Renovation after a fire in an apartment

What makes renovation after a fire different

After flooding the main issue is damp; after a fire the main issue is what is damaged and who is responsible for it. Smoke and soot can settle in all rooms, including those the fire did not reach. Heat can damage wiring in walls and ceilings even if the surface looks intact. So the full extent of the damage is often visible only after the damaged finish is removed.

Before the renovation, photograph all the rooms and keep the documents. Everyone must compensate for the losses they caused by their action or inaction, and an apartment owner is responsible for losses caused to others. If the fire started in another apartment or your home is insured, the photos, the estimate and the invoices are part of the evidence.

What is your apartment and what is the building's common property

The finish, non-load-bearing partition walls, doors and utility lines up to the risers are part of the apartment. External walls, windows in the external structures, load-bearing walls, walls between apartments, floor slabs and the building's utilities are common property. If they are damaged, contact the building manager: inspection of the building, maintenance and routine repair are mandatory management activities.

If worn load-bearing elements have to be replaced or improved without changing the volume and load-bearing capacity, that is renovation, and it usually needs an explanatory memorandum. Work with an explanatory memorandum may start only after the building board's note that the conditions for starting construction work have been met. Which documents are needed in a particular case is assessed by a construction specialist. Windows in the external structures may be replaced by the owner at their own expense in agreement with the building manager.

Electrical wiring, ventilation and smoke detector

If fire or heat affected the wiring, ask for the wiring to be inspected before the finishing. Installation of electrical wiring is directed by a construction specialist and the checks are carried out by an electrical specialist; they can be verified in the register of construction specialists in BIS. If the wiring is rebuilt, it must be fitted with residual current protection. For the work, see electrical wiring replacement.

Natural ventilation ducts are cleaned and checked at least every five years in rooms with gas appliances and at least every 10 years in other rooms; after smoke, ask the building manager about checking the ducts. The Fire Safety Regulations currently in force require an autonomous smoke detector on each floor of an apartment; after the renovation check that it is in place at the ceiling and working.

Renovation after a fire in the usual order

1. Photos and documents All rooms, including those where only smoke settled.
2. Removing damaged belongings and finish Burnt furniture, finish, floor covering. For removal of construction waste, see buvgruzuizvesanariga.lv.
3. Demolition down to a sound base Burnt wallpaper, plasterboard ceilings and partitions, damaged plaster. See demolition.
4. Assessing structures and wiring Common property structures with the building manager, wiring with an electrical specialist.
5. Utilities and bases New wiring if needed, plastering, plasterboard ceilings or partitions.
6. Finishing Priming, skimming, painting, floor covering, doors.

What the apartment owner decides

• Whether to renovate only the damaged rooms or the whole apartment at once.
• Whether, if the wiring has to be replaced anyway, to carry out a full renovation.
• Whether you will choose the materials yourself; write that in the request.
• Whether the estimate is also needed for claiming compensation; write that in the request.

How much does renovation after a fire cost?

Renovation after a fire is by estimate. Estimate lines: demolition of walls, floors and finishes from €6/m², wall plastering from €8/m², skimming walls or ceilings from €10/m², painting walls or ceilings from €4/m², plasterboard or suspended ceilings from €15/m², electrical wiring replacement in an apartment from €20/m² of apartment area. If the whole apartment has to be renovated, a full renovation: from €280/m² of apartment area. Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate.

Example: a 1-room apartment of 33 m², full renovation: 33 × €280 = from €9,240 (labour).

The price is affected by the number and area of the damaged rooms, the condition of the walls, floors and ceilings, whether the wiring is replaced, and the chosen finish. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment. All prices: prices.

What this work includes