What site supervision is and how it differs from the contractor’s foreman
The contractor’s foreman works for the contractor. The job is to get the crew on site on time, keep the materials coming and hold the schedule. That is a necessary role, but a foreman looks at the site through the eyes of the person doing the work.
Technical supervision works for the client. It is not responsible for speed. It is responsible for making sure the hidden work is done properly and documented while it is still visible — so that you know what is inside the wall, inside the screed and under the tile.
In everyday talk, “technical supervision”, “site supervision” and “construction control” on the client’s side usually mean the same thing: an independent person comes to the site, checks the work and records the result. We do not go into legal definitions here. The practical advice is simpler: write down in the contract or in the order what exactly is checked and what you receive after each visit.
When supervision matters most
- You are not in Georgia. You cannot look for yourself, and an independent person on site who looks on your behalf is a useful part of a remote renovation. More in our article on renovating remotely.
- You do not know the contractor. How the contractor handles the hidden stages will be clear after the first few visits.
- The budget is large. The bigger the job, the more a late-found mistake costs.
- Bathrooms and the kitchen. This is where the water is. A mistake in waterproofing or pipework does not show on handover day; it shows later.
- Electrics are being redone. New lines, a new consumer unit, sockets moved: the routes get plastered over, and after that their position is known only from the diagram and the photos.
Stages of the work and what is checked
Below is a typical sequence. Not every job needs every visit: the set depends on what you are doing — a re-plan, a full renovation or finishing only.
| Stage | What we look at | Why it matters right now |
|---|---|---|
| Before work starts | Estimate, contract, schedule, how each stage will be accepted | Once the contract is signed the bargaining is over, and without an acceptance procedure there is nothing to argue from |
| Demolition and partitions | Position against the plan, opening sizes, fixing to the slab and the walls | Moving a partition or an opening after finishing means redoing the finishing as well |
| Electrics before plastering | Routes against the diagram, separate circuits, access to junction boxes, photos of the routes with dimensions | After plastering the routes are invisible, and a fix means opening up the walls |
| Plumbing before it is covered | Pressure test with a gauge, fall of the drains, access to joints and valves (inspection hatches) | A leak inside a closed wall is found after the finishing is done |
| Bathroom waterproofing | Turn-up onto the walls, junctions with the floor drain and pipes, flood test | Under the tile a defect cannot be fixed without taking the tile up |
| Screed and plastering | Flatness with a 2 m straightedge, verticals with a level, square corners | Tile, flooring and furniture all depend on a flat base |
| Tiling | Layout, evenness of joints, hollow spots (tap test), fall to the drain | Laid tile can only be corrected by replacing it |
| Finish and handover | A written list of defects, photos, notes on what has been corrected | While the crew is still on site it is easier to fix things than after handover |
The first row of the table is about paper, not about building. The estimate and the contract can be checked before work begins: how to do it yourself is in our article “7 tricks used to inflate an estimate”, and if you would rather hand it over, that is the estimate audit, a separate service. Partitions and routes are easier to check when there is a design: why you need one is covered in a separate article.
Electrics and plumbing: look before they are covered
This is the most important visit. Cable and pipes are invisible once plaster and screed are down, and any rework means opening up finished walls and floors. We check the routes against the diagram, that the lines are split into separate circuits, and that access to junction boxes, joints and valves is kept. We photograph the routes with reference dimensions — from the corner, from the floor: a year later, when you want to hang a shelf, such a picture shows where not to drill.
Water supply is checked with a pressure test: the system is filled, the pressure is raised and a gauge shows whether it holds. The pressure and the hold time depend on the pipes and the system; they are worth agreeing before the test, which is why there are no figures here. For drainage we look at the fall: with a wrong fall the waste backs up, and blockages and smells follow.
Bathroom waterproofing: the flood test
First we look at how the waterproofing is turned up onto the walls and how the junctions with the floor drain and the pipes are made — these are the most vulnerable spots. Then comes the flood test: the floor is filled with water and the water stays for at least a day. After that we look for traces of moisture on the adjoining walls and, if there is access, at the neighbours below. It only makes sense to lay tile after such a test.
Screed, plaster and tile: write the tolerances into the contract
Flatness of screed and walls is checked with a 2 m straightedge, verticals with a level, corners for squareness. The permissible deviation depends on the type of finish and on what you agreed, so there are no figures here — and that is the point of the advice: write the flatness tolerances into the contract before work starts. Then an argument about “flat or not” turns into a measurement. For tile we look at the layout, the evenness of the joints, hollow spots under the tile (by tapping: a hollow spot sounds different) and the fall to the drain.
If you want to check some of the systems yourself, we have a checklist: how to check the engineering systems in an apartment, covering six systems.
What you get after a visit
After a visit you hold a written report, photos and a list of remarks. It is a document you can take to the contractor: a remark with a photo and a location is easier to discuss than “it looks crooked somewhere”. We do not promise that the contractor will agree with everything. We do promise that you will have a record of what was done, and where, at the time of the visit.
What supervision costs and how many visits you need
Prices are in US dollars, paid in lari at the rate on the day of payment.
| Format | Price | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Single visit with a written report | $150 | Checking one specific stage |
| 4 visits a month | from $500 | The active phase of the renovation |
| 8 visits a month | from $850 | A tight schedule or a large site |
How to choose:
- Single visits — if the job is small or you know the contractor. As a rule these are four key points: before the walls are closed (electrics and water), after waterproofing, before tiling, and at handover.
- 4 visits a month — when the renovation is in its active phase and hidden work is being closed one stage after another.
- 8 visits a month — a tight schedule or a large site: several crews work in parallel and things get closed often.
We reply within 15 minutes during working hours. We name the exact price of a package once we see the scope of work and the schedule, start once you have agreed, and from then on the price does not change.
You are a contractor yourselves — how does that fit?
A fair question. The answer is in how the service works: on someone else’s site we work for the client, not for the crew. The report stays with you. The price of a visit is known in advance and does not depend on the number of remarks, so we have no reason to exaggerate or to soften.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need supervision if the contractor is good?
A good contractor is usually not bothered by a check: the report and the photos of the hidden work protect the contractor too if a dispute comes up later. Supervision does not replace trust; it turns “it seems everything was done right” into a recorded fact. If you know the contractor and the job is small, single visits at the key points may be enough.
How many visits does an apartment renovation need?
There is no single number: it depends on the scope and the schedule. As a rule, visits are needed at the key points: before the walls are closed (electrics and water), after waterproofing, before tiling, and at handover. If work is moving fast, a package is more convenient: 4 visits a month (from $500) or 8 (from $850).
Can I bring in supervision when the renovation is already under way?
Yes. We will check what is still visible, and for what is already closed we will look at photos and diagrams, if they have been kept. Work that is closed cannot be checked without opening it up, and we will not pretend otherwise.
How is supervision different from a snagging inspection?
A snagging inspection is a one-off check of the finished apartment. In a new build it is an inspection of the apartment (black, white or green frame) and a written defect list for the developer: 5 ₾/m², minimum 250 ₾. A snagging inspection after renovation is priced per site. Supervision runs alongside the work and checks what will be covered later. More on new builds in our article on snagging a new-build apartment.
How is supervision different from an estimate audit?
An audit works with the paperwork before the start: the estimate, the drawings, the contract. It costs from $4/m² (minimum order $150), takes from 3 working days and can be done entirely remotely. An audit does not assess the quality of work already done — that is what supervision is for. It is convenient to use them one after the other: first the estimate and contract, then visits as the work goes on. For what a good estimate looks like, see the sample renovation estimate; for the audit itself, the audit page.
Site supervision on your project
A single visit with a written report — $150. Four visits a month — from $500, eight — from $850.
Prices and request →