Lithuanian project apartment renovation

What the Lithuanian project is

In Riga, 464 series buildings are called the “Lithuanian project”. Wikipedia writes that the series was built from the early 1960s, and an improved version from 1966. The Ministry of Economics study assessed 13 buildings of this series commissioned in 1964–1978.

The buildings are 5 storeys, made of grey concrete panels with gypsum-concrete partition walls. In Riga they are in Iļģuciems, Purvciems, Āgenskalns, Imanta, Dzirciems, Bolderāja, Ziepniekkalns, Ķengarags, Jugla, Mežciems and elsewhere.

Listings use the terms “old” and “new Lithuanian project”. For a renovation, more important than the name is the plan of the particular apartment: the ceiling height and the size of the bathroom and toilet, and of the kitchen, depend on the particular apartment.

What may be worn in these buildings

The housing site nopo.lv mentions as typical 464 series problems waterproofing, worn risers and electrical wiring, poor ventilation on the lower floors, and the fact that panel walls are hard to replan. The Ministry of Economics study of 2020 found the inspected buildings safe for continued use; for buildings of the later type, the roof U-shaped panel may have insufficient bearing depth.

• A riser is common property, so replacing it needs a decision of the apartment owners' association, and the work is organised by the building manager. Access is left at the risers, for example a hatch, because the owner must allow the building manager's specialists to inspect the building's services.
• Old wiring: in many homes the electrical wiring was installed in Soviet times, and the Fire Safety Regulations currently in force require it to be tested every 10 years.
• Ventilation: kitchens, toilets and bathrooms in residential buildings are ventilated through natural extraction ducts. If a room has a gas cooker, a mechanical ventilation unit must not be connected to the natural ventilation duct unless there is constant air exchange.

Lithuanian project 3-room layout and replanning

If in a three-room apartment you want to combine the kitchen with a room or move a door, gypsum-concrete partitions and panel walls must be told apart: load-bearing walls are common property, and an opening in them needs an explanatory memorandum, an architect, a structural engineer and, if the building is divided into apartment properties, the consent of more than half of the apartment owners.

Which wall is load-bearing is determined from the building documents or by a structural engineer's survey. In your request, write what you want to change; you can send a plan or photos to the specialist when they contact you. On the kitchen, read the page combining a kitchen with a room.

Order of work

1. List of work What you are changing: walls, floors, pipes, electrical wiring.
2. Demolition Removing the old finish; old vinyl floor tiles and adhesive may contain asbestos, and it is determined in a laboratory.
3. Risers, pipes, electricity Replacing a riser section needs the association's decision, and the work is organised by the building manager; electrical wiring is installed with residual current protection.
4. Bathroom Waterproofing before tiling: the manufacturer Ceresit CL 51 recommends at least two coats, and waterproofing tape in the joints.
5. Walls, floors, finishing Plastering or skimming, floor levelling, painting and the floor covering.

On the bathroom in this series: bathroom renovation in a Lithuanian project.

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;
• what rooms the apartment has and what condition they are in;
• which floor the apartment is on (on the ground floor, pay attention to ventilation and moisture);
• whether you will change the wiring, pipes and riser sections;
• whether you will choose the materials yourself.

Renovation price in a Lithuanian project 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.
• Replacing electrical wiring in an apartment: from €20/m² of apartment area.

Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. An example: a 2-room apartment of 50 m², cosmetic renovation: 50 × €100 = from €5,000 (labour); the same apartment, full renovation: 50 × €280 = from €14,000 (labour).

The price changes with the area and the number of rooms, the type of renovation, 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.

What a full renovation includes