Urban Design South

Rafa did an incredible job renovating my entire home inside and out. He is patient and great to work with. His thoughtful touches added a level of sophistication to our home that makes us feel like we are living at a luxury resort. I would recommend working with Rafa because he is a true advocate for his clients. He helps ensure that the materials and installations are both flawless. The little details like incorporating consistent lines in design and landscape views from the inside create a peaceful and serene extension of the space. It is tough to find reliable help these days and Rafa never disappoints!

Rafael is a true artist and he will make or transform your home/condo/yard/pool into an spectacular space. My first project with "Rafa" was over 20 years ago when he design our beautiful infinity edge pool with wonderful use of space and innovating design and materials that have stayed relevant today. He designed not only our pool and deck in travertine marble, but also the yard around it has now grown into our private oasis. We remodeled our pool 1 year ago and did not have to change the waterline tile or deck coupling as it is still in perfect condition and within style, which tell you that he has a vision to make your investment last. He has also done our family room and converted it from a dated and dark (old wood space with an old wood entertainment center) to a bright cozy room with a modern wall feature where the new TV is now. He also picked the perfect colors for the walls, rugs, and even sofas and lightning to complement the new design. He also did our laundry room and rearranged the same space to a more modern design with stacked washer and dryer to give us more counter space, replaced the old Formica counter with quartz and added new cabinetry for extra storage, new stainless steel sink and new floor and lightning, also replacing old florescent lights with new recessed lighting. Next project is our kitchen and master bathroom. What I love most about his work is his design insights and how he can give you 3 or 4 different options to maximize your space, stay in budget and give you different options in materials and finishes. If you put your trust in him, like my wife and I did, you will be extremely pleased with the results. He is a "pro" in 3D CAD and will provide you with very accurate and realistic before and after renders so you can "see" the finish concept before you start your project. We've consulted with other designers and contractors for similar jobs and Urban Design South has always been able to match or offer a lower price with very detailed and straight forward quotes from start to finish. He gets involved and makes sure you are satisfied with the work done. Once you work with him, you will have not just a beautiful project but a great friend for life. I 100% recommend this company!

Rafa transformed our backyard from a disaster to a beautiful, lush oasis. He is very creative and did an excellent job of creating different sections of our backyard so that we had unique dining, lounging and hanging out areas. He used a variety of pavers so that each space had a unique feeling and so that the whole backyard did not just feel like a boring large lot of one paver design. He is very easy going and was very conscious of our budget. He managed the subcontractors so that we did not have to, since we were in a different state throughout the construction process. He also did a great job of problem solving when we did run into some snags. I highly recommend Rafa for his vision and creativity and warm personality as well. A pleasure to work with.

Rafa is an extremely talented hardscape/landscape designer who helped us design our fabulous, resort-like pool deck and surrounding landscape. His plans and vision for what our back yard could become blew us away, and now that it has come to fruition we couldn't be happier. Extraordinarily personable and professional, Rafa uses his tremendous attention to detail to create perfection in his work. Highly recommend!

My experience in working with Rafael has been fantastic!! We are at the final stages of a complete remodel to our landscape in front and back yard including pool deck and driveway. Rafael was able to share several great concepts and worked with me to refine a design that I absolutely love. He has worked closely throughout the execution of my project recommending vendors and providing them guidance and direction to ensure a great result. He is always extremely responsive even when traveling and has gone above and beyond to be helpful. I am truly grateful to have found him and recommend most highly.

Raphael did a great job, he managed the whole project renovating my house, a very fast and clean job , also he helped me pick the most beautiful designs for every area in my house , the kitchen and the bathrooms are stunning, I can’t be happier, It’s worth every penny, I don’t want to leave the house now, haha

We highly recommend Rafael! His landscape architectural skills are amazing, he has numerous contractor contacts and he's very easy to work

Absolutely in love with our home and so happy we hired Rafael to design it and manage the project. He is such an artist, everybody that comes over or sees photos asks me for his info!

I deal with countless designers on a daily basis due to the industry that I am in, and Rafa is one of the best I’ve collaborated with. His innovative ideas and design details are impressive and he works hard to serve his clients. Another area where he really stands out is his project management skills. He is a problem solver who is impeccable with his work ethic and dedication, making sure the project is successful. It is so helpful that he understands architecture and construction from all levels. I look forward to the next project that we can collaborate on.

Your search is over..Rafael Batalla is the man!!!..by far the best, most reliable,honest,creative, passionate person I have ever worked with on home and landscape projects. I was thrilled with every aspect of the project I did with Raf..the design was awesome and provided to me timely. His oversight of the project is the perfect balance between maintaining a great relationship with contractors and busting balls when the situation requires it. Our home was transformed beyond my wildest dreams and the finished product actually matched the initial rendering he provided. Just an all around class act!!!

Ok, I can’t say enough about Rafael Batalla and his team from Urban Design South. My wife and I were looking to do a remodel of just the kitchens and bathrooms, but Rafael’s ideas were so amazing we did I the entire house! We told Rafael our budget and he just went to work. That evening we gave a deposit, the next day he and his team measured the house, and the third day he had a complete 3D rendering of our house with the changes we were looking for, plus some additional ideas. At that point, we knew we had our company. We dove in, let Rafael do his thing, and the home is nothing short of our dream house! Thank you Rafael for your dedication to perfection and for bringing your expertise to our family. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Rafa Batalla and his company Urban Design South did 2 separate projects for me so far. One inside, one outside. I believe in hiring people for heir expertise and I definitely made the right decision hiring him. Three important things set this company apart from my past experiences: INTEGRITY, TALENT, & RESULTS. They proved to be completely trustworthy and totally solution-minded. When I saw Rafael's resort work, I assumed I could never afford him. But in reality, his prices were very competitive with other quotes and he actually saved me money more than once. 1st job: my kitchen. They did an AMAZING job. I LOVE my kitchen now. I thought I knew what I wanted when I first met with him, but he pointed out things I did not think of that would have become costly issues (things he could have made money off me by fixing). He probably saved me at least $5K there. Then, he suggested things I never would have thought of, and thank goodness he did. I have had a LOT of construction and this experience was unlike any others. Their professionalism was exceptional. The crew was polite, courteous, and meticulous. Rafa told me he would not be there every day because he had other jobs going on but that his guys could be trusted. He was right. He came in and checked on them regularly and stayed in touch with me. Any questions I had, he answered immediately or found out and got back to me. 2nd job: My front landscape, which got destroyed in hurricane Irma. I also had a large area of grass that was always dead because it doesn't get enough sun. It was an eyesore and right by my front door. No one - not the nursery nor my landscaper could solve it. Nothing I put there lived and I was ready to just lay some rocks down and give up when I met with Rafa about it. Now I have a gorgeous front yard full of blooming healthy plants and the eyesore area has this gorgeous display with the RIGHT plants that are thriving (it's been 8 months) along with a water feature that feels so zen that I could sit on my porch all day - a place I avoided before because of that eyesore area. When I added things that were not part of the first proposal (on both projects), Rafa was clear about what those additions would cost and even offered less costly solutions. I really felt he was looking out for my best interests, not how much he could squeeze me for, like so many other people I have dealt with in the past. I am beyond happy that I met Rafa and let him work his magic here. From the first meeting, through construction (which can be stressful when you are living in your house through it), to the final result - the experience was pro, the documents were clear, the fees were upfront and the communication was straightforward and honest. I have recommended this company to several friends and they have all had similar experiences. I am so happy I found him! Added: This year, I will replace all the flooring and renovate another bathroom plus do the back landscape. I will definitely call these guys.