316 and 318 series apartment renovation

What 316 and 318 series buildings are like

LV portāls writes that 316 series buildings were built in 1957–1964, and the 318 series was started in 1964. Wikipedia gives 2–5 storeys for both series, and some 6-storey buildings are in Grīva and Jugla. The external walls are made of silicate (sand-lime) bricks.

In Riga these buildings are in Jugla, Teika, Purvciems, Āgenskalns, Iļģuciems, Ķengarags and Ziepniekkalns. The property portal cityreal.lv describes apartments in these series as small, with walk-through rooms and weak sound insulation.

The ceiling height, the size of the bathroom and toilet, and the kitchen area depend on the particular apartment. So in your request describe each room and write approximate dimensions; you can send a plan or photos to the specialist when they contact you.

The walk-through room and the walls

If you have to pass through one room to reach another, two ways can be weighed up: separating a corridor with a plasterboard partition wall or moving the door opening. The first does not affect load-bearing walls, but check whether a construction notice is needed; the second may affect a load-bearing wall.

• Non-load-bearing internal partition walls belong to the apartment, and the owner may work on them without the agreement of other owners, if the work does not affect common property (Law on Residential Properties).
• Load-bearing walls and walls between apartments are common property. An opening in a load-bearing wall needs an explanatory memorandum as a simplified reconstruction and the consent of more than half of the apartment owners.
• For removing a non-load-bearing wall, according to the explanation of the Riga municipality, a certified architect prepares a plan, and a construction notice is submitted in the Construction Information System.

Which walls in your apartment are load-bearing is determined from the building documents or a survey by a certified structural engineer. More on walls: wall removal in an apartment.

Balcony, sound and risers

In 2018 the Ministry of Economics assessed the technical condition of the balconies of the 316 and 318 series and published standard solutions. The external structures of balconies are common property, so before balcony renovation ask the building manager what condition the balconies of your building are in.

Sound insulation can be improved inside the apartment, but the wall between apartments is itself common property. The solution is chosen according to where the noise comes from: a neighbour's wall, the ceiling or the stairwell. On this, see the page soundproofing in an apartment.

A riser is common property, so replacing it needs the consent of the apartment owners' association, and the work is organised by the building manager. If pipes are being changed during a full renovation, it is sensible to decide about the riser section at the same time.

Order of renovation in a small apartment

1. List of work What stays and what must be changed: walls, floors, services.
2. Demolition The old finish layers are removed. Old vinyl floor tiles and their adhesive may contain asbestos, which is determined only in a laboratory.
3. Services New electrical wiring is installed with residual current protection under the direction of a certified construction specialist; pipes are changed within the apartment.
4. Walls and floors Plastering, skimming, screed or floor levelling.
5. Finishing Tiles, painting, floor covering, doors and skirting boards.

How long a renovation takes depends on the amount of work and the drying time of the materials.

What to write in the request

• the address and the building series or year of construction;
• the apartment area in m² and the number of rooms;
• a short description of each room;
• whether the building is of the 316 or the 318 series (if you do not know, the address is enough);
• whether you will change the wiring, pipes and riser sections;
• whether you will choose the materials yourself.

Renovation price in a 316 or 318 series apartment

• Cosmetic renovation: from €100/m² of apartment area.
• Full renovation: from €280/m² of apartment area.
• Replacing a riser section in an apartment: from €100 per riser.

Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. An example: a 1-room apartment of 33 m², full renovation: 33 × €280 = from €9,240 (labour).

The price changes with the apartment area in m² and the number of rooms, whether the renovation is cosmetic or full, the condition of the walls, floors and ceilings, whether the wiring, pipes and risers are changed, and the chosen finish. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment. All prices: apartment renovation prices.

What a full renovation includes

For construction waste removal, see buvgruzuizvesanariga.lv.