Independent construction assessment in Batumi: defects, quantities, design and estimate

Independent construction assessment in Batumi: when it is needed and what it gives

An independent construction assessment in Batumi is needed when verbal comments are no longer enough. The screed has cracked, the terrace leaks, the contractor has invoiced quantities you never saw, the developer says the damp in the apartment is "from the occupants". The expert comes, inspects, measures, opens up details if needed and writes a report: what is wrong, why, whose fault it is and how to fix it. With such a document the conversation with the contractor or developer goes differently.

Types of assessment

An assessment answers a specific question about a piece of work or a document. If you need to understand the overall condition of a building before buying it or adding a storey, that is an inspection; more on the building inspection page.

How an assessment goes

• we review the contract, design, estimate, records and correspondence;
• we inspect the property, measure and take photos;
• if needed, we open up details and test the concrete;
• we look for the causes of defects with instruments;
• we write a report with conclusions and ways to fix the problems.

We look for leaks and damp with a moisture meter and a thermal camera, and sometimes with a flood test: that shows where the water comes from, not just where it appears. How waterproofing should be done is on the waterproofing page.

What the report contains

We write the report so that the owner, the contractor and a lawyer can all understand it. It contains a description of the property and the question, a list of defects with photos and measurements, the causes, references to the design, contract and standards, an assessment of who should fix what, and the way to fix it with a rough cost. If there are several parties, we invite them to the inspection so nobody can later say the expert looked without them.

Reviewing the design and the estimate

The best time for an assessment is before construction. We check whether the design has all the sections it needs, whether architecture, structure and services agree, and whether seismic loads and soils are accounted for. In the estimate we check quantities against the design and prices against the market, and look for missing work that would later surface as extra charges. How we prepare and check estimates is on the cost estimates page.

Disputes with a developer

In new builds the most common disputes are about damp, cracks in finishes, windows and ventilation. A report helps you understand what the developer must fix under the contract and demand it in writing. If the defects are minor and quicker to fix yourself, see the fixing a developer's renovation page.

How much an assessment costs

A defect assessment with a written report costs from 1 980 ₾. A check of the volume and quality of a contractor's work with a record from 1 200 ₾, a review of a house design before construction from 1 440 ₾, an independent audit of a contractor's estimate from 4 ₾ per m². A damp survey with a moisture meter and thermal camera from 570 ₾, an airtightness test with thermal imaging from 1 020 ₾, a concrete strength test from 120 ₾ per area. The final cost is set after reviewing the documents and agreeing the scope of the check.