Green Frame Delivery
Green Shell · Green Frame Finish · Mtsvane Karkasi
Definition
Green Frame delivery is an off-plan construction stage in Georgia where a residential property is handed over with structural work, utility rough-ins, plastered walls, floor screed, and central heating pipes completed. Buyers need to perform cosmetic finishing—such as installing floor coverings, tiles, interior doors, wall paint, lighting, and bathroom fixtures—before the apartment is habitable.
In detail
Definition and Scope of Green Frame Delivery
In the Georgian primary residential market, developers sell off-plan properties in distinct finishing stages: Black Frame, White Frame, Green Frame, and Turnkey (or Premium Frame). Green Frame (Georgian: მწვანე კარკასი) represents an advanced semi-finished stage where all essential infrastructural and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) rough-in works are complete.
What is Included in Green Frame?
While the precise scope can vary slightly by developer agreement, a standard Green Frame property typically includes:
- Structural Foundation & Envelope: Reinforced concrete superstructure, exterior masonry walls, insulated facade, double-glazed exterior windows, and a secure entrance door.
- Sub-Flooring: Concrete screed laid across all rooms, levelled and ready for final floor coverings (laminate, parquet, tile).
- Wall Preparation: Interior partition walls erected, plastered, and skim-coated (puttied) ready for final painting or wallpapering.
- Electrical Grid: Wiring routed to all distribution boxes, switch points, and light sockets according to the architectural layout.
- Plumbing & Drainage: Supply lines and drain pipes installed to designated wet points in kitchens and bathrooms.
- HVAC Infrastructure: Embedded piping and collectors for central gas heating or climate control systems.
- Utility Metering: Main connections for electricity, water, gas, and telecommunications brought into the unit.
Advantages of Green Frame for Investors
Purchasing a property in Green Frame status offers several key benefits:
1. Reduced Turnaround Time: Unlike Black Frame units requiring extensive masonry and heavy pipework, a Green Frame unit can be fully finished and furnished within {{data:green_frame_fitout_weeks}} weeks.
2. Cost Control: Buyers retain full control over interior aesthetics, material quality, and fit-out budget without paying developer markups on cosmetic finishes.
3. Reduced Risk: Major structural, electrical, and plumbing rough-ins are executed and guaranteed by the primary developer, limiting the risk of post-handover structural defects.
Green Frame vs. White Frame
While White Frame includes basic masonry walls and window installations, Green Frame adds finished floor screed, complete electrical point wiring, and installed central heating pipes. It eliminates heavy dust-producing construction work inside the apartment, allowing for a cleaner and faster cosmetic fit-out process.
Georgian context
In Georgia, terms like 'Black Frame', 'White Frame', and 'Green Frame' are standard commercial terms rather than strictly codified statutory legal definitions under the Civil Code of Georgia. Consequently, exact deliverables can vary between developers in Tbilisi and Batumi. The advertised prices for primary market residential properties are frequently quoted in USD per square meter based on Green Frame condition. Under Georgian tax law, Value Added Tax (18%) applies to new-build residential sales by developers and is legally included in the advertised purchase price. Real estate investors should ensure that their preliminary purchase-sale contract includes an itemized annex explicitly listing every element of the Green Frame scope to prevent disputes upon physical handover.
Real example
An investor purchases a {{data:apartment_area_sqm}} sqm off-plan apartment in Tbilisi at a Green Frame price of {{data:green_frame_price_sqm}} USD/sqm (inclusive of 18% VAT). Upon handover, the unit features plastered walls, screed floors, double-glazed exterior windows, routed electrical points, and embedded central heating pipes. The investor spends an additional {{data:fitout_cost_sqm}} USD/sqm on cosmetic finishing—installing laminate flooring, bathroom tiles, sanitary ware, interior doors, wall paint, and light fixtures. The fit-out takes 6 weeks, bringing the unit to complete habitability without requiring structural or wet masonry labor.
Common mistakes
- ×Assuming Green Frame includes final heating boilers, radiators, or air conditioning units.
- ×Confusing Green Frame with Turnkey delivery and expecting immediate move-in readiness.
- ×Failing to secure an itemized technical annex in the purchase agreement defining the exact scope of works.
- ×Expecting 18% VAT to be added on top of the developer's advertised Green Frame sales price.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Green Frame apartment ready to live in?
No. A Green Frame property requires cosmetic finishing before occupation. You must install floor coverings, bathroom tiles and sanitary fixtures, interior doors, wall paint, light fixtures, and furniture.
How much does it cost to finish a Green Frame apartment in Georgia?
Cosmetic fit-out costs in Georgia typically range from {{data:fitout_cost_min_sqm}} to {{data:fitout_cost_max_sqm}} USD per square meter, depending on the quality of materials, labor rates, and custom cabinetry selected.
Is VAT added to the developer's Green Frame price?
No. Under Georgian tax legislation, the 18% Value Added Tax on new-build residential properties is always included in the developer's advertised sales price.
What is the difference between Green Frame and White Frame in Georgia?
White Frame usually includes basic walls, windows, and main utility lines entering the unit. Green Frame goes further by adding floor screed, routed electrical wiring to all points, and embedded central heating pipework throughout the apartment.
Does a Green Frame property purchase qualify for Georgian residency?
Yes, provided the total purchase value (or appraisal value upon completion) meets or exceeds the official statutory real estate residency threshold of 150,000 USD.
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