Non-load-bearing wall: what to do
Non-load-bearing internal partitions belong to the apartment, not to common property. Demolishing one to combine rooms is simplified renovation: a functional improvement that does not change the load-bearing structures, the volume or the use.
- Plan Riga municipality explains that an architect with a construction practice certificate prepares a plan of the group of rooms with the changes and an explication with the room heights.
- Notice in BIS Before the work starts, a construction notice is submitted in BIS as simplified renovation.
- Neighbour, if the wall is between apartments If a non-load-bearing wall separates two apartments, the owners of both apartments agree; the consent of the other owners is not needed.
- Cadastral file After the work, the owners update the cadastral survey file.
Sources: Law on Residential Properties, Section 3(2); Cabinet Regulation No. 529, paragraph 1.¹ sub-paragraph 5, paragraphs 7.¹ and 22; Riga municipality explanation on LV portāls, 04.12.2025. Checked 11.11.2026.
Load-bearing wall: an opening or full demolition
Load-bearing walls and columns, walls between apartments and floor slabs are the common property of the apartment owners. Making a new opening (door, window, shaft) in a load-bearing wall, or enlarging an existing one, is simplified reconstruction.
- You need an architect and a structural engineer with a construction practice certificate: the survey, the calculations and the solution for the opening.
- An explanatory memorandum is submitted to the building board, with the structural details of the opening and an assessment of the effect on the strength and stability of the building.
- If the building is divided into apartment properties, the consent of more than half (50% + 1) of the apartment owners is needed, recorded as a general meeting decision or a voting record.
- The work may only start after the building board's mark that the conditions for starting construction work have been met.
For work on load-bearing structures that does not fit the case of an opening, the Building Construction Regulations require a building design in minimum scope and a building permit. If the building is a cultural monument, the solution is also agreed with the National Heritage Board (Nacionālā kultūras mantojuma pārvalde) or the cultural heritage unit of the City Development Department (Pilsētas attīstības departaments).
Sources: Law on Residential Properties, Section 4(1) paragraph 1 and Section 16(3); Cabinet Regulation No. 529, paragraphs 1.¹ 6, 7.² 8, 7.³, 9, 24.4.2, 24.4.3 and 108; Riga municipality explanation on LV portāls, 04.12.2025. Checked 11.11.2026.
How to tell whether a wall is load-bearing
Which walls are load-bearing can be told from the building's design or from a structural engineer's opinion, because it is the engineer who assesses the effect of an opening on the strength of the building.
- Ask the building manager whether the design drawings for the building are available.
- Compare the apartment with the plan in the cadastral survey file to see whether the walls have already been changed.
- If you plan an opening or demolition, a survey by the structural engineer will be needed anyway.
A series description helps you understand what to expect, but the decision on a specific wall is made from the design or the structural engineer's opinion.
Load-bearing walls in the 602 series and other series
The structure differs in series buildings. Publicly available series descriptions give the following, but in a specific apartment it must be checked against the design or the structural engineer's opinion.
| Series | What is written about the walls | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 602 series | the load-bearing walls are expanded clay concrete panels; all internal walls are usually load-bearing | nopo.lv |
| 467 series | load-bearing walls of reinforced concrete large panels, practically all walls are load-bearing | nopo.lv |
| 104 series | external walls of aerated concrete panels, internal load-bearing walls of reinforced concrete panels | varianti.lv |
| 103 series | partitions of aerated concrete or expanded clay concrete panels and non-load-bearing | nopo.lv |
| 464 series | reinforced concrete panels with gypsum concrete partitions | nopo.lv |
| Lithuanian project | concrete panels with gypsum concrete partitions | cityreal.lv |
So in a 602 series apartment, combining rooms usually means an opening in a load-bearing wall, with the whole procedure described above. More on this series: 602 series apartment renovation. Other buildings: renovation by series.
Sources: nopo.lv series comparison, varianti.lv description of the 104 series, cityreal.lv description of the projects. Checked 11.11.2026.
What happens if a wall is demolished without documents
If a building inspector finds unauthorised construction, they stop the work, and the authority decides on restoring the previous condition or on a permit after the requirements are met. The owner covers the costs. For work without an explanatory memorandum, a private individual faces a warning or a fine of up to 400 fine units (up to €2,000). More: replanning without approval.
Source: Construction Law, Sections 18 and 25; Administrative Liability Law (Administratīvās atbildības likums), Section 16. Checked 11.11.2026.
How much wall demolition costs
Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. Demolition of walls, floors and finishes: from €6/m². If a new partition is needed in place of the wall, a plasterboard partition: from €12/m², for example 3 m × 2.6 m = 7.8 m² × €12 = from €93.60. For documents and approvals the price is set in the estimate: whether load-bearing structures are affected, which document is needed and whether a structural engineer's opinion is needed.
For removing construction waste, see buvgruzuizvesanariga.lv. On the work itself: wall demolition.
Sources
- Partition within the apartment; load-bearing walls are common property; association decision checked 11 November 2026
- Simplified renovation and reconstruction, notice, explanatory memorandum, building design checked 11 November 2026
- Riga: architect's plan, consent of both owners, structural engineer, 50% + 1, cadastre, cultural monument checked 11 November 2026
- Consequences and fines for unauthorised construction checked 11 November 2026
- Walls of the 602, 467, 103 and 464 series checked 11 November 2026
- Walls of the 104 series checked 11 November 2026
- Walls of the Lithuanian project checked 11 November 2026
- 1 fine unit = €5 checked 11 November 2026