Apartment renovation in Ķengarags - for 103 series five-storey buildings and tall 104 series buildings

Five micro-districts under the 1962 plan

A Riga neighbourhood portal writes that in the 1950s two-storey standard houses for railway workers began to be built in Ķengarags, and multi-storey development began after the 1962 detailed plan. The residential estate consists of five micro-districts, and the five-storey buildings are supplemented by twelve-storey tower buildings; residential areas occupy 42.7% of the neighbourhood. The LV portāls writes that it is mainly 103 and 104 series buildings of five and six floors. Wikipedia mentions 9, 12 or 16 floors for the 104 series and also mentions 316 and 318 series “Khrushchyovka” buildings, 464 and 467 series buildings and Czech-project buildings.

For renovation the most important difference is in the walls. In the 103 series the partition walls are of aerated concrete or expanded clay concrete panels and are not load-bearing, while the external walls are brick. In the 104 series the internal load-bearing walls are reinforced concrete panels, so an opening in them needs an architect, a structural engineer and an explanatory memorandum. In the 467 series practically all the walls are load-bearing. So in neighbouring apartments in one micro-district the replanning options can be quite different.

The 1950s buildings in Ķengarags 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 examines a construction intent.

Maskavas iela, the tram and what to state in the request

Ķengarags is a linear neighbourhood along the Daugava, and it is linked to the centre by Maskavas iela, the tram and the railway. Write the address and the micro-district, for example the nearest large street, and where you can stop to unload by the stairwell. In tower buildings and six-storey buildings mention whether there is a lift and how big it is, because it determines how plasterboard sheets, tiles and mixes get upstairs. If you will live in the apartment during the renovation, write that too.

• series (103, 104, 316, 318, 464, 467) or tower building;
• the floor and whether there is a lift;
• the area in m², the number of rooms and which rooms you will renovate;
• whether the bathroom and toilet are separate;
• whether you will change the risers or radiators;
• whether the apartment will be let or is intended for sale;
• the condition of the bathroom, the kitchen and the distribution board.

103 series: separate bathroom and non-load-bearing partition walls

In a 103 series apartment the bathroom and toilet are separate, and the kitchen is bigger than in “Khrushchyovka” buildings. According to nopo.lv, the typical weak points of this series are the windows, the utilities and heat loss through the floor slabs, but because of the non-load-bearing partition walls there are more options for replanning. If you combine the bathroom and toilet or move a non-load-bearing partition wall, according to the Riga municipality's explanation an architect's plan and a notice in the BIS are needed.

Approval of reconstruction in Ķengarags is handled by the City Development Department of the Riga municipality (formerly the Riga City Building Board), whose Architecture Directorate checks BIS notices. The annex to Riga's Territory Use Regulations has standard loggia glazing solutions for the 103 and 104 series. See 103 series apartment renovation, bathroom in a 103 series building and 104 series apartment renovation in Ķengarags.

“Khrushchyovka” in Ķengarags: small rooms and a combined bathroom

The 316 and 318 series are silicate brick buildings from 1956–1964. According to cityreal.lv, the apartments in them are small, with rooms you walk through and weak soundproofing, and the five-storey buildings have no lift. In the oldest five-storey buildings the bathroom and toilet are often combined. In a small bathroom every choice must be decided before demolition: shower or bath, wall-hung or floor-standing toilet, where the washing machine will go.

Waterproofing is applied to the whole floor and to the walls in the shower area; the manufacturer Ceresit recommends at least two coats of CL 51, and collars are used for the pipes and the drain. If you move the bathroom, check what is below the new place: above the rooms of the apartment below, sanitary rooms are permitted if the requirements for soundproofing, waterproofing, thermal insulation, fire safety, ventilation and safety are met.

If you want to create separate entrances to rooms with a new plasterboard partition wall, before the work find out from the City Development Department of the Riga municipality whether a construction notice is needed. See “Khrushchyovka” renovation in Ķengarags, bathroom in a “Khrushchyovka” and plasterboard partition walls.

An apartment for letting or selling

If you are renovating an apartment for letting, you can choose a durable finish that is easy to refresh: a vinyl or laminate floor, painted walls, simple plumbing. Before selling, a cosmetic renovation may be enough, but if the wiring and pipes are old, it is worth mentioning that to the buyer rather than hiding it under a new finish. The apartment must also have a stand-alone smoke detector, as required by the Fire Safety Regulations currently in force.

If someone previously demolished a wall in the apartment without documents, the owner is responsible for the consequences, and the costs of restoring the previous condition are covered by the owner of the building. So before selling or letting, check that the apartment's plan matches the cadastral survey file. See rental apartment renovation in Ķengarags, renovation before selling and cosmetic renovation.

Renovation prices in Ķengarags

• Full renovation: from €280/m² of apartment area
• Cosmetic renovation: from €100/m² of apartment area
• Vinyl flooring laying: from €10/m²
• Radiator replacement: from €115 per radiator

Prices are for labour; materials are in a separate part of the estimate. Example: a 2-room apartment of 50 m², full renovation: 50 × €280 = from €14,000 (labour). For letting: vinyl floor 40 m² × €10 = from €400. Three radiators: 3 × €115 = from €345; shutting down and refilling the heating system is agreed with the building manager. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment. All prices: renovation prices.