Residential building codes can be a daunting topic for interior designers. They are complex, lengthy, and written in legalese. But interior designers shouldn’t feel apprehensive about having a thorough understanding of the codes pertaining to single-family residences. 

Our first Design Brief will cover basic information about code formatting and application, as well as share the most significant changes that have been made in the last several years.

For a thorough documentation of residential code requirements for specific building features (stairways, fireplaces, electrical outlets, lighting), be sure to check out our Residential Building Codes Handbook.

Building codes are intended to ensure greater safety within the built environment, not to add needless requirements or costs to building construction. In the United States, single-family homes and duplexes are mostly regulated by the International Residential Code(IRC), which is free to access online here. The IRC is in use or adopted in 49 of the 50 states, plus Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. Wisconsin uses their own hybrid Residential Code, but it is closely based on the IRC. In Canada, codes for housing are covered in Part 9 of the National Building Code of Canada. 

Any building larger than a single-family or duplex residence is regulated by the more expansive International Building Code and other code publications that regulate mechanical, plumbing, and electrical applications. The IRC is largely comprehensive in that it includes mechanical, electrical, and other considerations for single-family homes and duplexes. However, other code documents and standards are referenced within the text.

Most building codes—including the IRC—are updated every three years to encompass emerging building construction strategies. The current version of the IRC was published in the Spring of 2024, with upcoming versions scheduled for 2027, 2030, 2033, and so on. However, each individual municipality (city or township) can choose which version they adopt and when, provided they are utilizing codes published within the previous ten years. Check with the municipality’s building department website (where the project home is located) to verify which version is being enforced. 

Several notable changes have been made to the IRC in the last few years, which are summarized in this article. 

In The Weekly Install®, I recently shared I had decided to do a time audit. Over the summer, I had worked fewer hours, but still got everything done. As I returned to my regular full-time schedule, I wondered what exactly it was that fills my time during the rest of the year. Why do I typically work SO many hours, when over the summer months I could work less and still avoid things falling through the cracks?

I mentioned my time audit (which I’m wrapping up now) but didn’t explain what a time audit is, SO thank you to all the designers who asked for more info!

What Is A Time Audit for Business Owners?

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Job burnout among interior designers is a real thing. Burnout exists when you no longer feel engaged and interested in participating in your professional responsibilities, tasks, and obligations. Burnout can result in emotional exhaustion, cynicism about your work, and a reduced sense of personal fulfillment from that work. At the most extreme, it can cause a sense of hopelessness and despondency. That is pretty grim and should not be ignored. It can easily affect one’s mental health, but it can also affect the health and prosperity of a designer’s business. So it is a topic well worth exploring and understanding. 

We asked interior designers who subscribe to The Weekly Install® to weigh in on their own experiences of professional burnout. Taken together with what is already known about burnout among design professionals, the responses were very enlightening.

What Did Our Survey Uncover About Burnout Among Interior Designers?

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Dear Dakota, 

I am rebranding and restarting my practice. I have 15 years commercial and 15 years residential experience. I am promoting a modern european aesthetic. not quite caught on in my area.

In the meantime, I am teaming up/offering "as needed" services to fellow colleagues. This often means ghost-designing a project for another designer. Design services for $85/hour or admin ie. proposals and concept boards for $35/hour. 

However, in some cases, the designer is not tight on their process and it has made proposing a flat fee for my participation difficult. I am seeing a lot of shifts in scope. This has made it difficult to establish a starting deposit and billing process to ensure I have a stream of income. 

Ugggghhhhh! How do I wrangle fellow designers and manage consistent billing to them?

Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.

Dear Dakota,

What do you do when your client goes to your supplier and gets access to your trade pricing by pretending to work at your design company? I landed my dream job working on a penthouse with a fantastic client. I used all the Dakota Design Co. templates to set up the process, including contract terms and conditions. The client was great to work with, she always paid on time, and we got to know each other quite well. She's paid me in full for the initial contract but has been waiting on bespoke furniture orders that have been delayed in customs. I've been communicating with her about these pieces and was working with her on some additional work for wall paneling and custom desks. She emailed me yesterday to say she followed up on her two furniture pieces with the two different suppliers because she “didn't want to bother me” and got invoices from both. Now she's asking me why there is a difference between what she paid and what I paid to the supplier!

Needless to say, I am furious with the suppliers for providing this information to my client and for putting me in this awkward position. They are not my standard vendors, but the client requested I use them. To resolve this problem, I spoke with both suppliers who were extremely apologetic, one even sent an email to the client explaining the price discrepancy as an order fee. I've explained to my client that my design fees are set at a competitive rate and I do not offer my trade pricing to clients. As a gesture of goodwill, I offered her credit for the delivery fee on the other piece of furniture which is about to be delivered, but now she wants to cancel this order even though I do not accept refunds on bespoke orders, as stated in the contract that she signed. 

She then returned some of the ordered furniture that she slightly damaged along with some accessories purchased from my showroom. To maintain what was initially a great relationship, I accepted these returns and offered her credit minus admin fees and a reduced rate for the damaged pieces. I applied these credits to the bill for my additional work and communicated with my client kindly and respectfully throughout the whole project process as I would like to keep her happy because I wanted to photograph her home since the final products came out so beautifully. What should I do to prevent this from happening in the future?

Join The DTS Files to get my advice and insights.

Taking extended time off from your interior design business when you’re the CEO and principal designer can feel daunting. You've put your heart and soul into building your reputation, taking care of clients, solving issues, and marketing your services. You've likely been involved in every.single.thing that happens in your business daily, weekly, and monthly.

Most interior designers start their own business for more freedom, flexibility, and control over their schedules. Yet, as businesses grow, it can feel impossible to take time off because so much of what you do isn't documented. The feeling that, “If I take time off, everything will come to a screeching halt” is often true—if you don’t plan properly.

Whether you’re planning for maternity leave, a fully unplugged vacation, or a once-in-a-lifetime trip, with the right preparation, your business can run smoothly while you’re away. It may even thrive with the tips in this article, benefiting your company, your team, and your bottom line for years to come.

So, whether it's you, the CEO, preparing for time off, or one of your team members, follow these steps to ensure a smooth transition and that your business and clients are well cared for while you enjoy your time away.

Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.

For most interior designers we talk to, referrals are the number one source of new business.

What could be better? People who know and like your business tell their friends and colleagues (who are likely similar to them) about your interior design business and then your pipeline fills with ideal clients. 

According to a Nielsen report, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family more than all other forms of marketing. And, referral customers are 50% more likely to make a purchase than non-referral customers (McKinsey & Company). 

Unlike other marketing strategies, it doesn’t cost anything to ask existing customers for a reference. To be honest, it’s probably the lowest hanging fruit in your entire business. 

Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.

When you first start your interior design business, you have to wear a lot of hats. Unless you have investors, you’re single-handedly managing the marketing, sales, client delivery, admin, customer service, finance, operations, and IT. By yourself.

But after time, you realize that is not sustainable, and it leaves you with no time or energy to actually grow a company that gives you more time and freedom—which is the whole point of starting your business in the first place. 

Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.