What Nobody Tells You Before Remodelling a Flat in Geneva

You have just signed for a flat in an old building downtown, or you dream of opening the kitchen onto the living room. Then comes the question that stalls everyone: who do you call, to do what, and at what price? Between the professional who draws plans, the one who picks the curtains and the one who touches the structure, the line is blurry. And in Geneva, an extra layer appears: almost nothing can be altered without going through a permit.

Interior architect, decorator, architect: who does what

The three trades appear to overlap, but they do not step in at the same moment or with the same responsibility. Confusing the roles means paying for a service that does not cover your real need, or discovering too late that no one is there to sign the plans filed with the cantonal office.

What an interior designer Geneva actually does

The work does not start with the choice of a tile. An interior designer Geneva structures the project into successive phases, each with its own deliverables. Understanding this sequence helps you know where you stand and avoid paying a deposit for a stage you thought was already finished.

Fees: what it costs in Geneva

There are three billing modes. A percentage of the works cost remains the most common for a full mandate; the hourly rate suits advisory or partial assignments; a fixed fee applies to a clearly defined scope. Since 2020, the SIA fee scale is no longer binding: rates are negotiable and must be set out in black and white in the contract.

On an hourly basis, expect 120 to 300 CHF per hour depending on experience and complexity. Always plan a reserve of 10 to 20 %: in Geneva, construction costs are among the highest in Switzerland, and a renovation frequently exceeds its budget by 15 to 25 % as soon as the walls of an old building are opened. For any building predating 1991, an asbestos survey is required before works and can change both the schedule and the budget.

LCI and APA: the Geneva permits

In Geneva, the law on constructions and various installations (LCI, rsGE L 5 05) makes any change, even partial, to the volume, the layout or the intended use of a room subject to a permit. Many owners are unaware of this: moving a partition, turning a bedroom into a bathroom or merging two rooms may require a filing, even if nothing is visible from the street.

For interior works that do not change the general appearance of the building, the route is usually the accelerated permit procedure (APA). It is faster than the ordinary application (DD) and is published in the official gazette only after issuance. As an indication, the canton aims for processing of around 30 days for an APA against roughly 60 days for a DD; these timelines remain targets and vary with the completeness of the file. Always check the applicable procedure with the office before starting on site.

CMNS and the Old Town: protected fabric

Geneva has a dense heritage, particularly in the Old Town and the Fazy and Haussmann belts. Many buildings are listed, classified or located in a protected zone. As soon as a property benefits from a protection measure, the Commission for Monuments, Nature and Sites (CMNS) is consulted on the project. Its role is advisory, but its opinion carries weight: load-bearing structures, staircases, parquet, stucco and original joinery must in principle be preserved.

On a protected building, the best idea is not the one that erases the history of the place, but the one that composes with it. The CMNS opinion is not an obstacle, it is a framework to factor in from the very first sketch.

PPE and co-ownership: the hidden constraints

Most Geneva flats fall under floor-by-floor ownership (PPE, condominium). You own your interior volumes, but the load-bearing walls, facades, roof and often the windows are common parts. Touching them requires the agreement of the owners' assembly, at the majority set by the regulations. A project that is technically permittable can therefore stay blocked for lack of a favourable vote.

• Check the PPE regulations before committing any spending.
• Identify early what belongs to the common parts (load-bearing walls, ducts, windows).
• Anticipate the schedule of assemblies: a vote can delay the project by several months.
• Document the expected site nuisances to reassure the neighbours.

When to hire an interior architect

The right moment is as early as possible, ideally before signing the deed of sale. A professional can tell in a single visit whether the wall you wanted to knock down is load-bearing, whether the property is protected, or whether the PPE limits your ambitions. Hired upstream, they save you on the three most expensive fronts: time, permits and rework.

To choose, ask to see projects delivered in the canton, check membership of a professional body such as VSI-ASAI, and make sure the contract details the phases, the fees and what is included. Recognised training (HES-SO, HEAD in Geneva, ECAL in Lausanne) is a good marker, but experience with Geneva's building stock counts just as much.