The first step in Phase One is the Consultation, which takes place in the client's home or office 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 or office 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.

DECORATING

NEW CONSTRUCTION / RENOVATIONS

PHASE ONE -- Consultation/Plan Development/Presentation/Refinement

A non-refundable fee of $2,500 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 $2,500 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.  The client has 14 calendar days after the Presentation to terminate the design process and receive a full refund of their retainer.  After this one week period, the retainer is applied to the purchase of furnishings for the home as outlined in the 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 this 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. 

Prior to delivery / Installation, the remaining balance from the approved “Contract” invoices and the balance on any authorized changes are due.  The designer notifies the client of this amount in advance, so these amounts can be reconciled.  The client submits the payment to their designer 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, see “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. 

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.

DOWNLOAD DECORATING/DESIGN CONTRACT IN PDF FORMAT

PHASE ONE -- Consultation/Plan Development/Presentation/Refinement

The initial charge of $7,500 is allocated to two different categories - a $2,500 non-refundable design fee, and a $5,000 retainer toward hourly fees for construction assistance requested by the client.
 
Design Fee: The $2,500 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 applied 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 -- 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 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.  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 at pineapplehouse.com . Please feel free to call Cynthia Pararo at 404-897-5551 if you have any comments or questions regarding our services. 

DOWNLOAD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT IN PDF FORMAT