You’ve bought an apartment in Batumi — and here’s the first surprise: studios quote prices from $10 to $65/m², and it’s not clear what accounts for the range. One says “design project,” another “full package with supervision,” a third “express layout.” These are different things, and if you don’t figure it out before signing the contract, you’ll overpay for what you don’t need or end up with documents the builders can’t work from.
This article offers an honest comparison of three packages on the Batumi market in 2026: what each one actually includes, how much they cost for apartments of 40, 60 and 100 m², which package to choose for your situation, and three things studios usually don’t mention upfront.
How much does a design project cost in Batumi in 2026?
Most new developments in Batumi are handed over in shell-and-core condition — bare walls, no partitions, no utilities. That’s exactly why a design project here is needed not as a “nice idea” but as a working tool: without it, builders don’t know where to run the wiring or where to route the pipes.
The price of an apartment design project in Batumi in 2026 is $10–40/m² in Realux packages, while across the market as a whole it can reach $65/m². The range has a simple explanation: the more drawings and stages a package includes, the higher the price. Payment is staged, and the designer’s on-site visit for measurements is included in every package.
What is included in an interior design project: three levels
A design project is a set of drawings and schematics that builders use to carry out the renovation: where the wiring runs, where the plumbing outlets are, how the partitions are arranged, and which materials go where. The higher the package level, the more complete this set is, and the fewer questions the crew has on site.
| Element | Express | Technical | Full |
|---|---|---|---|
| Measurement and survey plan | + | + | + |
| Layout solution (2-3 options) | + | + | + |
| Furniture arrangement | + | + | + |
| Socket and switch diagrams | + | + | + |
| Water supply and sewerage systems | + | + | + |
| Working drawings for builders | – | + | + |
| Drawings of ceilings, floors, and wall elevations | – | + | + |
| Finishing units (niches, boxes, podiums) | – | + | + |
| 3D renderings of rooms | – | – | + |
| Selection of materials and furniture with article numbers | – | – | + |
| Author’s supervision | add. | add. | add. |
Express Package: measurements and layout options
The Express design project in Batumi is the minimum required set to start a renovation. The cost at Realux is $10/m². The designer visits the site, takes measurements, records the location of utilities, and proposes 2-3 layout options with furniture arrangement. Added to these are schematics for sockets, switches, and water outlet points.
The layout solution is the starting point of any renovation. Without it, you can’t work out where to move partitions, where to put the kitchen, or how to arrange sleeping areas in a 40 m² studio. Decisions made at this stage cannot later be changed without additional costs.
What’s included:
- measurements and a measured plan of the premises
- 2-3 layout options with furniture arrangement
- explication of premises
- diagram of sockets and switches
- diagram of water supply and sewerage outlet points
What is not included:
- working drawings for builders (electrical design, piping)
- drawings of ceilings, floors, and wall elevations
- 3D renderings
- selection of materials and furniture
Who it suits: investors who rent apartments on Airbnb, owners of studios for short-term rental, and those doing a renovation in stages who currently only need the layout. If you order a turnkey apartment renovation in Batumi, the express project comes included for free.
Technical Package: Drawings for Builders
The Technical design project is the most popular choice among those doing the renovation themselves or hiring a crew. The cost is $20/m². It includes everything from the express package plus a full set of drawings that builders can work from without additional questions for the designer.
Here’s why it matters: without an electrical plan, the wiring is run “by eye.” Without a plumbing layout, pipes go wherever is convenient for the tradesman. Without wall elevations, the tiler doesn’t know how to align the layout in the bathroom. All these mistakes are later fixed by demolition — expensive and slow.
What is included in the technical package:
- everything from the express project
- layout plan for sockets, switches, and lamps
- water supply and sewerage layout plan
- ceiling plan indicating types and heights
- floor plan with materials indicated
- wall layouts for all rooms
- finishing units – niches, boxes, podiums, non-standard structures
The technical package takes into account the specifics of Batumi’s new developments: shell and white-box conditions, and local standards for humidity and engineering systems. Read more about the stages of working with the project on the Realux design project page.
Full Package with Visualization: What You Get
The Full design project with 3D visualisation is the top-tier package for those who want to see the result before the renovation begins. The cost at Realux is $40/m². It includes everything from the technical package plus photorealistic renders of each room and a material selection with specific product codes and brands.
3D renders aren’t just decoration. They show how the light falls in a particular room, how the colors of the walls, floors, and furniture work together, and how spacious the space feels with the chosen layout. It’s cheaper to correct a mistake in tile color or cornice height in a render than after installation.
What is included in the full package:
- everything from the technical project
- Photorealistic 3D renderings of all rooms (2-3 angles per room)
- interior concept and style choice
- selection of finishing materials with article numbers and brands
- specifications for furniture, lighting, textiles and fittings
- recommendations for purchasing – independently or through a studio
In a project for a two-room, 50 m² apartment in the Calligraphy Towers development, the full package made it possible to agree on the layout, materials, and colour scheme before work began — the crew received a comprehensive set of drawings and didn’t ask a single question during the renovation. Other completed projects can be found in the Realux portfolio.
Cost comparison: how much does a design project cost for different areas?
| Plastic bag | 40 m² (studio) | 60 m² (2 rooms) | 100 m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express ($10/m²) | from $400 | from $600 | from $1,000 |
| Technical ($20/m²) | from $800 | from $1,200 | from $2,000 |
| Full ($40/m²) | from $1,600 | from $2,400 | from $4,000 |
Not sure which package is right for you? Below is a matrix for your situation.
How to choose a package: your situation and the right option
| Situation | Recommended package |
|---|---|
| Studio for rent (Airbnb, daily) | Express |
| Apartment for long-term rent | Express or Technical |
| Do-it-yourself repairs with a hired team | Technical |
| Major renovation, living abroad | Technical + author’s supervision |
| An apartment for yourself, you want to see the results in advance | Full |
| Apartment 60-100 m² for sale or personal residence | Full |
| Complex layout, non-standard solutions | Full |
Three things studios usually don’t talk about right away
The express project does not replace working drawings. It’s often sold as a “ready-made project for renovation.” But without electrical, plumbing, and wall-elevation drawings, builders will improvise. The result — rework at your expense.
“Visualization included in the project” does not always mean 3D renders. Some studios interpret this term as a collage of photos of furniture and materials. Clarify: is it a photorealistic render of your specific room, or a selection of references?
Author’s supervision is a separate service, but without it the project is often not completed accurately. Builders follow the plans exactly until the first non-standard situation arises, and then they resolve it themselves. If you’re not on-site, you’ll find out about it upon handover.
Author’s supervision and repair support
Design supervision is a separate service available with any package. The designer visits the site 2-4 times a month, checks that the work matches the drawings, advises the crew, and catches deviations before fixing them becomes expensive.
For those outside Georgia, this isn’t an option but a necessity: you receive regular photo and video updates, and the designer resolves technical issues promptly — rather than when you’ve flown in and seen the problem with your own eyes.
What does author’s supervision provide:
- control of compliance of works with drawings at each stage
- prompt adjustments in non-standard situations at the facility
- consultation of the team on controversial technical issues
- photo and video reports for remote monitoring
- acceptance of each stage before starting the next one
If you’re planning a turnkey apartment renovation in Batumi, design supervision can be combined with renovation management under a single contract — the site manager and designer work in tandem, giving you one point of contact instead of two. You can calculate the cost and get a free consultation on the website — the measurement visit is on-site, with no prepayment.
