183. Let’s Talk About What to Say When a Client Says Your too Expensive

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"You're too expensive." Almost every interior designer has heard it, and even when you know your pricing is fair, those three words can send you straight into explaining, defending, and discounting.

In this episode, Laura walks you through exactly what to do when a potential client pushes back on your fees. You'll learn why "too expensive" does not automatically mean your price is wrong, how to uncover what the client actually means, and how to respond with confidence while protecting the profitability of your business. She also shares the discount maths most designers have never run, and it will change how you think about "just taking ten percent off" forever.

The goal is not to win every project. It's to communicate your value clearly, adjust the scope instead of your worth, and recognize when a client simply isn't the right fit.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• The first move when you hear "you're too expensive": pause, and ask one question before you respond
• Why an expectation issue and a budget issue are two different conversations, and how to tell which one you're having
• The fee-versus-furnishings confusion: why clients often call the whole project investment "your price"
• How to reconnect your fee to your value with language that is specific, not defensive
• Why you adjust the scope, never the value, when the budget genuinely can't support the project
• The real cost of a discount: how ten percent off your fee can cut your profit in half
• How to gracefully decline when the client is not the right fit, and the difference between a client seeking clarity and one negotiating your professional worth
• Why your own discomfort with a number is not proof the price is wrong, and how to stop negotiating against yourself

The Profit Reset Private Podcast | September 14-18, 2026

A free 5-day private podcast limited series designed to help Interior Designers finally look at the business behind the beautiful spaces. 

Join the Profit Reset: https://www.theprofitacademyforinteriordesigners.com/profitreset

Be sure to follow along on Instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces + @thorntondesign to stay up to date on what we're talking about next week. If you love our podcast, please, please, please leave us a review. If you have any questions or topic ideas OR you wish to be a guest email us [email protected] or find us on instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces

Laura Thornton is the  principle designer of Thornton Design Inc, located in Kleinburg, ON.  Since founding the company in 1999, Laura has been committed to creating a new kind of interior design experience for her clients. Thornton Design is an experienced team of creative talents, focused on curating beautiful residential and commercial spaces in the Toronto, Ontario area and beyond. Now sharing all the years of experience with other interior designers to create a world of collaboration and less competition. 

The Business of Beautiful Spaces  I @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces
Thornton Design                                      I @thorntondesign