Renovation while living in the apartment - in stages

What changes if people live in the apartment during the renovation

In an empty apartment the work is done over the whole area in one sequence. If people live in the apartment, you have to choose which room is free for the renovation, where to put the furniture and how to use the bathroom and kitchen on the days when work is going on there. So a renovation in stages can take longer.

Not every renovation suits living alongside. A cosmetic renovation, room by room, can usually be done. A full renovation with demolition, new wiring and screed in all rooms, however, means that for a time the apartment has no electricity in some rooms and no usable floor. In that case it is worth considering moving out for the renovation or dividing the stage by parts of the apartment.

How to divide a renovation into stages

1. Work that affects the whole apartment It is better to plan the wiring and pipes for the whole apartment in the first stage, so that already renovated walls do not have to be damaged later.
2. The first room Renovate the room in which the furniture from the next one can later be placed. It becomes the place for living and storage.
3. The other rooms One at a time, moving the furniture into the room that has already been renovated.
4. The kitchen Plan where to cook on the days when the kitchen has no water or electricity.
5. Bathroom and toilet If there is only one bathroom, this is the stage to plan in the most detail, because the materials must be allowed to dry before use.
6. The hallway Usually the last, because materials and rubbish are carried through it throughout the renovation.

The bathroom and material drying

How long a renovation takes depends on the amount of work and the drying time of the materials. In the bathroom this is set by the material manufacturers. For Ceresit CL 51 waterproofing, the manufacturer states that the second coat can be applied after about an hour and tiling can start about 2 hours after the second coat. With Ceresit CM 17 tile adhesive, grouting on a floor can be done after at least 24 hours. The manufacturer of Ceresit CE 40 grout allows water loading after 24 hours, but it reaches full strength after 5 days.

These times apply at normal temperature and humidity, and they add up. So in an apartment with only one bathroom it is worth deciding in advance where to wash during this time. If the toilet is in a separate room, it can be renovated in a different stage from the bathroom.

Dust, furniture and paint

Furniture that cannot be taken out is best stacked in the middle of the room or in another room and covered. In your request, write which rooms will stay occupied and where the furniture will be, and it can then be taken into account in the list of work.

Do not press furniture against a freshly painted wall straight away. For Tikkurila Euro Smart 2 paint, the manufacturer states the second coat after 2 hours, and the paint reaches its final hardness in about a month. For the Ceresit CN 76 floor leveller, the manufacturer allows walking on it after 3 hours, but tiling after 3 days.

Noise and neighbours

If you live in the apartment, the noise affects you too. It is better to tell the neighbours about the renovation in advance. Disturbing a person's peace can be punished with a fine of up to 100 fine units, but the Riga Municipal Police explains that everyday domestic noise is usually not an offence. The apartment owners' association can set house rules, so ask the building manager whether your building has set renovation hours.

Renovation price by stages

The prices per m² are the same as for renovating the whole apartment: cosmetic renovation from €100/m², full renovation from €280/m² of apartment area. If the renovation is done in stages, the estimate can be divided by room to show the sum for each stage. Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate.

The price is affected by the apartment area in m² and the number of rooms, whether it is a cosmetic or a full renovation, the condition of the walls, floors and ceilings, whether the wiring, pipes and risers are changed, and the chosen finish. We agree the price and the list of work before the job starts.