Renovation and finishing in Grīziņkalns - for pre-war masonry and wooden rental buildings

Buildings from the end of the 19th century: what that means for renovation

The Riga neighbourhoods portal (apkaimes.lv) writes that the development of Vārnu iela, Valmieras iela and Vagonu iela began at the turn of the 1870s and 80s, but rapid development started after the Mīlgrāvis railway opened in 1892. According to the Riga neighbourhoods portal, residential areas occupy 18.3% of the neighbourhood and mixed-use areas 30.9%, so an apartment can be in the same building as a shop or a workshop.

In a pre-war masonry building, according to apollo.lv, the floors are mostly timber, ceilings are high, windows are non-standard, and without reconstruction there is no lift. This changes the order of renovation: before a new floor you must see the condition of the timber floor structure and the floorboards; high walls mean a larger area to paint and skim than in a panel apartment of the same floor area. In a wooden rental building the same applies to the walls.

Pre-war and 19th-century buildings are older than 50 years. In Riga, for such buildings that are not state-protected, the City Development Department can determine the cultural and historical value and the permitted actions when it considers a proposal. If the building is a cultural monument, the solution is agreed with the National Heritage Board or with the department's cultural heritage unit.

Čaka iela, Pērnavas iela, courtyards and paid parking

Grīziņkalns is crossed by Aleksandra Čaka iela and Pērnavas iela, and the neighbourhood is well reached by public transport from the centre. The courtyards are dense and parking is restricted. Grīziņkalns has Riga's paid parking zone C, in some streets zone D, and since 20.04.2026 there are more paid parking streets. So in the request write whether materials can be unloaded in the courtyard or only at the kerb. If the apartment is in a courtyard building, also write through which gates it is reached and whether they are locked.

• masonry or wooden building, a building on the street or a courtyard building;
• the floor and whether there is a lift;
• the area in m² and the approximate ceiling height;
• type of floor: boards, parquet, linoleum over boards;
• whether the apartment still has a stove and whether you will keep it;
• the condition of each room, the floor and the electrical distribution board.

Pre-war masonry building: high ceilings, wiring and windows

LV portāls explains that in many homes the electrical wiring was built in the Soviet period and the wires are 30–50 years old. Before the finish in an old masonry building the installation is inspected, especially if you plan an electric hob, an oven or underfloor heating in the apartment; the Fire Safety Regulations currently in force provide for an inspection once every 10 years. If the installation is reconstructed, it must be fitted with residual current protection.

Windows are an external structure of the building. The owner may restore or replace them at their own expense, in agreement with the building manager, and no documents are needed if the existing window division, proportions and frame colour are kept. See pre-war building apartment renovation and electrical wiring replacement in Grīziņkalns.

Wooden rental building: floors and walls

In a wooden building the floorboards or parquet can be restored rather than replaced: sanded, repaired and varnished. If there are several layers of linoleum over the boards, they are removed first and the wood is examined. The example of a Riga wooden apartment building on Kuldīgas iela shows that in the building's overall restoration the windows, doors and facade boarding were changed and the water supply and sewerage repaired, while the finishing elements were kept.

For the renovation of a single apartment this means: the facade, roof and windows are common property, but the owner may renovate the floor and wall finish in their own apartment without the agreement of other owners, as far as the work does not affect common property. To demolish a non-load-bearing wall, according to Riga municipality's explanation, a plan by a certified architect and a construction notice in the BIS are needed; they are considered by Riga municipality's City Development Department (formerly the Riga City Building Board). See wooden house apartment renovation, timber floor restoration in Grīziņkalns and parquet sanding.

Workshop, café or shop on the ground floor

Creative businesses, retail, catering and services operate in Grīziņkalns. The renovation of such premises starts with the same things as in an apartment: floors, walls, wiring. If the use of the premises changes, for example from an apartment to a café, it is no longer simplified renovation, and you check with the department which documents are needed. For premises intended for visitors, the number of bathrooms needed and the ventilation are planned before the finish, because afterwards pipes and ventilation ducts cannot be moved without opening the finish. If the premises are on the ground floor of the building above a cellar, write that too.

In the request, write what the premises will hold, how many m² and whether new bathrooms are needed. See renovation of premises for businesses and café renovation in Grīziņkalns.

Prices for an old building in Grīziņkalns

• Cosmetic renovation: from €100/m² of apartment area
• Parquet sanding and varnishing: from €23/m²
• Skimming walls or ceilings: from €10/m²
• Electrical wiring replacement in an apartment: from €20/m² of apartment area

Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. In a pre-war building with high ceilings the wall area is larger, so skimming and painting are calculated by wall m², not floor. Example: a 15 m² room with 40 m² of walls: skimming 40 × €10 = €400 + painting 40 × €4 = €160 → from €560. If the apartment is 45 m² and you will replace all the wiring: 45 × €20 = from €900, sockets and switches separately. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment. All prices: renovation prices.