Finishes Schedules: The Essential Rundown

You’ve been asked for a finishes schedule for your building project. Here is the essential rundown on schedules and a link to get a free schedule.

Finishes schedules are one of the key documents an interior designer creates for a project. It's basically a master list of everything going into your project—tiles, paint, appliances, fixtures, hardware. On large complex projects there are often multiple schedules – paint, lighting, hardware, furniture, joinery. However most small scale developer/renovator projects have all the finishes rolled into the one document.

Format - Think spreadsheet meets Pinterest board. A schedule is presented in table format with each line dedicated to a finish with an image, location and reference code (if required), supplier and/or manufacturer, manufacturer’s code and description (possibly with dimensions), supplier contact details and a link to the webpage for the product.

Stakeholders - The schedule serves multiple stakeholders throughout a project, i.e. pretty much everyone involved in the project. Initially it's used to create the project budget. It then becomes the reference document for quantity surveyors, trades, and builders—used for estimating costs and ordering materials. And banks can request a finishes schedule for construction finance.

Quantities and Pricing Information - Sometimes a schedule will include quantities and unit prices, but often not, as architects or designers are usually not responsible for calculating quantities. And the builder or trade might obtain different pricing via their wholesalers.

Terminology

Schedule = the document we're talking about

Specification = technical standards (quality requirements, installation methods, workmanship)

FF&E = Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment (the stuff that's not permanently attached—if you could shake the building, FF&E would fall out)

Want to see what one actually looks like? - I've put together a free neutral coastal finishes schedule based on one of my actual renovation projects. The finishes work cohesively, and they're all from suppliers I've personally used. If you're looking to understand what a schedule looks like and need a neutral colour scheme that works, this one ticks all the boxes. Download it here - https://lnkd.in/gEBacQYQ.

Perfect if you're:

✨ Creating your first finishes schedule

✨ Looking for a neutral scheme that actually works

✨ Wanting to see the format before you dive in