In article , Steve says...

Any recommendations on using a designer for kitchen/bath remodel? Have
you had experience with designers? The good ones would surely know a
lot more about available materials and construction options than the
homeowner doing this for the first time.

The incentives seem sorta weird, though, particularly when they charge
a percentage of the project cost and make more money by specifying
more expensive materials. Even with a flat fee for the design, there
will likely be additional cost for construction management services -
and the worse the job they do on the initial design, the more
questions the contractors will have, resulting in more time billed by
the designer.

I had my kitchen re-laid out by a designer who was allied with my usual
contractor (he does a lot of kitchen and baths subcontracted to him). Free for
my getting the cabinets from him. Possibly the long standing relationship
ameliorated costs, since his firm did my bathroom some years prior (no design
was necessary there.).

I gave him the parameters as far as certain things I wanted in the placement,
and he worked in a design for semi-custom cabinets from there. He needed to
work in three inch incrementes for the semi-custom cabinetry.

He did a really good job, I woulnd't have had the 'knack' for the layout.

I'd recommend a kitchen designer if you're doing any changes in the footprint of
your kitchen.

Banty