It is chosen when the ceiling is very uneven, when wiring has to be hidden or when light fittings are to be recessed. In Riga and the Riga region, a plasterboard or suspended ceiling costs from €15/m².
When a suspended ceiling is chosen
A suspended ceiling is an alternative to levelling the ceiling with filler, if the ceiling height allows it to be lowered. It allows recessed light fittings and hides wiring or ventilation ducts. In Soviet-era buildings the ceiling height is generally around 2.5 m, so measure your room before choosing.
If the ceiling is only slightly uneven and nothing has to be hidden, ceiling skimming may be enough; see wall skimming. Compare other solutions on the page stretch ceilings. If the ceiling needs repair after flooding from above, see renovation after flooding.
Ceilings, common property and ventilation
The ceiling finish belongs to the apartment, but the floor slab with its heat and sound insulation is the common property of the apartment owners. The frame is fixed to the slab, but the slab itself is not rebuilt; if the work would affect common property, the consent of the apartment owners' association is needed.
Kitchens, toilets and bathrooms in residential buildings are ventilated through natural extract ducts, so the ventilation grille must stay open under the new ceiling as well. A natural ventilation duct must not be used to discharge flue gases. If a kitchen has a gas hob and no constant air exchange, a mechanical ventilation unit must not be connected to the natural ventilation duct.
Law on Residential Properties, Sections 3, 4 and 11; LBN 231-15 (heating and ventilation), paragraph 90.²; Fire Safety Regulations (Cabinet Regulation No. 238) currently in force, sub-paragraphs 89.9 and 89.10; ceiling height: nopo.lv. Checked 11.11.2026.
Ceiling repair: cracks and stains
If the ceiling has cracks, find out before installing a suspended ceiling whether they are only in the finish. Cracks that keep growing, or damp stains, can point to a problem that a new ceiling would only hide; read about this in the article on cracks in walls and ceilings.
If the ceiling was damaged by water from the apartment above, first record the damage in photographs and ask the building manager in writing to inspect it. Keep the repair estimate and the invoices, because they may be needed for compensation of losses.
LV portāls, explanation about a flooded apartment, 01.04.2025. Checked 11.11.2026.
Ceiling frame and boarding (plasterboard ceiling)
- Marking the height The new ceiling level is marked on all the walls.
- Frame Edge profiles are fixed to the walls, and hangers and main profiles to the floor slab.
- Wiring and light fittings The wiring and the positions of the light fittings are planned before boarding.
- Boarding The frame is covered with plasterboard sheets.
- Joints and skimming The joints are reinforced and skimmed, and then the surface is sanded.
- Painting The ceiling is primed and painted.
What to decide before the request
- the ceiling height after the work;
- the number and positions of light fittings;
- whether the ceiling will have a hatch for access to fittings;
- whether the ceiling will be on one level;
- whether you will choose the materials yourself.
In the form, write the address, the room dimensions and the existing ceiling height.
How much a suspended ceiling costs
Plasterboard or suspended ceiling: from €15/m². Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate.
Example: a room of 15 m². Ceiling 15 × €15 = from €225, skimming 15 × €10 = €150 and painting 15 × €4 = €60, in total from €435 (labour). Four light fittings as lighting points: 4 × €12 = from €48.
The price depends on the room area, the number of ceiling levels, the number of light fittings and the condition of the ceiling. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.
What the ceiling price includes
What this work includes
- frame installation and boarding with plasterboard, priced per m² of ceiling.
What is calculated separately
- skimming of joints and surface (from €10/m²) and painting (from €4/m²);
- connecting light fittings (from €12 per point);
- light fittings, profiles and boards;
- demolition of the old ceiling finish.
Sources
- Parts of the apartment and common property; work without consent if it does not affect common property; association's consent (Law on Residential Properties, Sections 3, 4, 11) checked 11 November 2026
- Kitchens, toilets, bathrooms and showers are ventilated through natural extract ducts (LBN 231-15, paragraph 90.²) checked 11 November 2026
- A natural ventilation duct must not be used for flue gases; a mechanical unit at the duct is prohibited if the room has a gas appliance without constant air exchange (Cabinet Regulation No. 238, 89.9, 89.10) checked 11 November 2026
- Wall materials and load-bearing walls of the series; in Soviet-era buildings the ceiling height is generally around 2.5 m checked 11 November 2026
- After flooding: record the damage, ask the building manager in writing to inspect it, keep estimates and invoices checked 11 November 2026