Black Frame, White Frame, and Turnkey Finishes: What to Choose in Batumi
The Georgian real estate market possesses a unique terminology that often baffles foreign buyers. While in most countries properties are handed over either as a concrete shell or fully renovated, here the gradation is much more complex. When choosing new developments in Batumi, you will inevitably encounter the concepts of "Black," "White," and "Green" frames.
A mistake in selecting the handover condition can cost an investor 3 to 6 months of downtime and thousands of dollars in unplanned expenses. Let’s break down each type of finish in detail so you understand exactly what you are paying for and which option is most profitable for your specific goals.
A mistake in selecting the handover condition can cost an investor 3 to 6 months of downtime and thousands of dollars in unplanned expenses. Let’s break down each type of finish in detail so you understand exactly what you are paying for and which option is most profitable for your specific goals.
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Black Frame: Hidden Opportunities and Pitfalls
The term Black Frame in Batumi (or "black carcass") refers to purchasing the basic structural shell.
Essentially, you are buying the perimeter of the apartment. This is the most budget-friendly entry point into a project, but it requires maximum involvement in the renovation process.
What is actually included in a Black Frame?
Many believe these are simply bare walls. In practice, the specifications depend on the class of the residential complex, but the market standard typically looks like this:
- Perimeter and Partitions: External walls are erected, and inter-apartment partitions are installed. Inside the apartment, there are usually no partitions—it is an open layout.
- Entry Points: Sewage, water supply, and ventilation risers are brought into the premises but not distributed to the plumbing points ("wet points"). Electricity is brought only to the distribution board in the hallway or to the entrance door.
- Glazing and Doors: Metal-plastic windows are installed (the quality of the glazing units is critical for the humid climate), along with a metal entrance door.
- Flooring: Most often, this is a concrete slab without screed.
Who is this format for?
Black Frame is chosen by those planning to buy apartments in Batumi for long-term personal residence. Developers' standard layouts often suffer from inefficiency: overly deep rooms or awkward corridors. A Black Frame allows you to design the ergonomics yourself, install high-quality floor soundproofing (often missing in pre-finished units), and configure the electrical wiring to suit your specific lifestyle scenarios.
However, be prepared for logistical difficulties: hauling materials to high floors, removing construction debris, and finding qualified work crews in a foreign country is a serious challenge.
White Frame: The Market’s Gold Standard
The majority of buyers lean towards the White Frame format. This is a semi-finished condition (often called "pre-finishing"), where the developer has completed the dirtiest and most labor-intensive processes.
Technical Specifications of a White Frame
A high-quality White Frame relieves you of 70% of the rough-stage hassle:
- Floor Screed: A cement-sand screed is laid; the floor is ready for the installation of laminate, parquet boards, or porcelain stoneware.
- Wall Plastering: Walls are leveled and plastered (usually with a gypsum mixture). They are ready for final puttying and painting or wallpapering.
- Engineering Networks: Water supply pipes are distributed to consumption points (kitchen, shower, sink). Electrical wiring is routed through the rooms, and socket boxes are installed.
- Heating: Pipes for radiators are laid, and the heating circuit is installed (relevant for buildings with gas supply).
Economy and Speed
When buying a White Frame, you pay a premium per square meter compared to a Black Frame, but you save 2–3 months of time. You don't need to wait for the screed to dry or search for plasterers. This is the optimal balance if you want to buy an apartment in Batumi by the sea and quickly prepare it for the season, while retaining the ability to choose wall colors and the quality of sanitary ware.
Turnkey Finishes and "Key-Ready" Renovation
If your goal is passive income from the first day of ownership, you should consider options with full renovation. This is particularly relevant for first-line aparthotels.
A Turnkey finish usually includes:
- Stretch or suspended ceilings with lighting.
- Final wall finishes (paint or non-woven wallpaper).
- Porcelain stoneware or high wear-resistance class laminate.
- A fully equipped bathroom (shower cabin, toilet, sink, boiler).
- Interior doors and skirting boards.
Developers often offer "Key-Ready" packages, which already include furniture, textiles, appliances, and even tableware. This is more expensive than assembling the interior yourself, but for a remote investor, this is the price for the absence of operational headaches.
The Price Question: Investment Mathematics
When analyzing new developments in Batumi, prices can vary significantly depending on the handover condition. The difference between a Black Frame and a "Key-Ready" renovation in the same complex can reach $500–$800 per square meter.
How to calculate the benefit?
- DIY Renovation: The real cost of a quality renovation from a Black Frame state (labor and materials) today starts from $400–$500 per m². Add to this the value of your time, flights for supervision, and the risk of crew errors.
- Ready-Made Solution: Overpaying the developer for a finished unit often proves more profitable, as the developer purchases materials wholesale. Furthermore, you start renting out the apartment six months earlier than a neighbor doing the renovation themselves.
Climate Nuances Often Overlooked
Batumi is a subtropical zone with very high humidity and frequent rain. This factor is critical when choosing a finish type.
If you buy a Black Frame in a building by the sea, you must pay special attention to waterproofing and selecting mixtures with anti-fungal additives. In finished renovations from developers in premium complexes, these technologies are usually observed by default (ventilation systems, moisture-resistant paints).
When buying a generic "resale" apartment or an economy-segment unit with existing renovation, there is a risk that mold is hiding under beautiful wallpaper due to cost-cutting during the rough stages. This is why professional property inspection is a mandatory stage of the transaction.
Why You Should Work with an Agency Instead of Searching Alone
The Georgian real estate market is very dynamic and, unfortunately, heterogeneous in quality. A beautiful render and promises of an "elite White Frame" can, in practice, turn into crooked walls and cheap wiring that needs replacing.
Our agency protects your interests at all stages:
Honest Expertise: We know which developers deliver perfect screeds and who has waterproofing issues. We will not offer you illiquid assets.
We will select a property that matches your strategy: whether it be an investment for quick resale or a cozy apartment for life by the sea.
To see our catalog, just click the button below
Our agency protects your interests at all stages:
Honest Expertise: We know which developers deliver perfect screeds and who has waterproofing issues. We will not offer you illiquid assets.
We will select a property that matches your strategy: whether it be an investment for quick resale or a cozy apartment for life by the sea.
To see our catalog, just click the button below
FAQ
1. What is more profitable for resale (flipping): Black or White Frame?
Apartments in White Frame condition possess the highest liquidity on the secondary market. Buyers love this format as it allows them to immediately assess the volume of the space and quickly start cosmetic repairs, bypassing the messy stages. Black Frames take longer and are more difficult to sell.
2. Are there restrictions on renovation works in Batumi?
Yes, and this is a crucial point. In resort zones and mixed-use complexes (where some apartments are already being rented out), there is often a ban on noisy works during the high season (from June to September). By buying a Black Frame in May, you risk freezing construction until autumn. With a ready-made finish, this problem does not exist.
3. Do prices for new developments in Batumi by the sea differ greatly depending on the construction stage?
The difference between the "off-plan" stage (excavation) and a commissioned building can range from 30% to 50%. However, when buying at an early stage in Black Frame format, you freeze funds for 2–3 years. Sometimes it is more profitable to buy a pre-finished apartment in a house nearing facade completion—the price is higher, but the asset starts working almost immediately.
Apartments in White Frame condition possess the highest liquidity on the secondary market. Buyers love this format as it allows them to immediately assess the volume of the space and quickly start cosmetic repairs, bypassing the messy stages. Black Frames take longer and are more difficult to sell.
2. Are there restrictions on renovation works in Batumi?
Yes, and this is a crucial point. In resort zones and mixed-use complexes (where some apartments are already being rented out), there is often a ban on noisy works during the high season (from June to September). By buying a Black Frame in May, you risk freezing construction until autumn. With a ready-made finish, this problem does not exist.
3. Do prices for new developments in Batumi by the sea differ greatly depending on the construction stage?
The difference between the "off-plan" stage (excavation) and a commissioned building can range from 30% to 50%. However, when buying at an early stage in Black Frame format, you freeze funds for 2–3 years. Sometimes it is more profitable to buy a pre-finished apartment in a house nearing facade completion—the price is higher, but the asset starts working almost immediately.
Contact Us
Get in touch with us by phone or via messengers for a consultation and help choosing the right property.
+995 557 326 104
cappuccinoestate@gmail.com
cappuccinoestate@gmail.com
Georgia, Batumi
