devaluing of design, profiting from build: is the singaporean interior design industry broken?

#01. education institutions. the beginnings of a systemic problem? :

it was the first lecture after their internships. As a quick mind-teaser, I requested for all seventy final year diploma students (SPATIAL DESIGN) to pen out the journey on how to design a beautiful home as a freelance interior designer. They were to note the specific tasks, time taken to execute these tasks, and their intended outcomes. they did an excellent job tabulating the tasks chronically. some even travailed to list the construction journey on how to BUILD a beautiful home!

..but could they design a beautiful home.. for profit?

Now with the list that they had before them, I instructed them to indicate where they would request the client for payment. Many students indicated that they would claim their first payment at the end of the entire design and planning process, just before construction would commence.

Observing from their internship stints, most have concluded that the design and planning phase would have to come ‘free of charge’. Clients demanded of this, and companies (even consultancies) promoted this.

Having myself come from a background of finance and banking - the value exchange is imbued into everything i do.

how do we as professional interior designers communicate our value to our clients, and have them willing to perform a valued exchange?