Renovation and finishing in Torņakalns - for wooden tenement houses, detached houses and new projects

Workers' tenement houses, family buildings and ornate detached houses

Most of the houses seen in Torņakalns were built after the fire of 1812: by 1819 about 1,000 low-rise wooden detached houses had been built on the left bank of the Daugava. Later, low-rise family buildings, workers' tenement houses and, in places, ornate detached houses took shape. Next to the historic development there are university complexes and new projects, such as Hartmaņa kvartāls at Jelgavas iela 51, so renovations on a single street can differ completely.

In old wooden and pre-war masonry buildings the typical work is restoring floors, walls and wiring, because the buildings are old and the floors between storeys can be wooden. Pre-war masonry buildings have high ceilings and non-standard windows, and without reconstruction they have no lift. High ceilings mean more square metres of wall to paint and skim, so in the request also write the ceiling height, if you know it.

In the new projects the situation is the other way round: the structures and utilities are new, and the work is finishing. Read more about these buildings in wooden house apartment renovation and pre-war building apartment renovation.

Vienības gatve, Jelgavas iela and what the request should contain

Torņakalns is reached along Vienības gatve, Jelgavas iela and from the Akmens Bridge side. The railway, the Mārupīte and construction work in large development areas affect access, so in the request write which street the entrance is from and whether a vehicle can stop by the building.

To bring the estimate closer to reality, describe in the form:

• the type of building: a wooden tenement house, a masonry building, a detached house or a new project, and, if you know it, the year of construction
• the floor and whether there is a lift
• the area in m² and which rooms you will renovate
• in a new build: what has already been done (screed, plaster, wiring) and whether the apartment was handed over in a grey or a white finish
• in an old building: whether you will change the wiring, pipes or risers
• the condition of the floors, walls and bathroom

In a wooden tenement house: floors, walls and the age of the building

In a wooden building the floor can be boards, or laid on a timber floor structure. If the boards are sound, they can be restored rather than covering them with a pour; if the floor has to be levelled under tiles or laminate, you first need to know what the floor structure can bear. The page wooden floor restoration in Torņakalns helps you make this choice.

The north-eastern part of Torņakalns, Mūkusala, the blocks between Raņķa dambis, Jelgavas iela, Bieķensalas iela, Mūkusalas iela and Kuģu iela, lies within the protection zone of the historic centre of Riga. There, in a renovation, valuable buildings must keep their volume, roof shape, facade finish and original windows and doors, so for a window replacement in such a building start with a question to the City Development Department, not with a window order. The Bloka muižiņa ensemble at Vienības gatve 27 is an architectural monument of national importance, and in its protection zone work that changes the environment needs the permission of the National Heritage Board.

For buildings elsewhere in Torņakalns that are older than 50 years, the City Development Department can determine a cultural and historical value when reviewing the construction intention. An owner may replace windows, as external structures, at his or her own expense, in agreement with the building manager; the association can decide that its consent is needed too.

A new project: from the grey finish to living in the home

In Hartmaņa kvartāls at Jelgavas iela 51, the first six-storey building with 72 apartments was handed over in 2026, and eight buildings with 430 apartments are planned by 2031. If an apartment in a new project is handed over in a grey finish, the walls, floors, bathroom and interior doors have to be completed. In a new build the main question is moisture: the manufacturer (Ceresit CM 17) requires the cement screed and plaster under tiles to be at least 28 days old and the moisture to be below 4%. Under laminate, Quick-Step states a base moisture below 2.5% (CM).

For interior work that does not include renovation, reconstruction or demolition (painting, wallpaper, a floor covering), no documents are needed. If you want to move partition walls, that is a different job with its own procedure. For choosing between a grey and a white finish and for the list of work, see new-build apartment fit-out in Torņakalns and grey or white finish.

A bathroom and wiring in a workers' tenement house

In an old tenement house the layout of the bathroom and the pipes in one apartment can differ from the neighbour's apartment. Check in your apartment where the riser runs and whether it can be reached. The riser is the common property of the apartment owners, so replacing it during a bathroom renovation needs a decision of the apartment owners' association, and the work is organised by the building manager. The base for waterproofing must be dry, sound and stable; on a wooden floor this is ensured first.

Under the Fire Safety Regulations currently in force, the wiring is checked once every 10 years. If in an old building the wiring is replaced completely, a reconstructed installation has had to be fitted with residual current protection since 01.07.2025. In the request, write whether you will change only the bathroom or also the wiring throughout the apartment. See riser replacement in Torņakalns and risers: who pays.

How much a renovation costs in Torņakalns

• Cosmetic renovation: from €100/m² of apartment area
• Full renovation: from €280/m² of apartment area
• Parquet sanding and varnishing: from €23/m²
• Laying laminate: from €6.50/m²

Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. The price for restoring a wooden floor is by estimate, because it is determined by the condition of the boards and the area. An example for a new build: laminate in an 18 m² room: 18 × €6.50 = from €117 (labour, excluding levelling the base and skirting boards). In an old building the total changes more with whether wiring and pipes are changed. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.

Work in Torņakalns

Work pages: cosmetic renovation in Torņakalns, full renovation in Torņakalns, parquet sanding in Torņakalns, bathroom renovation in Torņakalns and rewiring in Torņakalns.