A bare-frame apartment renovation in Batumi in 2026 takes roughly a third of the apartment's price. For rental we figure 800–1000 GEL per square metre, for yourself with quality materials — 1500–1850. The estimate breaks down in a standard proportion: materials / labour / contingency cushion. Two cases from practice: a 35 m² studio for rental at 52 000 GEL in five weeks; a 79 m² apartment "for yourself" with appliances and kitchen — about 160 000 GEL over 6–7 months. And a separate item people forget about: lifting building materials and waste removal by the management company.
Budget logic
The 30–40% of apartment price rule
In Batumi a simple rule holds: a bare-frame renovation on average takes about a third of the apartment's price, sometimes a bit more. Not a marketing range, but a benchmark we see across project after project. Bought a new-build apartment for 200 000 GEL with a bare frame — budget 60 000–80 000 for the renovation. Apartment price 350 000 — renovation budget 100 000–140 000.
The range moves on two things: what class of renovation you want and which materials you're willing to install. For rental — the lower bound. For yourself with normal materials — closer to the upper. Premium goes outside the range, calculated case by case from the project.
The rule works well as a first filter at the purchase stage. We see it regularly: a person looks at a new-build apartment, doesn't budget for the renovation, six months later runs into reality and starts cutting the estimate where you can't cut — on the screed, waterproofing, electrics. Better to count in advance and take a smaller or cheaper apartment than to move into a half-finished home.
Cosmetic renovation in 4–5 years
A cosmetic renovation is a different story. 10–20% of the apartment's price. The situation: the apartment was already renovated, 4–5 years passed, the building settled, cracks appeared in the corners, wallpaper lost its look, the skirtings parted. Repaint walls in places, redo one bathroom or the kitchen backsplash — without opening the screed and without moving partitions.
There are no engineering systems in the estimate. No full electrics replacement. No rough materials in large volumes. The percentage of the apartment's price drops by two or three times. Such projects come 5 years after the first renovation in the same apartment — the same clients refreshing it.
In numbers: an apartment for 250 000 GEL, cosmetic — 25 000–50 000 GEL depending on scope. Compared to a bare-frame renovation, the difference is three to four times. Only the finish changes, not the apartment's "skeleton."
Class and layout decide everything
The cost of a renovation in Batumi moves on two axes — class and layout. Class: "for rental," "for yourself," or premium. Layout: how many walls, partitions, doors and bathrooms within the square metres.
We had a case at 85 square metres. A studio with no rooms — open space with kitchen, living room and one bathroom. And on the same 85 square metres — a 3+1 layout: three separate bedrooms, kitchen-living room, two bathrooms, six or seven doors and twice as many partitions. The estimate difference is huge.
In the studio there's less:
- plaster and filler (fewer walls);
- doors (two instead of seven or eight);
- electrics (fewer switches, lighting groups);
- plumbing (one bathroom against two);
- tile (one bathroom and the kitchen zone);
- wiring work (fewer points).
3+1 on the same square metres is a double set of plumbing works, more tile, more doors, more plaster. The difference between such layouts on identical floor area reaches 25–35%.
With class, the same logic. For rental — normal but not premium materials, simple electrics, basic doors, regular tile. For yourself — different tile, different mixers, different doors, different lighting layout, more expensive ceilings. Premium is a separate story, with a different budget.
Per-square-metre prices in Batumi
The most common request from clients is to name a price per square metre. I split it into two ranges:
| Renovation class | GEL/m² |
|---|---|
| For rental | 800–1000 |
| For yourself (quality materials) | 1500–1850 |
"For rental" — short-term rental or long-term lease. The goal is a functional, clean renovation without design pretensions that will withstand tenants. Materials are working ones, not premium; tile ordinary; mixers — solid mid-range; doors inexpensive but not "visually cheap."
"For yourself with quality materials" — a renovation the person moves into and lives in themselves. Tile, mixers and doors change (visual class). Often — different electrics, more lighting points, dimmers, scenes. Wall and ceiling finishing costs more.
Numbers are averages, on 2026 projects. Premium isn't included — that's calculated individually.
Cases from practice
A 35 m² studio for rental at 52 000 GEL
A recent Level Up project. A 35 square metre studio, Batumi new build, white-frame finish. Boiler and air conditioner already on the walls, gas runs done by the developer, electrics brought into the consumer unit. The task — bring it to a turnkey finish for short-term rental.
Final numbers:
- area — 35 m²;
- timeline — 5 weeks;
- budget — 52 000 GEL with materials and labour.
52 000 / 35 ≈ 1485 GEL per square metre. Slightly above the "for rental" border, but it's a white-frame finish — the boiler and air conditioner weren't bought, and we took materials "slightly above the lower end" so the apartment wouldn't look cheap in the photos for tenants.
What went into the 52 000: screed, plaster, electrics and plumbing wiring under the finish (some was already done from the white-frame finish), tile in the bathroom and kitchen zone, laminate in the sleeping and living area, painting, skirtings, internal door. The entrance door the owner closed separately. Kitchen and appliances are a separate item, not included in the 52 000.
5 weeks is a realistic timeline for a 35 m² studio for rental given adequate material supply and one crew. A larger apartment or higher class — timelines grow proportionally.
A 79 m² apartment for yourself at 160 000 GEL
In 2026, Level Up had a 79 m² project "for yourself." The client kept every receipt — for materials, labour, appliances, kitchen. At the end we added it all up.
Final numbers:
- area — 79 m²;
- timeline — 6–7 months from a bare frame;
- total budget — about 160 000 GEL with appliances and kitchen.
160 000 / 79 ≈ 2025 GEL per square metre. But that's not the "bare" renovation price — it's the full cost of a finished apartment from a bare-frame renovation, including appliances and kitchen. A significant share of the budget went on the custom kitchen and built-in appliances; without them, the per-square-metre price of the finish itself sits in the "for yourself" range.
What went in: screed with soundproofing, waterproofing of wet zones, plastered to beacons, electrics wiring with lots of lighting points, water outlets, plumbing wiring, heating, tile in two bathrooms, laminate and porcelain stoneware in the living area, painting, ceilings with accent lighting, internal doors, custom kitchen, built-in appliances, bathroom furniture.
6–7 months from a bare frame is a normal timeline for 79 m² "for yourself." It's not "fast," it's "no rushing": each stage gets its own drying time, materials are ordered in advance, the kitchen goes into production for 30–45 days, the ceilings are done after the dry screed.
The case is useful as a benchmark for those buying a 70–90 m² apartment who want to understand a real "all-included" budget.
Estimate structure and seasonality
Estimate breakdown 40 / 50 / 10
When a site supervisor draws up an estimate, it almost always splits into three parts:
| Item | Share |
|---|---|
| Materials | ~40% |
| Labour | ~50% |
| Contingency | ~10% |
The proportion holds across most projects in Batumi, and it's useful to know at the planning stage.
Materials — everything you buy that stays in the apartment: rough (cement, plaster, drywall, profile, insulation, waterproofing, wires, pipes, tile, laminate, paint, primer) and finish (doors, skirtings, sockets, switches, plumbing, light fittings). On different projects this share floats from 35 to 45 percent — depends on the class of materials.
Labour — that's the crew. Everything manual: demolition, screed, plaster, electrical work, plumbing work, tile work, painting, installation of doors, skirtings, light fittings. On most projects, the largest line.
Contingency — a mandatory cushion. Something always comes up. The neighbour's pipe. A chase running not where expected. An extra fee for material lifting. A tile cracked in delivery. Wall deviations were larger. A door for a non-standard opening. 10% is the minimum. On complex projects we put in 15%.
No "contingency" line — bad estimate. A site supervisor who writes a level budget without a cushion will, two months later, ask you to "top up." And no, "I'll save on the project" usually doesn't work — that saving will be closed by the very first surprise.
Price seasonality and why spring is more expensive
In Batumi, prices for renovation at the start of the year noticeably differ from the same prices six months later. The reason is simple: by May–June the season starts, investors and owners en masse prepare apartments for rental, the flow of clients to crews grows.
Some foremen and contractors raise prices on this wave — there's a queue, the client is ready to pay, deadlines are tight. Not citywide "inflation" but a local phenomenon: the apartment in the same building costs different money for labour in February and August at the same materials.
In materials, seasonality is also there but milder — large bases like Domino, Maxima, Domus hold prices steadier and buy in volumes. Labour prices, on the other hand, jump perceptibly: crews have lots of orders, free hands on the market are fewer.
Start a renovation in February–March for a June move-in — you hit the upper bound of labour prices. Not a reason not to do it, but a reason to count the estimate realistically.
Life hack — start in the second half of the year
From seasonality comes a direct piece of advice: if there's no hard tie to a move-in date — start in the second half of the year. September–November, when the tourist season closes, the flow of clients to crews drops, the willingness to work "not at double the price" returns.
What you get starting in September–November:
- labour prices closer to the lower bound of the range;
- more free crews, more choice;
- calm timelines — no queues at tile masters, electricians, plumbers;
- materials in stock without long waits;
- the kitchen goes into production without the seasonal queue.
One downside. Want to rent the apartment in summer — the renovation has to be finished by May–June. For a rental with a five-week renovation, the window is wide; you can start from September through March. The main thing — make it to the start of the season.
Hidden costs and life hacks
Material lifting and waste removal
Hardly anyone doing a renovation in Batumi for the first time knows about this item. And a pity — sometimes it eats three to five percent of the entire estimate.
Management companies and developers tariff lifting building materials and removing construction waste separately from the apartment purchase and the management fees. Prices and the calculation formula depend on the building: somewhere the cost is fixed, somewhere it's calculated per square metre, somewhere it's a daily charge for the lift. At one recently occupied complex the tariff came out to about $800 for a 55 square metre apartment — for material lifting and waste removal alone.
In some buildings in the centre and on the seafront this tariff is much more expensive. The lift is a passenger one and can't be loaded with building materials without protection. Removal has to go through a security system. Strict working hours. In small buildings far from the centre the tariff is minimal or doesn't exist at all.
What to check before signing the lease or purchase agreement for the apartment:
- whether there's a tariff for lifting building materials;
- whether there's a tariff for waste removal;
- whether it's calculated from renovation cost, area, or fixed;
- who organises the removal — the management company or the owner themselves;
- during which hours noisy work is permitted.
Ask these questions before signing the contract and moving in. Otherwise the surprise will be unpleasant.
A 11 000 GEL saving on appliances on Black Friday
A recent Level Up client saved very well on appliances. The logic is simple: he bought all the built-in and major appliances at a large Batumi electronics shop in one go, on one list, on Black Friday.
What worked:
- volume — fridge, cooktop, oven, dishwasher, washing machine, TV, air conditioner;
- Black Friday discounts on the items themselves;
- an arrangement with the shop's senior manager for an additional discount on the large order;
- storage at the shop's warehouse — they let him leave the appliances and pick them up at a convenient time, exactly at the end of the renovation.
Final numbers:
- total appliance cost — about 42 900 GEL;
- total saving — about 11 000 GEL compared to regular retail and per-item buying.
The case is useful for two reasons. Buying all the appliances in one order is more profitable than buying piece by piece across different shops — volume gives bargaining power, especially during sales. And storage at the shop's warehouse solves a real problem: appliances can't be brought into the apartment until the tile is laid, the screed poured, the painting finished. On the construction site they get dusty, scratched and stolen. The shop's warehouse closes the question for free.
It works not only on Black Friday. Any major sale (New Year, start of the school year, local shop promotions) gives the same effect — if you're ready to buy a complete set at once and have somewhere to store it.
FAQ
Takeaways
- A bare-frame renovation is roughly a third of the apartment's price. Cosmetic in 4–5 years — 10–20%.
- For rental: 800–1000 GEL per m². For yourself: 1500–1850.
- The standard estimate breakdown is 40 / 50 / 10. The "contingency" line is mandatory. Without it, in two months you'll be asked to "top up" — that's the rule, not the exception.
- Layout shifts the price more than it seems. An 85 m² studio is cheaper than a 3+1 on the same 85.
- A 35 m² studio for rental, white-frame finish — 52 000 GEL in 5 weeks.
- A 79 m² apartment "for yourself" from a bare frame, with appliances and kitchen — about 160 000 GEL over 6–7 months.
- In spring labour prices are higher — the season. It's more profitable to start in the second half of the year.
- Material lifting and waste removal are a separate item from the management company. At one new build the tariff came out to about $800 for a 55 m² apartment.
- Buy appliances in one order on a sale. The case with 11 000 GEL of saving is a working template.