Renovation in Batumi done remotely is an everyday story: more than half of our clients do not live in Georgia. The flat is in Batumi, the owner is in Moscow, Tel Aviv or Almaty, and the renovation goes ahead without a single visit in person. It works not on trust but on structure: the right contract, an itemised estimate, payment for completed stages and regular reports. Here is the whole scheme.
In short
- Control at a distance rests on documents: an itemised estimate, a schedule and penalties for delays.
- Pay for a completed stage confirmed by photos and video, not by the calendar.
- Concealed work is filmed before it disappears under tiles and plaster.
- Acceptance happens by video call or through a trusted person, and the keys can go straight into management.
Who a remote renovation suits
People who have bought a flat in Batumi and cannot live on site for two or three months. Most often these are flats for letting: the owner wants the property ready for the season and earning, and arrives later on holiday. The scheme also suits those buying for themselves but moving later. If you are still choosing a flat, start with the article on how to buy an apartment in Georgia as a foreigner.
Where to start: inspection and estimate
We visit the property, film it, take measurements and record its condition: the geometry of the walls, the windows, the ventilation, the engineering outlets. If the flat is new and the act with the developer has not been signed yet, a handover inspection from the developer comes first — defects found before the act are fixed by the developer.
After the inspection you receive an itemised estimate with quantities and unit prices. How to read such an estimate and what it should contain is covered in the article on what makes up the cost of a renovation.
A contract at a distance
The contract is signed remotely. What matters in it is not the signature but the annexes:
- an itemised estimate — each item with a quantity and a unit price;
- a schedule with start and end dates for each stage;
- liability for delays;
- the procedure for substituting materials — only with your written consent;
- a warranty on finishes and engineering.
If the estimate says “turnkey renovation” in a single line, it is not an estimate but an invitation to an argument.
Payments by stage
Pay for a completed stage, not by the calendar. The stage is done, you accept it from photos and video, you pay, and the work moves on. With this scheme the contractor gains nothing by dragging things out, and you do not have to pay months in advance.
| Stage | What you accept | How it is confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Electrics and plumbing | Runs, outlet points, the board | Video of all runs before they are closed, a plan with dimensions |
| Screed and plaster | Level floors and walls | Video with a spirit level and a straightedge |
| Waterproofing | Bathrooms and balconies | Photos showing it taken up the walls, a water test |
| Tiles | Layout and joints | Photos and video from different angles |
| Finishing | Painting, floors, doors, lighting | A video walk-through of the flat |
| Furniture and outfitting | Installation and contents | A video walk-through and an inventory |
Weekly reports
Once a week you receive a report: what has been done, photos and video by stage, what is planned for the next week and which decisions are waiting for your answer. Questions about materials and debatable points do not pile up until the end of the renovation — they are settled along the way, in messages.
Concealed work: what must be filmed
- All electrical and plumbing runs before they are closed up.
- The waterproofing of the bathrooms, taken up the walls.
- The pressure testing of the pipes.
- The base for the tiles and the screed, with a level.
- The window junctions.
Once these junctions are on film, any dispute a year later is settled by looking through the archive rather than by breaking open the tiles. If another crew is doing the renovation, independent stage-by-stage control comes from site supervision of the renovation.
Materials and purchasing
Materials are bought from an agreed list and the receipts are attached to the report. If an item is out of stock, we propose a substitute with its price and a photo — and fit it only after your “yes”. That way there are no questions at the end about where different tiles came from or why the total went up.
Acceptance and keys
The final acceptance takes place by video call or through a trusted person: we walk through the flat, go over the snag list and record that each point is fixed. After that the keys either wait for your arrival or go straight into apartment management, and the property starts working. If the flat is for letting, the outfitting is usually ready by then: appliances, textiles, dishes and photographs for the listing. What it includes is in our checklist for preparing a flat for nightly letting.
Common fears and how they are dealt with
- They will flood the neighbours. Waterproofing and pressure testing are filmed and accepted as a separate stage.
- They will not follow the design. Every stage is accepted from photos and video before payment.
- They will walk off halfway. Paying for completed stages leaves the contractor no large advance.
- They will swap the materials. Purchasing from a list, receipts in the report, substitutes only with your consent.
Questions and answers
Do I need to fly in even once?
No. The contract, the stage acceptances and the final acceptance all happen remotely; the keys can be received by a trusted person or the management company.
How do I sign the contract without coming?
Remotely: the contract and its annexes are agreed and signed without a visit. A property purchase separately requires a power of attorney.
How long does an apartment renovation in Batumi take?
Six to eight weeks from a white frame, ten to fourteen from a black frame. In summer it usually takes longer.
What happens if the renovation runs late?
The deadlines and liability for delays are written into the contract, and payment is tied to stages — dragging the work out does the contractor no good.
Describe your flat — the address, floor area and condition — and we will tell you what a turnkey renovation would look like in your particular case and how many weeks it would take.