When building and payments drift apart
Ask in writing for an explanation and a revised timetable. Check with your lawyer what the contract says about delay before you withhold a payment. Our guide to construction delays sets out the next steps.
Monitoring construction from abroad. Pay only for visible progress.
In short
If you pay for a Georgian new build in instalments from abroad, tie each payment to a stage that can be verified and have that stage evidenced before you pay. Dated photos and videos from the developer, the permit documents and visits by an independent engineer or a local property manager serve this purpose. If construction and payments drift apart, ask your lawyer what the contract allows before you withhold anything.
The four stepsOur guide to payment plans explains how they are structured. This one is about policing them while the building goes up.
Developer payment plansProcess
From contract to final instalment.
Monitoring starts before you sign. What the contract does not make verifiable is hard to verify later.
- 1
Tie instalments to stages
Link each payment to a stage you can see: the frame up to a given floor, the roof, the facade, windows, service connections. A date on its own says nothing about how far the building has got.
- 2
Agree on reports
Have the contract require dated photos and videos before each instalment falls due, showing your floor and the whole building. Ask for shots with recognisable landmarks.
- 3
Keep an eye on the permit
See the building permit at the outset, and with any major change, such as extra floors, ask for the approved version. The permit names the authority that issued it. The final step is the commissioning of the building.
- 4
Get independent checks
Before major instalments, hire an independent structural engineer or a local property manager to inspect and document progress in writing. Choose someone with no ties to the developer.
Keep a record
Store reports, photos, payment receipts and emails with their dates in one place. In a dispute, what counts is what you can prove.
Tools
How to follow the build.
The developer's photos alone are not enough. The larger the instalment, the more independent the evidence should be.
Photo and video reports
Regular and free, but selected by the developer. Check the date, your floor and shots of the whole building, not just flattering details.
Video call from site
A live walk-round with the site manager leaves less room for selection than photos. Ask to be shown specific places, such as your flat or the roof.
Permit documents
They show what may be built. Compare the number of floors and the floor area with the project, and ask for the approved amendment if anything differs.
Registry extract
It shows ownership of the land and any charges on it. A new entry during construction, such as a mortgage, is worth a question to the developer.
Independent engineer
Inspects progress on site and spots defects that photos do not show. Ask for a written report with photographs.
Property manager or trusted contact
A management company you plan to hire anyway can call in during construction. Agree in advance what it checks and what it does not.
State building control
The competent authorities check whether a building complies with its permit and with construction rules, and sign off the finished building. That oversight is about safety. It does not check whether the developer is keeping to your payment plan.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about construction progress.
Remote checks, stage payments, engineers, delay and access to the site.
How do I monitor off-plan construction progress in Georgia from abroad?
From abroad you follow the build through dated photos and videos from the developer, video calls from the site and the permit documents. Before major instalments, have an independent engineer check progress on site.
Can I tie instalments to construction stages?
Yes, if the developer agrees. Set out a visible construction stage for each instalment in the contract. Not every developer offers this, so ask before you reserve.
Who can check the building independently?
A structural engineer or surveyor with no link to the developer, often found through your lawyer or a local property manager. Ask for their qualifications and a written report.
What should I do if construction falls behind the payment plan?
Ask the developer in writing, collect evidence and check with a lawyer what the contract provides for delay. Do not withhold payments without legal advice, or you may end up in breach yourself.
Does the developer have to let me on site?
Your contract decides. Agree a right of inspection for yourself or someone you appoint, by appointment and with safety equipment.
Last reviewed on 2 November 2026. Sources: Civil Code of Georgia (matsne.gov.ge): contracts of sale and contracts for work, Government Resolution No. 255 of 31 May 2019 on issuing building permits and commissioning buildings (matsne.gov.ge), National Agency of Public Registry (napr.gov.ge): registry extracts. This guide is not legal or tax advice.
Read next
From payment plan to property management.
How payment plans are structured, what to do about delays and who looks after the flat on the ground.
Write the checks into the contract.
The more precisely stages, reports and access are agreed, the easier it is to follow the build from home.