Q & A

The Answers You’ve Been Looking For....

WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE SHOW HOME DESIGNERS?

During the current economic uncertainties we fully understand that it’s more critical than ever before to ensure that your property stands out from all the competition and is given that all out ‘wow’ factor to achieve a speedy sale.

Equally we know exactly what to do to prepare and present your property for the rental market to achieve maximum revenue and results.

We at Show Home Designers have a wealth of unrivalled experience in all aspects of creating beautiful show homes and maximising the profit you can make from property.

We appreciate that every project and property is unique and our bespoke tailor made service will ensure your show home reflects your properties individual character whilst appealing to its specific target market.

By providing a professional yet personal approach our dedicated and passionate design team will help to guide you through making the decisions that will create a breath-taking show home to entice your potential purchasers and sell the dream life style.

Your fully coordinated design scheme from concept to completion will be carried out on time and to budget.

We will work closely with you at all times to ensure you are 100% happy with the final look of your show home and all the furnishings selected.

Our promise to you is our job will not be complete until this is the case.

We are one of the UK’s leading professional Show Home Design and Furniture Hire Companies.

We have great pride in everything we do and will provide attention to detail that is unparalleled. Hence we have achieved an outstanding reputation with Developers, Estate Agents and private vendors nationwide by continuously delivering exceptional customer service and first class furnishing solutions at affordable prices to the property market.

Why not judge for yourself by taking a look at our portfolio and what our clients say.

WHEN SHOULD I CONTACT SHOW HOME DESIGNERS ABOUT MY SHOW HOME?

The earlier you contact us the better... Although we are often called in at the very end of a project, sometimes even at the very last minute.

Our dedication and passion for what we do means we will always endeavour to work within tight timescales whilst providing uncompromised attention to detail and service.

To get the very best from your show home design consultant early planning is the key- It may seem odd but as soon as the construction is up and just before the electrics are installed is a great time to get us involved.

This enables us to visit your development for a no obligation quote and give you valuable advice on lighting and electrical positions as well as fixtures and fittings, floor coverings etc.

In essence the earlier we are involved in the planning of your show home the better we can help steer it around the most aesthetic layout of all the furniture and accessories that will be supplied; therefore ensuring you have the best possible end result.

DO YOU OFFER A COMPLETE SHOW HOME DESIGN SERVICE?

Yes we do, our dedicated and professional in house design team will help guide you through the stages, from concept through to the installation of the perfect show home for your development.

Every aspect of your show home will be carefully thought out and planned.

Our dedicated design team will work closely with you each step of the way to ensure you are 100% happy with the final outcome.

If you are just too busy and would prefer a ‘hands off’ hassle free option then we can handle the whole project from start to finish with minimum input from you.

DO YOU SUPPLY AND FIT EVERYTHING FOR SHOW HOMES, NOT JUST THE FURNITURE?

Yes we do, we can recommend, supply and fit everything from the furniture and accessories right through to wall colours, wallpaper, curtains and blinds.

Your show home will include every last little detail from replica plasma screens, plants and fruit to that little black dress laid out on the bed.

Where possible we like to get involved early, so we can help and give advice on electrical positioning.

We are more than happy to offer advice on flooring, fixtures, fittings and all design related aspects of your project. Please contact us for further information.

OUR PROPERTY IS QUITE SMALL; WON’T IT LOOK EVEN SMALLER IF WE FURNISH IT?

No, definitely not if our dedicated design team have anything to do with it.

In actual fact when using a specialized company like Show home designers, you can be sure that our precision and meticulous attention to detail will result in your property looking much bigger than expected and a lot bigger than it did unfurnished.

Using perfectly sized furniture and our professional spatial planning skills our design team will ensure that your property actually looks larger once carefully furnished and dressed. We often use specially sized bespoke furniture to enhance the size of some rooms and will always endeavour to maximise the overall feeling of space in every property we work on.

WHICH AREAS DO SHOW HOME DESIGNERS COVER?

We mostly cover London, Surrey, and the South East, although we are always happy to travel further afield if required.

WHERE ARE SHOW HOME DESIGNERS BASED?

Our Design Studio & Warehouse is based in Walton on Thames Surrey. Very close to London.

Our address is as follows:

Units 3 & 4 Leyland's House
Molesey Road
Walton on Thames
Surrey
KT12 3PW

You are welcome to visit our studio by appointment.

SHOULD I HIRE OR PURCHASE THE FURNITURE FOR MY SHOW HOME?

This is a question that you might well ask yourself and you will need to make this decision based on the pros and cons of each for yourself.

Our best advice to you is, have a look at the benefits of hiring show home furniture against the benefits of purchasing show home furniture and weigh up what suites your individual requirements best.

As a general rule we have found;

If you have a large to medium size development of flats it stands to reason that these units may take more time to sell over a prolonged period, therefore purchasing your show home furniture may be the more practical and cost effective solution for you.

As a private vendor with a single property or a developer with a small block you may well find that hiring your show home furniture is a much more economical, hassle free and appealing option for you.

If you would like to discuss the pros and cons of each show home option in further detail then please feel free to contact us on 0208 222 6667 and we will be happy to help you make the right decision for you.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HIRING THE FURNITURE FOR MY SHOW HOME?

The benefits of hiring your show home furniture are:

Short term - it is much more cost effective to hire furniture for your show home than to purchase it.

We have a large warehouse of furniture in stock, so furnishing your property is quick and simple.

The furniture can be hired for as many or as few months as you require (subject to our 3 month minimum hire period)

Part or all of the furniture can be purchased at a later date if required.

We will revisit your show home when needed to make sure it is still looking tip top.

Hiring furniture is hassle free you do not have to worry about what to do with it once your property has sold (we will simply collect it and take it away)

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PURCHASING THE FURNITURE FOR MY SHOW HOME?

The benefits of purchasing your show home furniture are;

The furniture is yours to do with whatever you like

When purchasing your show home furniture, absolutely everything is included in the cost from the curtains and blinds to the feature wall coverings as well as all installation and delivery charges. So the price you are quoted is always the price you pay for everything.

Many developers sell the show homes fully furnished once all their other units have sold, recouping much of their initial expenditure.

Everything is purchased new for your show home so you have a much wider choice and selection of furnishings.

You will pay less if you purchase your show home in the beginning, than if you hire then purchase later.

If you have a large development with many units to sell, you will most definitely save money in the long run by purchasing your show home.

We continually work within a range of budgets both high and low. All our prices are based on the square footage of your property so you get to choose your own price range and goals; therefore our prices are totally transparent to you.

WHAT IS YOUR DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION LEAD TIME FOR FURNITURE HIRE?

We are normally able to furnish your property within 7 -10 days dependent on availability, although we have been known to work wonders with just a few days’ notice in an emergency.

However we are meticulous and do like to plan ahead, so please give us as much notice as possible because this will always work out best for all parties.

We love it, if you give us 1 or 2 months’ notice. This way you will always get the very best results, as we have time to plan ahead and place orders for special items.

WHAT IS YOUR DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION LEAD TIME FOR PURCHASING A SHOW HOME?

We are normally able to deliver and start installing the furnishings for your property within 2 - 4 weeks however this is dependent on availability and the Spec of Show Home Furniture required, as well as the size of your property.

Please take into consideration that we are meticulous in what we do and like to plan ahead carefully, so please give us as much notice as possible as this will always ensure the best end results for everyone.

We love at least 2 - 3 months’ notice in order to plan ahead and order specialist items.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO INSTALL A SHOW HOME?

This largely depends on the type or furnishings required and the size and of the property.

However as a rough guide we would estimate; from 2 to 4 days, for particularly large properties it can take a bit longer.

We are able to give you more accurate estimates on this after our first visit to your property.

WHAT IS THE MINIMUM LENGTH OF CONTRACT FOR FURNITURE HIRE?

We have a 3 month minimum hire period for all projects.

Once the 3 month period is up, then the contract will roll on a monthly basis, allowing you to give us one months’ notice when your exchange has taken place and you would like the furniture removed.

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE MINIMUM FURNITURE HIRE PERIOD?

At the end of the minimum furniture hire period your contract will continue on a month by month basis until you give us notice in writing to terminate your contract and collect the furniture.

If you do not wish for your furniture hire to go beyond the minimum hire period then you need to give us 30 days’ notice in writing prior to the expiration date of your minimum contract.

CAN I EXTEND THE LENGTH OF CONTRACT FOR FURNITURE HIRE?

Yes, your contract for furniture hire will automatically be extended on a month by month basis on the expiration of your minimum contract unless you have given us the required 30 days’ notice to remove the hire furniture.

All additional months hire, will be invoiced monthly and payments will be due on receipt of invoice.

HOW DO I TERMINATE MY CONTRACT?

We require 30 days written notice to terminate your contract.

However in emergency situations we will always endeavour to do our best to arrange collection of your hire furniture within a shorter timescale, although this will be subject to availability and incur additional charges.

If you terminate your contract prior to the contractual minimum hire period you will still be liable to pay the balance of the hire charges for that period.

WHAT IF I HAVE TO TERMINATE MY CONTRACT BEFORE THE AGREED MINIMUM HIRE PERIOD HAS COMPLETED?

Of course this can be done, although we do still require 30 days’ notice to arrange collection of the hire furniture.

Please note: If you terminate your contract prior to the contractual minimum hire period you will still be liable to pay the balance of the hire charges for that period.

CAN I CHOOSE WHICH DESIGNER GETS ASSIGNED TO MY PROJECT?

Well you could specify a preference; however we all work as a team, so generally we are all involved anyway.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INSURANCE ON HIRE FURNITURE?

You are responsible for insuring all the hired furniture and accessories within your property.

Once the furniture is delivered and situated in your property insurance cover is unavailable to us as we have no jurisdiction to ensure that the required terms and conditions of the policy are met.

Therefore once the furniture has been delivered you will need to ensure you have an insurance policy in place to cover the entire hire period.

CAN THE HIRE FURNITURE BE PURCHASED AT A LATER DATE?

Yes in most cases it can. The hire furniture can usually be purchased at any time during the hire period.

We can give you a price ‘to buy’ on request, where we will take into account the fact that you have hired the furniture to date and give you a reduced purchase cost. However we do not offer a 0% interest offer on this and it will inevitably cost you more than if you had purchased the furniture upfront from the beginning. So please make the right decision prior to hiring for the best price deal. Please contact us for further details.

HOW MUCH DOES YOUR SHOW HOME FURNITURE HIRE COST?

Because of the bespoke way in which we work and that each property is unique it is hard to put an exact figure on hire costs until we have visited and assessed your property and its exact needs.

If you provide us with your architectural floor plans, detailing the square footage of the property, we can give you a pretty accurate quote via email.

All of our quotes will provide you with prices for 3 different options of price choice. The spec's of furniture hire are, Standard, Intermediate and High End. You can then choose which one suits your budget and property style best.

Please feel free to contact us to book a no obligation site visit so we can give you an accurate quote.

A rough guide to weekly pricing would be:

1 Bed - £150 - £300
2 Bed - £200 - £370
3 Bed - £280 - £500
4 Bed - £350 - £900
Note: all prices are subject to VAT and the prices indicated above are a basic guideline only, and larger properties may cost more.

We have a minimum hire period of 3 months

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO PURCHASE ALL THE FURNISHINGS FOR A SHOW HOME?

This largely depends on your budget, the type of property you are selling, the location of your property and your target market. All these factors will have a significant influence on what type of specification is suitable for your property in order to ‘wow’ your potential purchasers.

We can give telephone estimates prior to a site visit. If you supply the floor plans and the square footage of the property you wish to use as your show home, then our design team will be able to put together an estimate for you.

However this will be a preliminary estimate and a site visit will still need to be carried out before ordering any furnishings.

Because ‘each and every project’ as well as ‘each and every client’ is totally unique and deserves only the very best we can offer, we do like to meet you on site to discuss your brief in some detail. This enables us to fully establish your requirements, give you the most accurate quote, the best service and the best value for money that we can.

Please contact us to discuss the options available and arrange a no obligation site appraisal so we can assess your requirements as accurately as possible.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE COST IF I PURCHASE A SHOW HOME?

We provide a full design, delivery and installation service. We will source, supply and fit all furniture, soft furnishings, window dressings, artwork and accessories to maximum effect and impact.

We will work closely with you each step of the way to achieve the style and ambiance you wish to accomplish within your show home. Alternatively if you would prefer a quick, proficient and hassle free solution then we can take complete control and create the ‘dream home’ setting to “wow” your target market. Our drive and determination means we will always work hard towards exceeding both yours and our own expectations.

We will carefully measure, supply and fit good quality bespoke curtains and blinds to all necessary windows. (Depending on initial discussions and written quote, these may items be provided at additional cost)

Where necessary we will advise you on walls to be painted or wallpapered to tastefully embellish the interior ambiance. (Depending on initial discussions and written quote, these may be provided at our hourly cost)

Where feasible we like to get involved as early as possible on a project so we can offer help and advice on the best use of space, fixtures, fittings and electrical positioning, lighting etc; this way ensuring you get the best results of your furniture layout. (Depending on initial discussions and written quote, these services may be provided at our hourly cost)

In order to help you visualise and experience the end result we can provide mood boards drawings and floor plans based on our proposals if desired.

Everything we purchase for your show home will be of a good quality for its purpose, and ideal for re-sale by you after all properties are sold if you so choose.

I AM A LANDLORD; CAN I PURCHASE A FURNITURE PACKAGE FOR MY RENTAL PROPERTY?

Yes you can, at Show Home Designers we carefully tailor each furniture package to your individual property, ensuring that only the best results are achieved to enhance your corporate or private investment.

All furniture selected within your furniture pack will be carefully chosen with cost, style, functionality and durability in mind and our professional design team will fully install all items to create the perfect interior to “wow” your potential tenants.

Unlike many of our contemporaries our furniture packs include artwork and accessories as these items are vital in creating the finishing touches to really enhance and sell your property.

We offer good quality, affordable furnishing solutions to the residential lettings market. Our bespoke furniture packages range from basic to high end specification and will usually be supplied and fitted within 2 weeks from order.

Prices start from:

1 bed – £3900
2 bed – £4900
3 bed – £5900
Note: all prices are subject to VAT

Delivery and fitting costs are not included above; a quote will be calculated on order.

We can also supply simple budget ranges if all you feel you need are just the basics, prices start from £3000 + VAT. Please contact us for further details.

I AM A LANDLORD; CAN I HIRE A FURNITURE PACKAGE FOR MY RENTAL PROPERTY?

No, unfortunately you cannot hire Landlord Furniture form us at this time. As we do not hire furniture out that is for domestic use.

We do know of companies that do this and will be more than happy to recommend them to you should you wish.

However you can Purchase Landlord Furniture for your rental property from us.

Please feel free to contact us for details of these companies.

CAN YOU INSTALL FURNITURE AT THE WEEKEND?

No not usually, our usual working hours are between 9.00 am to 6.00 pm Monday to Friday and we are happy to install show home furniture on all of these days.

However, if it’s an emergency this may be able to be arranged, although is subject to availability and will incur additional charges.

Please contact us for more information.

ARE THERE ANY TAX BENEFITS WHEN HIRING FURNITURE?

Yes, furniture hire is a fully deductible business expense. If you are a VAT registered company, you can also recover the VAT on the monthly hire charges.

WHAT IS THE PAYMENT PROCESS FOR FURNITURE HIRE?

The total cost of furniture hire will be calculated as follows;

The minimum hire period (Charged at 3 month’s minimum furniture rental)

A deposit of 1 month’s rent (This will be returned to you at the end of your contract)

A delivery charge and installation charge

A collection charge (This will be charged at the end of the contract)

Curtains and blinds (If any – Purchase only)

All charges are subject to VAT

We usually charge 100% of all fees upfront in order that we can work quickly and effectively.

However in some circumstances if preferred you can pay in 2 staged payments.

In order to secure a delivery date we require 70% of the total cost to be paid up front. This payment must be received by us in cleared funds before we are able to order or install any of the hire furniture.

The remaining 30% of the total cost will be invoiced prior to installation taking place. The final payment will be due on receipt of the invoice, and installation cannot take place until this payment is cleared in our bank.

In addition you may also like us to supply and fit blinds and curtains to your property to complete the final look.

Please be aware that as these are made to measure and therefore cannot be hired out. We will need to take full payment for these before we can place an order for such items, and once ordered cancellation is not available.

If you wish to extend your furniture hire then don’t worry, at the end of the minimum furniture hire period your contract will automatically continue on a rolling month by month basis until you give us notice in writing to terminate your contract.

If you do not wish for your furniture hire to go beyond the minimum hire period then you need to give us 30 days’ notice in writing prior to the expiration date of your minimum contract.

All further payments will be collected on a rolling monthly basis and due in advance.

At the end of your contract a collection fee will be charged at the same rate as the delivery charge you paid at the start of your contract, this will be deducted from your deposit.

Payments can be made to us by Cheque, Cash, or bank transfer, and must be received in cleared funds before we can proceed with our services.

Debit or Credit Cards can be taken via PayPal, or our card reader. However please note there is a 2.75% or 3.4% charge added for this service via PayPal which will be added to your purchase cost.

WHAT IS THE PAYMENT PROCESS FOR SHOW HOMES AND LANDLORD FURNITURE PACKAGES?

If you are purchasing a show home or a landlord furniture package then we require 100% of the total costs to be paid in advance and received in cleared funds before we are able to supply, fit or order any furnishings required.

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