Bathroom renovation in a Lithuanian project building

The Lithuanian project, or the 464 series

In Riga, the 464 series buildings are called the Lithuanian project. They were built from the early 1960s, the improved version from 1966, in five storeys. The walls are grey reinforced concrete panels, and the partitions are gypsum-concrete. Such buildings are found in Iļģuciems, Purvciems, Āgenskalns, Imanta, Dzirciems, Bolderāja, Ķengarags, Jugla and elsewhere.

A Ministry of Economics study of 13 buildings handed over from 1964 to 1978 found the buildings of this series safe for continued use. The size and layout of the bathroom depend on the particular apartment, so write the dimensions in the request.

What to check in your apartment before the renovation

• Whether the bath and the toilet are in one room or separate.
• What condition the risers are in and whether the building plans to replace them; ask the building manager.
• Whether the ventilation duct draws, especially on the ground floor, because nopo.lv mentions poor ventilation on the lower floors.
• Whether there are old traces of leaks on the ceiling or by the floor.
• What the electrical wiring is like and whether the bathroom has a socket.

Gypsum-concrete partitions and waterproofing

A gypsum-concrete partition in a wet room needs careful preparation. For Ceresit CL 51 waterproofing, the manufacturer requires the base to be dry, load-bearing, stable and clean, and crumbling surfaces are primed first. For gypsum bases the moisture limit is low: no more than 1.0% for gypsum plasters, and no more than 0.5% for anhydrite and gypsum levelling compounds.

Waterproofing is applied in at least two coats so that the dry layer is 0.5 mm, tape is applied in corners and joints, and collars around pipes. More on this work on the page waterproofing in a bathroom.

Panel walls and enlarging the room

The housing website nopo.lv writes that the panel walls of the 464 series are hard to replan. If you want to enlarge the bathroom, first find out which wall is load-bearing: this can only be said from the building's design or a structural engineer's opinion. An opening in a load-bearing wall needs an explanatory memorandum with the structural solution of the opening and an assessment of the effect on the strength of the building, and, if the building is divided into apartment properties, the consent of more than half of the apartment owners.

Space can also be gained within the layout: a shower with a drain instead of a bath, a wall-hung sink, shelves in niches. On small rooms, see the page small bathroom renovation.

Risers and electrics

The riser is common property, so replacing a section of riser in an apartment needs the association's consent, and the work is organised by the building manager. If it is replaced for the whole building, the decision is taken by the association, and the costs are usually covered by each owner according to their share of the common property. If the building will replace the risers, it is better to tile the bathroom afterwards, otherwise the finish around the riser will have to be opened. Leave a hatch by the risers.

If old wires are replaced, the new installation needs residual current protection, and it is installed under the supervision of a certified construction specialist. More on the page replacing electrical wiring.

How much a bathroom renovation in a Lithuanian project building costs

Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. The whole bathroom renovation costs from €3,000. If you also replace a section of riser in the apartment, add from €100 per riser, and for a new socket from €12 per point.

The price is affected by the room size, the condition of the walls after demolition, whether the electrical wiring, pipes and risers are changed, and the chosen finish. All prices are on the page prices.

What the price includes