Renovating an Apartment in Lebanon: Who to Hire, and in What Order

Search for renovation costs in Lebanon and you'll find plenty of pages that tell you what a CAD drafter, an interior designer or a 3D render costs on its own. Almost none of them tell you the thing that actually determines whether the project goes smoothly: the order you hire these people in. Get the order wrong, hire the designer before the space is measured, or the contractor before there's a drawing to quote against, and you pay twice for the same decision. This guide is for the apartment owner about to start: who to bring in first, what each one actually delivers, and where the money should go before you sign anything.

Why the order matters more than any single price

Each person in a renovation depends on something the person before them produced. A contractor cannot give you a real quote without a drawing to price against. An interior designer working from vague verbal measurements will design around numbers that turn out to be wrong. A 3D render made before the design is fixed just re-renders every time you change your mind, and you pay for each version. Sorting the order first is what keeps the project from running in circles.

Step 1: A CAD drafter measures and draws what exists

Before anyone designs anything, someone needs an accurate drawing of the apartment as it actually is, not as the original blueprint says, because the original plan and 40 years of small changes rarely match. A CAD drafter measures the space and produces a proper floor plan: walls, openings, plumbing and electrical points where visible, at the correct scale. This is also the point where you find out what a drafter can and cannot decide: they draw what is there, but a licensed engineer through the Order of Engineers is who signs off on anything structural, like moving a load-bearing wall. Furrsati lists CAD drafting at roughly $50 to $250 a project; see CAD drafting and floor plans for what to ask for and what files to demand.

Step 2: An interior designer works from that drawing

With an accurate plan in hand, an interior designer can now do real work instead of guessing: room layout, material choices, lighting plan and a coherent look across the apartment. This is also where the three different things sold under "interior design" matter: a concept consultation, a full design package, and hands-on execution are different jobs at different prices, and you should know which one you're buying before you ask for a quote. Furrsati lists interior design at roughly $200 to $700 a project depending on which of those you need; our interior design cost guide explains the three tiers.

Step 3: A 3D render shows you the design before you commit

Once the design is settled, not before, a 3D rendering designer produces realistic images of specific rooms so you can see the kitchen or the living room before it's built, catch a colour or a layout choice you don't like, and confirm it with anyone paying alongside you. Ordering a render before the design is fixed means paying for a new render every time something changes, which is the single most common way people overspend on this step. Furrsati lists 3D rendering at roughly $80 to $300 a view; see our 3D interior render cost guide for what drives the price and what to send the renderer before they start.

Step 4: The contractor quotes against a finished drawing

Only now does the contractor come in, and only now can they give you a number that means something. A contractor pricing from a floor plan and a settled material list gives a comparable, honest quote; a contractor pricing from a conversation and a Pinterest board is guessing, and the number will move once work starts. This is also the stage to confirm which permits your renovation needs and who is responsible for filing them, since anything structural goes through the Order of Engineers regardless of who is managing the site.

What the whole sequence costs

There is no single renovation price because scope varies so widely, but the shape is consistent: drafting first at roughly $50-250, design at $200-700, rendering at $80-300 per view if you want it, and then the contractor's build quote, which is the largest number and the one this order makes trustworthy rather than guessed. Paying for the first three steps properly, in order, is what turns the fourth number into a real one instead of a range that grows once demolition starts.

Hiring and paying safely

Hire each role separately, even if one person offers to do more than one step. Set milestones that match the sequence: drawing delivered and approved, design approved, renders approved, each paid before the next step starts. Put the file handover in writing at every stage, editable CAD files, the design specification, and full-resolution renders, so a later change doesn't mean starting from nothing.

Furrsati removes the risk on payment. You post your project, compare proposals from verified freelancers, fund a milestone, and release payment only once you've approved the work, with milestone funds held by Stripe until you release them. The service fee comes off the freelancer's side, so only standard card processing is added to your bill, and wallet-funded milestones carry none. Freelancers verify their identity before they can withdraw; as a client you need no verification. Payouts reach the freelancer inside Lebanon by OMT, Whish, bank transfer or USDT.

Your next step

Get the apartment measured and drawn first. Then hire a CAD drafter on Furrsati, and bring in an interior designer once you have that drawing in hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

What order should I hire people in for an apartment renovation in Lebanon?

CAD drafter first to measure and draw the space accurately, then an interior designer to work from that drawing, then a 3D rendering designer once the design is settled, and finally the contractor, who can only give an honest quote once there's a finished drawing and material list to price against.

Can I skip the CAD drafter and go straight to a designer?

You can, but the designer will then be working from your own measurements or an outdated blueprint, and any error carries through the whole project. A proper drawing costs roughly $50-250 and is the cheapest step to get right first.

Why does the order matter so much for the price?

Each step depends on the one before it. A render made before the design is fixed gets redone every time you change your mind, and a contractor's quote made without a drawing is not comparable to anyone else's quote. Doing it in order means each number, including the final build cost, is based on something fixed rather than a guess.

Who is allowed to approve structural changes, like moving a wall?

A CAD drafter draws what exists but cannot approve structural changes. Anything structural, including moving a load-bearing wall, needs sign-off from a licensed engineer through the Order of Engineers, regardless of who else is involved in the renovation.

How much does the full sequence cost in Lebanon?

As a guide: CAD drafting roughly $50-250, interior design $200-700 depending on scope, and 3D rendering $80-300 per view if you want it. The contractor's build quote is the largest and separate cost, and having the first three done properly in order is what makes that quote trustworthy.