Apartment Design Project Cost: Price and Scope of Work

How much an apartment design project costs depends on area, documentation scope, and interior complexity. Benchmark for a full package with visualizations — from 2,500 RUB/m²; this is not a fixed rate but a starting point before measurements and the brief. A project typically includes layout, 3D visualizations, working drawings for builders, and a specification sheet; author's supervision on site is usually ordered separately. The exact amount and timeline are fixed in the contract after tasks are agreed.

A design project is not "pretty pictures for Pinterest" — it is a digital copy of your future apartment before renovation starts. It connects layout, engineering, finishes, lighting, storage, and furniture into one system of decisions. Without a project, the contractor and client often mean different things by "standard renovation," and the estimate expands during finishing.

Examples of completed interiors are in ready design projects. The full list of services is on the Profmaster services page.

What is included in an apartment design project

Scope depends on the package chosen, but the logic is the same: concept and layout first, then visualization, then working documentation for builders and a materials specification.

Core blocks of a full package:

• Layout solutions — zoning, furniture placement, daily-life scenarios, replanning options with load-bearing walls and wet zones in mind.
• Photorealistic 3D visualization — the interior in real colors, textures, and lighting scenarios before material purchases.
• Working drawings — measured plan, outlet and switch locations, lighting scheme, plumbing routing, tile and flooring layout, junction details.
• Specification sheet — finishes, light fixtures, plumbing, and furniture with SKUs, quantities, and supplier links.

For built-in furniture in designer projects, technical sketches of kitchens, wardrobes, and cabinets are prepared additionally — so items are ordered to size, not "by eye" on site.

Working documentation: what the contractor receives

A full set of drawings removes the need for the foreman to "guess" from renders. A typical package for major renovation includes:

• Measured plan with wall dimensions, openings, ceiling heights, and niches.
• Furniture layout plan — dimensions of built-in modules and appliances.
• Floor plan — covering type by zone, laying direction, thresholds, and expansion joints.
• Ceiling plan — levels, recesses for lighting, cornices, curtain niches, and cove LED.
• Lighting plan — light points, fixture types, groups, scenarios (general, task, accent).
• Electrical scheme — outlets, switches, appliance outlets, panel, low-voltage.
• Plumbing scheme — mixer outlets, concealed parts, towel warmers, access panels.
• Wall finish plan — tile layout, panels, decorative elements, elevations of complex zones.
• Details and sections — material junctions, reveals, floor transitions, heavy-element fixings.

The more complex the property, the more sheets in the set. A studio with one bathroom needs a compact package; an apartment with two bathrooms, a walk-in closet, and an open kitchen-living room needs more documentation — and that directly affects design timeline and cost.

Design project packages: scope comparison

In practice, clients choose one of three detail levels. Each package is priced individually; the benchmark from 2,500 RUB/m² applies to the full package with visualizations.

Package	What is included	Best for	Price benchmark
Layout	Measurements, layout options, furniture placement, basic engineering locations	Understanding spatial logic before renovation; simple finishing	Agreed after brief
Standard	Layout + 3D visualizations of key zones + main working schemes	Seeing the interior concept and locking in core decisions	Agreed after brief
Full	Layout, visualizations, full working documentation, specification sheet, built-in furniture sketches	Complex layout, non-standard materials, turnkey renovation with minimal rework	From 2,500 RUB/m² (benchmark)

Simplified packages are not "worse" — they save budget when the task is narrow. But for major renovation with replanning and built-in furniture, saving on working drawings often leads to rework that costs more than the project itself.

Design project development stages

Stage	What happens	Deliverable for the client
1. Brief and measurements	Lifestyle interview, on-site survey, photos, constraints (risers, ventilation, load-bearing walls)	Clear brief and measured plan
2. Layout	Zoning options, furniture placement, storage and circulation logic	Approved layout
3. Concept and visualization	Material, color, and lighting selection; 3D renders of key rooms	Image of the future interior before purchases
4. Working documentation	Drawings for electrical, plumbing, finishes, junction details	Documents for builders and estimators
5. Specification	Materials, lighting, furniture, plumbing specification	Sheet for procurement and budget control
6. Project handover	File transfer, notes on non-standard solutions	Package for renovation or contractor tender

Between stages 2–4, reviews and revisions usually take place. The more precise the brief at the start (who lives in the apartment, which appliances, work zones, storage needs), the fewer iterations and the more predictable the timeline.

What affects design project cost

Price is not only square meters. The final amount is influenced by:

• Area and number of zones — more bathrooms, walk-in closets, niches, and non-standard rooms → more drawings and visualizations.
• Layout complexity — replanning, combining rooms, relocating wet zones, niches, and platforms.
• Number of 3D visualizations — full apartment or only kitchen-living room and bathrooms.
• Depth of working documentation — basic location schemes or wall elevations, detailed junctions, built-in furniture specification.
• Specification sheet — premium and rare items require more designer time.
• Number of revision rounds — fixed in the contract; extra rounds are billed separately.
• Urgency — compressed timelines increase team load.

Prices on the website and in articles are preliminary benchmarks. The final amount appears after measurements, the brief, and package scope agreement.

Cost benchmarks by area

Below — calculation from the 2,500 RUB/m² benchmark for a full package with visualizations. Actual price may be higher or lower depending on complexity; figures are not a public offer.

Apartment type	Typical area	Project cost benchmark*
Studio	28–32 m²	from 70,000–80,000 RUB
One-bedroom	38–45 m²	from 95,000–112,500 RUB
Two-bedroom	55–65 m²	from 137,500–162,500 RUB
Three-bedroom	75–90 m²	from 187,500–225,000 RUB
Four-bedroom and larger	100–120 m²	from 250,000–300,000 RUB

*Benchmark = area × 2,500 RUB/m² for the full package. Simplified packages and complex properties are priced separately.

For a preliminary renovation budget estimate (not only the project), use the designer renovation calculator. A detailed breakdown of renovation cost with project and supervision — in the article How Much Does Designer Renovation Cost.

Design project and renovation estimate: how they connect

Project and renovation are different budget lines, but they do not exist in isolation.

The project affects the renovation estimate because it fixes:

• demolition and replanning scope;
• number of electrical points, lighting scenarios, low-voltage;
• plumbing composition and concealed junctions;
• flooring, tile, ceiling, and decorative element types;
• built-in furniture and non-standard structures.

Without a project, the estimate is built on assumptions: "standard kitchen," "typical bathroom," "as it turns out." On site, every clarification becomes extra work. With an approved project, the contractor counts scope from drawings, and the client sees in advance what the renovation price is made of.

Typical sequence:

1. Measurements and brief → commercial proposal for the project.
2. Project development and approval.
3. Detailed staged renovation estimate from working documentation.
4. Construction start with payments tied to stages.

Comparison of renovation formats (rough, White Box, turnkey) — in Renovation Types Comparison. General renovation budget benchmarks in Moscow — in Renovation Cost in Moscow.

Author's supervision: a separate service

Author's supervision is control over how builders implement the approved project. The designer visits the site, checks geometry, materials, and junctions against drawings, approves substitutes when deliveries fail, and answers the foreman's questions.

Why it matters:

• Clarifications always arise on site — the project sets the rules; supervision keeps them from piling into errors;
• a contractor without a designer may "simplify" a junction without asking the client;
• substituting material "with an equivalent" without control breaks color balance and budget.

The designer renovation calculator includes author's supervision in the turnkey designer renovation concept: regular designer visits to verify work matches the project. When ordering only the project, supervision is a separate contract — based on visit frequency and construction duration.

Supervision does not replace technical supervision of engineering systems, but it covers the design and finishing side: textures, junctions, lighting, furniture and decor placement.

When you need a full project vs. a basic scheme

Situation	Recommendation
Cosmetic renovation without layout changes	Working scheme for outlets, lighting, and plumbing
Replanning, relocating kitchen or bathroom	Full design project + engineering locations
Built-in kitchen, walk-in closets, niches	Full package with furniture sketches
Non-standard finishes: decorative plaster, complex lighting, panels	Full package with visualizations and junction details
Turnkey renovation with one contractor	Project and construction in one team — fewer handoff losses
You already have visualization from another designer	Working documentation and specification adapted for construction

If unsure, start with a consultation and measurements: they make it easier to choose a package without overpaying for extra visualizations or, conversely, underinvesting in drawings where they are critical.

Payment and timeline: what to check in the contract

Design projects are usually paid in stages — tied to layout approval, visualization approval, and final handover of working documentation. Before signing, clarify:

• package scope — what is included in the price and what is an add-on;
• number of revision rounds at each stage;
• delivery format — PDF, DWG, 3D links, specification in a spreadsheet;
• timelines by stage and what happens if client approvals are delayed;
• copyright and ability to transfer the project to another contractor.

Development for a typical 60 m² apartment with a full package takes from several weeks. Acceleration is possible but increases studio load and may affect cost. It is more realistic to allow time not only for the designer's work but also for your approvals: material choices, layout, and final visualizations.

Questions to ask a designer or studio

1. What is the minimum package that will cover my renovation without rework?
2. How many 3D visualizations are included in the base price and how are extra views billed?
3. Is the specification sheet included or contracted separately?
4. Are built-in furniture sketches prepared and who handles on-site alignment?
5. How is the project handed to the contractor — single archive, explanatory notes, designer at the kickoff meeting?
6. Is author's supervision available and how is it priced?
7. What happens if material supply changes during renovation — who selects the substitute?

Answers help compare studio proposals not only by price per square meter but by real documentation depth.

Checklist: what to prepare before ordering a project

• Floor plan from the developer or BTI (if available)
• List of residents, habits, appliances, pets
• Timeline clarity: when the project is needed and when renovation is planned
• Budget range: separately for project and separately for renovation
• Style references (not necessarily "like the neighbor's" — what you like in color, light, textures)
• Replanning information: what you want to change and what is already approved
• Building data: ceiling height, slab type, management company rules on noisy work
• Storage wishes: walk-in closets, pantries, built-in systems
• Lighting scenarios: work zones, accent light, smart home (if planned)

The fuller the brief, the more accurate the price and timeline benchmark at the commercial proposal stage.

Common mistakes when ordering a design project

Mistake	Consequence	How to avoid
Ordering only visualization without drawings	Beautiful image, but builders "figure out" junctions on site	Agree on a minimum set of working schemes for your renovation
Skipping the specification sheet	Chaotic purchases, overspend, shade mismatches	Include specification in the full package
Changing layout after drawings are approved	Project recalculation, timeline and renovation estimate shift	Approve layout before detailed working phase
Saving on measurements	Errors in furniture and built-in dimensions	Professional on-site measurements
Different contractors for project and renovation without handoff	Lost accountability at the documentation–construction boundary	Single contractor or explicit project transfer protocol
No author's supervision with complex finishes	Deviations visible only after completion	Supervision at key stages or turnkey renovation with control

Frequently asked questions: short answers

Below — phrasing that helps quickly match design project scope and cost when choosing a studio or contractor.

How much does an apartment design project cost in Moscow?
Benchmark for a full package with visualizations — from 2,500 RUB/m². Final price is fixed after brief, measurements, and agreed documentation list.

What is included in a full apartment design project?
Layout, 3D visualizations, working drawings for builders, specification sheet with materials and furniture SKUs. Author's supervision is usually separate.

Can I order a design project without renovation?
Yes. Working documentation can be transferred to any contractor. With Profmaster, project and construction can run in one workflow for fewer gaps on site.

Do I need a design project for cosmetic renovation?
Usually no — a working scheme for outlets, lighting, and plumbing is enough. A full project is justified for replanning, built-in furniture, and non-standard finishes.

How long does a design project take?
For a typical 60 m² apartment with a full package — from several weeks, depending on revisions and complexity.

What is author's supervision?
Designer site visits to verify construction matches approved drawings, plus approval of deviations and material substitutes. Contracted separately when you order only the project.

How does a design project affect renovation cost?
The project fixes scope, materials, and engineering — without it, the renovation estimate stays approximate. After approval, you get a detailed staged estimate; see the designer renovation calculator.

When to contact Profmaster

It makes sense to submit a request on the contacts page if:

• you need a design project separately or combined with turnkey renovation;
• you are planning replanning, built-in furniture, or complex lighting;
• you want a budget benchmark before start — for both project and renovation;
• working documentation understandable to builders matters, not only renders;
• you need author's supervision when implementing the approved project;
• you are browsing ready design projects and want to adapt ideas to your area.

Profmaster delivers design projects as a standalone service. Cost depends on area and scope; benchmark for a full package with visualizations — from 2,500 RUB/m². After the brief and measurements, we prepare a commercial proposal, agree on package and schedule; for renovation with us — we link the project to a staged estimate and on-site control.

What the team can do at the start:

• technical survey and apartment measurements;
• package selection matched to task and budget;
• layout, visualizations, and working drawings development;
• specification sheet for procurement;
• benchmark calculation via designer renovation after project approval;
• author's supervision and construction coordination for turnkey renovation.

Request a consultation and discuss your project with a designer via contacts or the form on the website.