Design agreements and purchase approvals, signed before you order
An interior design project rests on two kinds of yes. The first is the design agreement: your fee, how you buy on the client's behalf, and what happens with custom orders. The second comes again and again, one sofa, one fabric and one light fixture at a time. SignMaster gets both in writing, so you never place a non-returnable order on a verbal yes.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
On this page
What a design studio gets signed
- Design services agreementScope by room, the fee (flat, hourly or per room), the retainer, revision rounds and how the engagement ends. The retainer agreement template covers the retainer part.
- Procurement termsWhether you mark up trade pricing or charge a purchasing fee, how freight, receiving and storage are billed, and who owns the delays.
- Purchase approvalsEach item with its price, lead time and a line the client initials when it's custom and can't be canceled.
- Change requestsA new room added mid-project, or a second concept after the first was approved, with the added fee.
- Install day sign-offThe punch list from the reveal, with the items still on order, signed so both sides agree what's left.
- Photography releasePermission to photograph the finished rooms for your portfolio and press. See the photo release form.
Purchase approvals, item by item
Export the proposal from your design software as a PDF, with each piece on its own line or page. Upload it and add a checkbox next to each item, an initials field where the piece is custom, and a calculated field that totals only the items the client ticks. The client approves the sofa and the rug, passes on the side tables, and signs. You order exactly what's checked.
- Both partners deciding? Add each as a signer. They sign the same envelope from their own phones, in order or at the same time.
- Waiting on an answer? A sign-by date and automatic reminders keep the order moving before the lead time slips.
- Changed their mind? They can decline with a reason, and you see it before you place an order.
- Reviewing in person? At a presentation meeting, choose Sign in person and hand them your iPad.
Make custom orders impossible to miss
Put a required initials field beside every custom, made-to-order or final-sale item. The client can't finish signing without initialing each one, and the sealed PDF shows they did.
From first meeting to reveal
- 1
Agreement
Send the design agreement and the procurement terms together in one envelope after the consultation. The client signs from a link on any phone or computer, without an account.
- 2
Concept approval
Send the concept boards with an Approve field. A tap moves you into sourcing, and the approval is on record if the direction changes later.
- 3
Purchasing
Send each round of purchase approvals as its own envelope. Every signed round lands in the project's history in your account.
- 4
Reveal
Walk the rooms, finish the punch list and sign it in person. Send the photography release in the same envelope while the client is still delighted.
Working with an architect or a contractor on the same house? Copy them on the approvals that affect their work, and they get the signed PDF without being asked to sign. See how architects and remodelers use SignMaster.
What it costs
A solo designer runs comfortably on Solo: $15 a month, unlimited envelopes, so every purchase round is covered. A studio with a few designers and a procurement coordinator shares Crew at $49 a month for 5 people, with your studio's logo on the signing page. Extra seats are $8 a month. Try it on Free with 3 envelopes a month, or with 14 days of Crew free. See plans.
What it leaves to you
- It doesn't take deposits or payments for purchases.
- It doesn't source products, track orders or manage vendors.
- It doesn't write your agreement. Bring yours, and have a lawyer look at the procurement terms.
- It sends signing links by email; copy a link if a client prefers a text.
Questions? Answers.
Can clients approve furniture purchases one item at a time?
Yes. Add a checkbox beside each item and a calculated total of the ticked ones. The client approves what they want and signs, and you order exactly that.
How do I make sure clients know custom orders can't be canceled?
Add a required initials field beside each custom item. The client can't finish without initialing every one, and the sealed PDF records it.
Can I get permission to photograph the finished project?
Yes. Send a photography release on its own or in the same envelope as the final sign-off, and both of you keep the signed copy.
Does SignMaster collect deposits for purchases?
No. It gets the approval signed. Send the invoice and take payment the way you do today.