Interior design contract in Romania: a practical 6-stage template
A sound interior design contract for Romania covers the parties, a clear scope, stages with deliverables and the payment structure, plus clauses on intellectual property and termination. This guide offers an adaptable template and a practical checklist for freelancers and firms, designed to turn vague wording such as “complete project” into verifiable obligations.
In short:An interior design contract must set out the phases and deliverables clearly, to avoid disputes over delays or quality.Adapting an OAR template or a generic one means checking the annexes and the provisions on VAT, invoicing and the number of revisions, for legal certainty.Payment in instalments tied to concrete deliverables, plus a mechanism for adjusting fees, keeps the parties in balance and the contract clear.The assignment of copyright and any limits on the use of the drawings must be stated explicitly, case by case, to avoid later conflicts.When changes occur, an addendum and written acceptance of each change reduce the risk of misunderstandings and delays in the project.
Where to find templates and how to choose the right one for Romania
Three types of templates circulate on the Romanian market, and each serves a different purpose. A generic contract downloaded from the internet rarely covers what is specific to interior design: renderings, furnishing lists, coordination with the build. That is why we recommend starting from a solid reference and completing it yourself, not the other way round.
- Adapted OAR template: The Romanian Order of Architects (OAR) provides contract structures that treat design services as a work contract and define each assignment clearly, but they were written for architectural design, so they need adjusting for the stages specific to interiors.
- Generic service agreement template: useful as a legal skeleton, but it usually lacks annexes with detailed deliverables and clauses for updating the design after the site survey.
- PDFs published online: good for quick inspiration, but most do not say what happens when the real measurements differ from the initial drawings.
Whatever the source, check three things straight away: the deliverables annex is detailed enough, the VAT and invoicing clauses follow the Romanian tax regime, and the number of included revisions is stated as a figure, not in general terms. The adaptation itself takes two quick steps: fill in the annex with the exact list of deliverables per phase, and state explicitly how many revisions are included free of charge before an hourly rate applies.
Essential clauses: how to define the scope, stages and deliverables to avoid disputes
The service agreement, technically a work contract (contract de antrepriză), is governed by the Romanian Civil Code, articles 1851–1880 and requires the provider to carry out a piece of work at their own risk, in exchange for a fee. This legal framework is why the scope of the contract must be defined as a sequence of verifiable phases, not as a vague phrase.
The structure we recommend, tested on real projects, has six stages:
- Site survey — measuring and documenting the existing space, with a dimensioned plan handed over as a deliverable.
- Concept — the visual direction, mood board and material palette, presented in digital format.
- Renderings — photorealistic images of the key spaces, in a fixed number stated in the contract.
- Technical design — construction drawings, furniture and building services details, delivered in editable and PDF formats.
- Procurement lists — specifications for furniture, finishes and sanitary ware, with suppliers and quantities.
- Site assistance — periodic visits to check that the build matches the design.
Each phase must be tied to a concrete deliverable, not to an abstract stage such as “design”. Legal guides on service agreements recommend exactly this discipline: identifying the parties, describing the services in detail and setting clear deadlines are what prevent most contractual disputes.
Pro tip: Build an annex table with four columns: deliverable, delivery format, deadline and acceptance criterion. An annex like this turns a vague promise such as “complete project” into a list both parties can check point by point.
Fee structure and payment terms: practical models and risks to avoid
Tying the fee to concrete deliverables, not to the calendar, is the safest practice for both parties. Market recommendations for interior design contracts make it clear that full payment upfront is a risk signal for both the client and the provider, because it removes any pressure to deliver on time.
A recommended instalment model uses staged payments tied to deliverables, which keeps the rights and obligations of the parties in balance and encourages both sides to keep to the schedule.
The contract must also set out how the fee is adjusted when the actual survey differs from the initially estimated area, or when the client extends the scope of work. Without an adjustment clause, any discussion about extra square metres becomes an informal negotiation instead of a contractual obligation. The per-square-metre price benchmarks, discussed in detail in the SelfDezign guide to the cost of an interior design project, help you calibrate the instalments to the real complexity of the space.
Intellectual property: assignment, licence and limits in Romania
By default, the economic rights of the author stay with the designer unless the contract expressly assigns them. This is set out in Law no. 8/1996 on copyright, and the practical consequence is simple: if you want to use the drawings and renderings without restrictions, you must negotiate that and put it in writing.
Choose between two options, depending on the situation:
- Full assignment — suitable when the client pays for the whole project and wants full control over later reproduction and modification of the drawings.
- Limited licence — recommended when the designer wants to reuse similar concepts for other clients, or when the project is only partly funded.
List the assigned types of use explicitly: reproduction, modification and communication to the public are the most common categories and must be named separately, not grouped under a generic “copyright” formula. If you work with subcontractors (a rendering specialist, a building services engineer), their contract with you must in turn assign their rights to you as the main provider, otherwise the chain of intellectual property breaks.
Measurements, revisions and change control: a practical contractual procedure
Many templates found online do not say what happens when the actual survey differs from the initial drawings, and this is where the most expensive misunderstandings arise.
The number of included revisions must be set with exact figures for each phase, for example two revisions for the concept and one for the technical design, with a clear hourly rate for any additional request.
Pro tip: Add a short change acceptance form to the contract, with three lines: a description of the change, its impact on the price and the new delivery date. Once the client signs it, this form ends later discussions about “what I actually asked for”.
Handover and termination: a checklist for delivery and termination scenarios
Project acceptance should not be an ambiguous moment, but a step with clear verification criteria. The final handover must include the complete documentation, not just the presentation images.
- The final technical drawings, in editable and PDF formats, matching what was actually built.
- The updated procurement list, with confirmed suppliers and specifications.
- The acceptance report signed by the client, confirming compliance with the approved design.
- Written confirmation of the number of revisions actually used, for clarity in any future collaboration.
For termination, set a notice period (usually 15 days) and state what happens to instalments already paid: as a rule, the provider keeps them in proportion to the stages completed. Keep all correspondence and site photos as evidence, in case of a later disagreement about how far the work had progressed when the contract was terminated.
Insurance and warranties in an interior design contract
An interior design contract is not, as a rule, an insurance policy, but it must state clearly the limits of the designer's liability. The warranty offered by a design studio almost always covers the conformity of the design with the requirements agreed at concept stage, not the physical execution of the works, which remains the responsibility of the contractor or the implementation team.
A well-written warranty clause states the period in which the designer corrects design errors free of charge (for example, sizing errors found within 30 days of handover) and distinguishes clearly between a design error and an execution problem. Without this distinction, the client may ask for repairs to problems that stem from how the design was carried out on site, not from the design itself.
As for insurance, some interior design firms hold professional liability policies, which are useful especially on commercial and HoReCa projects, where the financial stakes are higher. If you work with a freelancer, check whether they have such insurance or, at the very least, ask for an explicit clause on the maximum compensation in case of a proven design error. The contract must also state who bears the cost if a design error causes additional construction costs, because without this provision there is room for interpretation in favour of whichever party has greater legal resources.
Responsibilities for site access and safety rules
A clear division of responsibilities on site prevents one of the most frequent sources of conflict: confusion between the role of the designer and that of the site supervisor. An interior designer should not implicitly take on technical responsibilities for structure or building services, because these belong to the engineers and the site supervisor, in line with the practice recommended by the OAR contract templates.
The contract must state explicitly who provides site access for inspection visits, on which days and with how much notice. Just as important, it must clarify who is responsible for health and safety rules during the designer's visits, meaning who provides protective equipment and who is liable in case of an incident. As a rule, the client, through the contractor or construction firm, manages overall site safety, while the designer checks the visual and technical conformity of the works with the design.
If the service also includes construction coordination, as in complex projects, the contract must define exactly what “coordination” means: periodic inspection visits, not permanent supervision and not liability for the safety of workers. We explain this distinction in more detail in the guide to the role of the architect in interior projects, which is especially useful for clients who confuse design with site management.
Data protection and confidentiality in the design process
The interior design process almost always involves sensitive information about the client: plans of the home or commercial space, budgets, personal preferences, sometimes even details about the physical security of a clinic or an office. A solid confidentiality clause explicitly forbids the provider to use this information for any purpose other than the contracted project, or to disclose it to third parties without the client's written consent.
For commercial or HoReCa projects, where the visual concept can be a competitive advantage, the confidentiality clause must also cover the period after the contract ends, not just the active collaboration. A useful wording sets a minimum period (for example, two years from handover) during which the designer may not present the concept publicly without the client's consent, especially if it has not yet been built or launched.
For residential projects, the contract should also state how photos of the finished space are handled: if the designer wants to use them in a portfolio, a separate, explicit consent from the client is needed. This clause is simple, yet it avoids unpleasant situations in which images of a private home appear in public without the owner's knowledge. The contract must also say how digital documents (drawings, renderings, correspondence) are stored and for how long, especially if they include the client's personal data, which is subject to the GDPR.
How to handle changes to the original contract
Almost every interior design project changes along the way, either because the client's preferences change or because the site reveals unforeseen constraints. The contract must provide a clear mechanism for these situations, otherwise every change becomes a source of tension.
The practical solution is the addendum: a short document attached to the original contract that describes exactly what changes and how it affects the price and the schedule, signed by both parties before the change is carried out. A well-drafted addendum contains three mandatory elements: a precise description of the requested change, the financial impact (a fixed amount or the hourly rate applied) and the new delivery date, if the change affects the schedule.
We recommend that the original contract already sets the hourly rate or percentage applied to additional changes, so that the addendum does not require a negotiation from scratch every time. Without this, every change request risks turning into a small separate negotiation, which slows the project down and frustrates both sides. A well-structured project checklist helps you identify early where changes are likely, so you can deal with them in advance instead of reacting to them.
Dispute resolution and jurisdiction
Even with a carefully drafted contract, disagreements can arise, and the contract must say clearly how to resolve them before they reach court. The first step should be direct negotiation, within a precise period (for example, 15 calendar days) in which the parties try to reach an amicable settlement.
If negotiation fails, the contract can provide for mediation, which is quicker and less costly than court proceedings, especially for the moderate amounts typical of residential projects. For cases that do go to court, the contract must name the competent court explicitly, usually the court at the provider's registered office or at the place where the contract is performed, depending on what suits both parties at signing.
For contracts with clients from the diaspora or with business partners from other EU countries, it is advisable to state explicitly the applicable law (Romanian law) and the language in which the contract is interpreted in case of dispute, especially if the document is bilingual. This clarity prevents an extra complication: arguing about which legal system applies before even discussing the substance of the dispute.
The SelfDezign view: how we structure contracts and what sets our approach apart
At SelfDezign, we build every contract on verifiable stages, not general promises. We attach detailed deliverable lists for each phase, from concept to site assistance, following the principle recommended by the OAR templates, adapted for commercial, HoReCa, office, residential and medical clinic projects. We state explicitly where our design role ends and where the responsibility of the construction team begins, because ambiguity here costs both parties time and money.
When a client wants to negotiate a template taken from elsewhere, we help them identify what is missing, usually the clauses for updating the design after the site survey and the exact number of included revisions.
— Toni
SelfDezign services: contract advice and project packages
A well-written contract does not guarantee a good project if the stages behind it are not thought through. SelfDezign provides full design and construction coordination for offices and residential spaces, plus remote consultancy for people in the diaspora interested in HoReCa projects in Romania, exactly the kind of collaboration where a clear contract, with well-defined stages and deliverables, makes the difference between a predictable project and one full of improvised negotiations.
For an initial assessment, send us the floor area, the project type (commercial, residential, office or clinic) and the timeline you have in mind. Based on this, we will propose a stage structure and a fee tied to concrete deliverables, not vague estimates. You can also see how we handle the technical details that go into the contract annexes in the guide to the technical design workflow, which is useful before the first quotation meeting.
