project. A deposit of $25,000 is
due at the Presentation. |
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Phase Two
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Ordering, Production and Installation
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Approved
Contract
Deposit
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When the client approves the
design plan and initiates ordering, 50% of the
contract price is due. The $25,000 deposit that was
collected on the day of the Presentation is credited
to the contract balance. At the conclusion of the
project (the Installation,) any unused portion of
the $5,000 retainer collected in Phase One is also
credited to the contract balance. The approved
contract balance is due prior to delivery - no later
than one week before Installation day. |
PHASE ONE -- Consultation/Plan
Development/Presentation/Refinement
The initial charge of $9,000 is allocated to two different
categories - a $4,000 non-refundable design fee, and a
$5,000 retainer toward hourly fees for construction
assistance requested by the client.
Design Fee: The $4,000 fee covers the initial meeting
of the design team with the client (the Consultation) and
the general development of the interior design scheme and
interior surface finishes. It includes fabric and furniture
selections, window treatment designs, wallpaper selections
and plans for the integration of the client's existing
furniture into the new design scheme. It encompasses the
selection of colors and finishes for floors, walls,
ceilings, bathroom sinks and tubs, kitchen appliances,
cabinet and door hardware, cabinets and countertops. These
various components are proposed during the client's
Presentation at Pineapple House.
Retainer: The $5,000 retainer is for the time
required by the designers and project managers for the
selection of specific plumbing and light fixtures, hardware,
stone, tile, shingles, etc. for the client and/or builder.
These items are chosen after the Presentation, once the
client has approved the overall design scheme. The client
specifies and requests the level of involvement needed from
the designer for this activity. Hourly fees accumulate
during this process and are applied to the $5,000 retainer.
These selections can be made with or without the client
present. The items typically originate from the vendors that
the client or builder instructs the Pineapple House designer
to use. They are generally out-of-office appointments and
are billable at the hourly rates detailed in the Staff
Hourly Fee Schedule, below. The client can receive verbal
updates on their balance at any time, and will receive a
statement if $2,500 in billable hourly fees are assessed. If
the balance approaches zero, Pineapple House will invoice
for another $5,000. If the client does not need this sort of
service, has not requested that Pineapple House conduct nor
attend appointments out-of-office, nor requests any
architectural design concept drawings, then the $5,000 will
be unused and will be applied to any purchases the client
makes from Pineapple House.
The $5,000 retainer is independent from the project's
minimum purchase amount. It is not applied to that total
unless an unused portion of it is credited to the balance at
the conclusion of the process (at the Installation.)
Presentation:
At the Presentation the client receives invoices with
descriptions and prices for the recommendations for their
project. Examples of items included are new upholstered
furniture (sofas, chairs, etc.,) window treatments, case
goods (dining room furniture, bedroom furniture, end tables,
chests, etc.,) bedding (coverlets, bedspreads, dust skirts,)
carpeting and other soft' interior goods. Although
Pineapple House will specify flooring, plumbing, light
fixtures, countertops, cabinet styles, etc., we do not sell
these products. Rather, we make the selections for the
clients, and they give the information to their vendor or
builder for implementation.
On the day of the Presentation, the client pays Pineapple
House a deposit of $25,000. The client has fourteen days
after the Presentation to review their invoices, and if they
are unsatisfied for any reason, they may terminate the
design process and receive a full refund of this deposit.
Additionally, any unused portion of their $5,000 retainer
will be refunded. In this same two-week period, if the
design process continues, the $25,000 deposit is applied to
the Minimum Purchase balance, and the $5,000 retainer to
any requested hourly costs that may have been incurred. The
$2,500 design fee collected in Phase One is for the
Consultation, interior design plan development, interior
finish selection and the Presentation. It is not refunded.
Beginning on the same day as the Presentation, the client
enters a 90-day Refinement period, if adjustments to the
plan are necessary. During this time, the client and the
designer work-through any changes to the plan that was
proposed. There is no charge for adjustments to the interior
design scheme during this period.
PHASE TWO -- Construction Ordering, Production and Installation
When the client accepts their design proposal, Pineapple
House begins Phase Two. Using the detailed invoices that
they received at the Presentation, and incorporating any
adjustments from the Refinement period, a deposit of half
the approved contract amount is collected. The $25,000
retainer from Phase One is applied to this deposit.
Ordering/Production: Once authorized, Pineapple House
begins Ordering and Production. The items on the approved
invoices are considered Contract items.
Installation: This is the day (or days) that the
contracted items that the client has ordered are delivered
and installed into the home. Additional items that may be
needed to complete the look of the finished areas are
placed in the home during the Installation. A detailed list
of these items is provided to the client upon the completion
of the event. These invoices are called Install invoices.
They are often equal to half the value of the client's Contract invoices. However, this amount is relative to
many factors, including the amount of appropriate furniture
and accessories already in the client's possession. The
client is NOT obligated to purchase any of the Install items. The client has two calendar days to review these
items and notify the designer of any items they wish to
purchase. Payment for approved Install items is due within
seven calendar days of the Installation.
Prior to delivery/the installation, the remaining balance
from the Contract invoices and the balance on any approved
changes are due. The designer notifies the client of this
amount in advance, so records can be reconciled. The client
gives the payment to their designer no later than one week
prior to their Installation day.
Definitions of Construction Billable Charges
At any time the client can request additional services.
These are billable and include out-of-office appointments,
architectural concept design drawings, and refinements
following the 90-day period.
These amounts
are charged against the client's 5,000 retainer fee.
Out-of-office appointments:
If out-of-office visits are requested by the client to help
in the selection of interior or exterior
construction/renovation elements (i.e., lighting and
plumbing fixtures,) or if visits to showrooms or factories
are necessary, the time invested is billable.
Architectural design concept drawings: Computer Aided Design
(CAD) drawings or hand drafting can be requested by the
client. This includes but is not limited to construction
design concept drawings, lighting plans, bookcase/fireplace
plans and elevations, wall treatment elevations and ceiling
details. The time invested is billable using the Staff
Hourly Fee Schedule, which is detailed in the section below.
Refinement Period:
The Refinement period is activated
automatically on the day of the Presentation. On that day,
the client enters a 90-day Refinement period, if adjustments
to the plan are necessary. Clients are not billed for
changes or alterations to the plan during the Refinement
period. Time investments that result from client's changes
or alterations following the 90-day Refinement period are
billed on an hourly basis, as described in the Staff Hourly
Fee Schedule, below.
Clients receive an hourly breakdown for their project if
billable charges are incurred. Clients are informed about
the charges upon their request or if ever $2,500 in charges
is assessed. Please note that time required to order and
implement a design scheme by Pineapple House staff, which
has been agreed upon by the designer and client and on which
the client has paid a half deposit, DO NOT incur any hourly
charges.
Staff Hourly Fee Schedule
Principal:
$125.00/hour. Stephen Pararo
Designers: $85/hour.
Project Managers: $55/hour.
Construction Management: $110.00/ hour.
Architectural/Design Concept drawings: $95/hour.
Warehouse Staff: $65/hour
Out-of-town travel expenses (if applicable)
Pineapple House assists clients with homes across the United
States and Canada, and no additional costs are associated
with jobs outside the Atlanta area for our staff. The
additional expenses associated with staff travel and the
transportation of furniture for homes located more than 100
miles outside of Atlanta are billed to the client on a
cost-reimbursement basis. Every effort is made to keep these
expenses to a minimum.
There are four categories of expense:
Transportation of Pineapple House staff (airline flights,
rental vehicle, etc.)
Lodging
Food
Transportation costs for delivering the furnishings
Please note that the Installation by Pineapple House's staff
of the client's contract purchases is included in the price
of the contract (whether in Atlanta or outside,) and there
is NO CHARGE for the hourly rates of the designer, project
manager or warehouse staff. Only the additional expenses
associated with out of town travel (as listed above) are
billable.
Construction Management
Pineapple House has decades of experience
in every aspect of the construction industry. We offer
clients partial or complete Construction Management
services. Our team is available for any degree of
involvement, from the total construction of a new home to
the control and orchestration of projects like new additions
or renovations. We can work independently or integrate
with the clients architect and builder. Please contact David Pararo at
404-897-5551 or 404-272-2348 to discuss our construction
capabilities.
You
will find photos and additional information on our website
and in our office. Please
feel free to call Cynthia Pararo at 404-897-5551 if you have
any comments or questions regarding our services.
click
here to download the construction/renovation contract in pdf
format
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