Water damage repair in Batumi: drying out, opening up and new finishes
Water damage repair in Batumi goes in three steps: cut off the source of the water, dry the apartment out by moisture meter, and only then restore the finishes. We remove wet plasterboard, wallpaper and swollen flooring straight away, so that mould doesn't take hold underneath. We photograph the damage and draw up a report for the management company and the neighbours. Labour with materials costs from 310 ₾ per m² of the affected room.
from 310 ₾/m²labour and materials per m²: strip-out, drying, antiseptic and new finishes. The final price is confirmed once agreed.
- Timeline: usually 2–4 weeks for a 15–20 m² room: 3–7 days of drying, then strip-out and new finishes; exact timing after opening up and moisture readings
- Warranty: A 2-year warranty on the restored finishes.If we replace water pipes
Who it’s for
The neighbours upstairs have flooded your ceiling and walls, and the stretch ceiling is sagging with a bulge of water
A washing machine hose burst, and the water got under the laminate across the whole apartment
You are abroad, and the neighbour below has sent a photo of a stain on their ceiling
After a storm, water came in under the balcony door and the floor by the wall has swollen
You need a report with photos and a damage estimate to discuss with a neighbour or an insurer
What’s included
- inspection, finding the source and measuring the moisture in the walls, floor and ceiling
- draining water from a stretch ceiling and refitting the film
- removing wet plasterboard, wallpaper, softened skim coat and swollen flooring
- drying with dehumidifiers and fans, checked with a moisture meter
- checking the circuits and sockets in the flooded area after drying
- treating the base with antiseptic in two coats
- new finishes on the walls, ceiling and floor
- photos of the damage, an inspection report and an itemised damage estimate
- cleaning after the work
The first hours after a flood
Water damage repair in Batumi starts long before the finishing. While water is still running, any work is pointless, and what gets done in the first hours decides how much of the finishes will have to come off later.
- Shut off the water. If it is coming from above, go up to the neighbour or call reception and the building's management company: they are the ones who shut off the shared riser.
- Switch off the circuit breakers for the flooded area in the consumer unit, if the unit is dry and you can reach it without walking through water. Don't use the sockets and light fittings in the wet area until they have been checked.
- Photograph and film everything before cleaning up: the ceiling, walls, floor, furniture and appliances, and if you can, the place the water is coming from. Your phone records the date and time of each shot.
- Collect the water from the floor, raise the furniture on blocks, open the wardrobe doors and take the rugs out.
- If a stretch ceiling has sagged into a bulge, leave it as it is and don't switch on the light in that room. The PVC film will hold the water until a tradesman drains it through a light fitting opening.
If you are abroad and the apartment is with us under management for overseas owners, our manager takes these steps for you: shuts off the water, films the apartment and the neighbours' ceiling, and sends you the photos and video.
Where the water came from
Until the source has been found and fixed, there is nothing to repair: fresh finishes will just get wet again. The shape of the stain and the spot where it is wettest usually show the direction straight away.
- The neighbour upstairs: a burst flexible hose, a washing machine hose, a floor drain or the old waterproofing in their bathroom. The water spreads across the ceiling from their wet area, often along the joints between slabs.
- The shared riser. The building's management company repairs it, and we help find the leak and arrange access.
- Your own apartment. If it is dry above but the neighbours below have a stain, we look for a hidden leak: pipes in the wall and floor, connections behind an installation frame, the bath trap. If the water was escaping through the wet area, we redo the bathroom waterproofing.
- The roof and facade. On top floors water comes in from the roof, and on walls facing the sea a storm drives it in through the window joint and under the balcony door threshold.
Opening up: what we remove and what we dry in place
Wet finishes behave in different ways. Some go back into service once dried, others don't recover or hide the water from the dehumidifier. We decide by the material and by the moisture meter readings:
| What got wet | What we do |
|---|---|
| PVC film stretch ceiling | We drain the water, unclip the film, dry the cavity and the slab, and put the film back |
| Fabric stretch ceiling | It doesn't hold water, which goes through to the floor; a stained fabric is usually replaced, while the profile stays |
| Plasterboard ceiling or lining | We replace the wet board, check the frame for rust, and replace any wet insulation behind the lining too |
| Wallpaper and skim coat | Wallpaper in the wet area always comes off, and softened skim coat comes off down to the base |
| Gypsum plaster | Plaster that has gone soft and crumbly is knocked off down to the block or concrete; sound plaster is dried |
| Laminate and parquet | We take it up in the wet area so that the screed can dry; swollen boards don't recover |
| Click-lock SPC vinyl | We take it up, dry the base and relay the undamaged panels |
| Tiles and porcelain | We leave them, tap-test them and keep an eye on the joints while the screed underneath dries |
| Chipboard furniture | Swollen edges and wardrobe plinths don't recover, so we replace them |
Why PVC film holds water back and fabric doesn't, and why a stretch ceiling is more practical when there is a leak from above, is explained in our comparison of stretch ceilings and plasterboard.
Drying by moisture meter
Fans drive air along the wet walls and floor, and the dehumidifier takes the water out of that air and drains it into the sewer. The windows stay closed, so the dehumidifier works on the apartment rather than on damp air from outside. How to choose and connect a dehumidifier is covered on the page about dehumidifying an apartment.
We mark the measuring points on the apartment plan and measure at the same points every time, recording each reading with the date. The figures show whether a wall is drying or standing still, and the records themselves are later attached to the report. Heating helps only when a dehumidifier is running alongside it. Without one, warm air draws water out of the wall and gives it up to the cold windows and external walls. We start the skim coat and the floor once the readings reach the level set in the data sheet for the next material.
Mould and wiring after water
In a humid climate mould appears quickly after a flood, and the first spots can show within a few days. It grows where things dry most slowly: on the back of plasterboard, under laminate, behind wardrobes against the wall. That is why we open up straight away rather than waiting for the drying to finish. We clean the base and treat it with antiseptic in two coats, and if the spots have gone deep into the wall, we follow the steps on the page about mould and fungus removal.
The circuits in the flooded area stay switched off until the walls are dry. After drying we open the junction boxes and back boxes and measure the insulation resistance. The result decides whether replacing the contacts and sockets is enough or the circuit has to be replaced completely, as described on the page about rewiring.
Photos, a report and talking to the neighbours
If the damage is going to be discussed with a neighbour, the building's management company or an insurer, you will need documents, not just your account of what happened. We collect them as the work goes on:
- photos and video of the damage before cleaning up and before opening up, linked to the rooms;
- moisture readings by point and date;
- an inspection report: what is damaged, where, to what extent and where the water came from, if the source has been found;
- an itemised repair estimate, with separate lines for drying, strip-out and new finishes;
- receipts for materials and completion certificates after the repair.
It is easiest to sign the report right at the inspection, together with the neighbour whose apartment the water came from and with a representative of the management company, if one comes. If the apartment is insured, call the insurer on the day of the flood: check in the policy how soon the incident has to be reported, and ask whether they want to inspect the apartment before it is opened up.
We draw up the report and the damage assessment as the contractor, and it is not an independent expert's opinion. If the insurer or the neighbour wants their own expert, our photos, readings and report can be handed over to them. Whether the neighbour or the insurer pays for the damage, and how much, depends on your agreement with the neighbour and on the terms of the policy, so we don't promise any payout. Our part is to make sure the documents are complete and can be checked.
How much water damage repair in Batumi costs
Repairing an apartment after a flood costs from 310 to 480 ₾ per m² of the affected room. This price includes labour and materials: removing the wet finishes, drying out, antiseptic and new finishes. We price by the area of the rooms the water reached, not the whole apartment.
Individual jobs are in the price table. Drying out an apartment with dehumidifiers and fans over 3–7 days costs 1,140–1,800 ₾, hidden leak detection 240–360 ₾ per visit, and a flood damage report and assessment for a neighbour or insurer 390–600 ₾.
The price goes up with water that stood for a long time and soaked into the screed, plasterboard ceilings, laminate running through the whole apartment without thresholds, and mould found when opening up. It comes out cheaper if you call us straight away and the floor is tiled. We do the estimate in two steps: first the drying and strip-out, then the finishes, once the opened-up walls and floor have shown the real scope. The final cost is set after opening up, moisture readings and agreement of the estimate.
Stages and timelines
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Inspection, photos and source
1 day
We photograph the damage before cleaning up, measure the moisture and, together with the neighbours or the management company, find and cut off the source of the water. The inspection report is signed on the spot.
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Draining and opening up
1–2 days
We drain the water from the stretch ceiling, remove the wet linings, wallpaper and swollen flooring, and move wet furniture away from the walls.
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Drying by the meter
3–7 days
We set up dehumidifiers and fans, keep the windows shut and measure the walls and screed at the same points every day or every other day.
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Repair estimate
1–2 days
While the drying goes on, we add to the report whatever opening up revealed and price the repair from the opened-up walls and floor.
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Antiseptic and wiring
1–2 days
We treat the base in two coats, open the boxes and test the insulation of the circuits in the flooded area.
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New finishes and handover
1–3 weeks
We skim coat, paint, refit the ceiling and lay the floor. You accept the work on site or by video.
Local specifics in Batumi
In Batumi new builds, many apartments stand empty from autumn to spring. If there is a leak at the neighbour's upstairs and they are out of town, the water sometimes runs for weeks before anyone notices the stain on the floor below, and by then it has gone through the slab and the screed. In that case the first thing we do is find who can open the apartment the water is coming from: reception, the building's management company or the owner by phone.
In winter you can't dry an apartment out after a flood by airing it: in a rainy week the outside air brings water in rather than taking it away. So while drying we keep the windows shut, set up dehumidifiers that drain into the sewer and heat the rooms. In summer the air conditioners do part of the work, and drying usually goes faster.
Some floods happen with no neighbours involved. In a storm the wind off the sea drives water under the balcony door threshold, and it gets under the floor along the wall. On top floors water comes in from the roof, and then we discuss the roof repair with the building's management company. Until the water's path is closed off, we don't start the finishes: the first storm would bring the stain back onto the fresh wall.
Materials and brands
We choose the new finishes after a flood so that the next leak costs less. For the ceiling under the neighbours' wet areas we recommend a PVC film stretch ceiling: it holds water, and it can be drained and put back in place. If plasterboard is needed, we use moisture-resistant Knauf or AK Bulut board.
After drying we prime the base with an antiseptic primer, for example Ceresit, and paint the walls with vapour-permeable Caparol paint so that they can release the remaining moisture. In risk areas we lay SPC vinyl instead of laminate: water doesn't damage it, and the panels can be taken up for drying. The dehumidifier needs an outlet for a permanent drain into the sewer, which Midea models have: otherwise, over a week of drying, the tank would have to be emptied several times a day.
What makes up the cost
Timeline: usually 2–4 weeks for a 15–20 m² room: 3–7 days of drying, then strip-out and new finishes; exact timing after opening up and moisture readings
- the season changes the drying speed and the timing, but not the scope of work
What raises the cost
- water stood for a long time and got into the screed and under the tiles
- a plasterboard ceiling or lining that has to be replaced in full
- laminate running through the whole apartment without thresholds, which has to come up in full
- mould behind linings and furniture, found when opening up
What lowers the cost
- a PVC film stretch ceiling that can be drained and put back
- a call-out straight after the flood, before the water gets into the slab
- tiles and porcelain on the floor that don't need to come up
We prepare the exact estimate from measurements and photos. It’s free and comes with no obligation.
Get an estimateGuarantees
A 2-year warranty on the restored finishes.
If we replace water pipes, drains or wiring in the walls and floor along the way, they carry a 5-year warranty. The warranty doesn't cover a new flood from the neighbours or from the shared riser: that is an accident outside our work, and the repair after it is priced from scratch.
Questions and answers
How much does it cost per m² to repair an apartment after a flood in Batumi?
From 310 to 480 ₾ per square metre of the affected room, including labour and materials. The price covers removing the wet finishes, drying out, antiseptic and new finishes on the walls, ceiling and floor. We count the area of the rooms the water reached, not the whole apartment.
Plasterboard ceilings, laminate throughout the apartment and water that has had time to soak into the screed cost more. We price the drying and strip-out straight away, and the finishes after opening up, when the real scope can be seen. The final cost is set after the moisture readings and agreement of the estimate.
How long does an apartment take to dry after a flood?
With dehumidifiers and fans, walls and ceilings usually reach normal readings in 3–7 days. The screed under tiles, thick plaster and the floor slab take longer if the water stood for several days: there it is a matter of weeks. In a cold apartment drying is slower, so in winter we heat the rooms.
We don't go by the calendar. We measure moisture at the same points and start the finishes when the readings reach the level in the data sheet for the skim coat, adhesive or flooring. If a damp wall is closed up, the paint comes away in blisters and mould grows under the new finishes.
What should I do if the neighbour upstairs isn't home and water is coming through?
Call reception, security and the building's management company. They can shut off the riser while they look for the owner, and they often know how to reach them. While the water keeps coming, collect it from the floor, switch off the circuit breakers for the flooded area if the consumer unit is dry, and film the stain spreading across the ceiling.
Don't break into the neighbour's apartment yourself. When the owner is found, ask them or their representative to come to the inspection, so that both sides sign the report. If you are abroad yourself and we have the keys to your apartment, our manager deals with the building and the neighbour.
Can laminate stay after a flood if it has dried out?
It can, if the water didn't stand for long, the joints haven't swollen and the boards lie flat. But drying on the surface isn't enough: the underlay and screed underneath stay wet, and a few weeks later a smell and mould appear there. So we take up the floor in the wet area, dry the base and replace the underlay.
Boards with swollen edges don't straighten out after drying, so we replace them. If that range is no longer on sale and most of the room has swollen, we relay the whole room and hide the joint with the hallway under the door leaf. Near the bathroom and the balcony door we advise replacing laminate with SPC vinyl, which water doesn't damage.
What should I do if I have flooded the neighbours below?
First shut off the water at the apartment's main valve and collect it from the floor, so that it stops soaking into the slab. Then go down to the neighbours: inspect their ceiling and walls together, photograph and film the damage and write down what got wet and where. If the neighbours aren't home, tell reception or the building's management company.
Find the cause before any repair. A burst flexible hose is obvious straight away, while a leak in a wall or under tiles needs a tradesman to find it, and that call-out costs 240–360 ₾. We can price the repair at the neighbours' and carry it out to an estimate, just as we would in your apartment. How and how much to compensate is for you and the neighbour, or your insurer, to decide: we promise nothing here, but we will prepare the documents.
Further reading
Send photos of the ceiling and walls after the flood, and we'll tell you what to dry and what to remove
We reply within an hour during business hours. Message us or leave a request: we’ll call you back, go over the details and suggest the next step.
Mon–Fri 10:00–19:00, Sat 11:00–16:00