Apartment renovation in Bišumuiža - for detached houses and a few apartment buildings

29% residential development between industry and allotment gardens

According to Riga's territorial plan, residential and detached-house development areas in Bišumuiža together take up 29%. The areas around the Bišumuiža ditch are mostly used as family allotment gardens, and the neighbourhood also has industrial and warehouse sites. The residential part is detached houses, low-rise buildings and a few apartment buildings.

In a mixed-development area, demand varies: from renovating apartments in apartment buildings to the interior finishing of private houses and new builds. An apartment and a detached house differ not only in the list of work but also in what has to be approved. In an apartment, risers, load-bearing walls and floor slabs are common property. In a detached house the owner decides on the whole building, but is also responsible for everything, from the roof to the sewage.

In Riga, for buildings older than 50 years that are not state-protected, in examining a construction intention the City Development Department may determine the cultural and historical value and the permitted action. More: private house renovation.

Bauskas iela, the Southern Bridge and what the request should contain

Bišumuiža is linked with the city by Bauskas iela, and the Southern Bridge (Dienvidu tilts) is close. Residential streets alternate with industrial areas, so in the request write the exact address.

• an apartment in an apartment building or a detached house; the year of the house, if you know it
• the floor, the lift and the area in m²
• which rooms to renovate
• whether the wiring, the distribution board, pipes or riser will be changed
• whether you will live in the home during the renovation
• the condition of the rooms and the distribution board

Electrical wiring in an older house

In many homes the electrical wiring was installed in Soviet times, and the wires are 30–50 years old. The Fire Safety Regulations currently in force provide for an inspection of the electrical wiring every 10 years, and the result is recorded in a report. If the inspection report or the wires themselves show that the installation must be replaced, it is done before the wall finishing.

Since 01.07.2025, when electrical wiring in an existing building is rebuilt, it must be fitted with residual current protection. The installation is carried out under the direction of a certified construction specialist, and certified specialists can be checked in the BIS register of construction specialists. In an apartment, the owner is responsible for their own electrical equipment and installation, but the common property's electricity supply is part of managing the building. See rewiring in Bišumuiža and old electrical wiring in an apartment.

A riser in an apartment building and the building manager

If your apartment is in one of the apartment buildings in Bišumuiža, a bathroom renovation may be connected with the riser. The riser is common property. The manager who has been tasked with its maintenance is responsible for carrying out the work, and replacing a riser section in an apartment affects common property, so the association's consent is needed. Each owner covers management costs according to their share, on the basis of an association decision.

A hatch is left by the riser, because the owner must allow the manager's specialists access to the building's utilities. See riser replacement in Bišumuiža and who pays for risers.

A bathroom after changing the wiring and riser

Once the wiring and riser have been replaced, the logical next step is the bathroom, because the walls and floor are already open. In the wet zone, waterproofing is applied before tiling: for example, the manufacturer of Ceresit CL 51 recommends at least two coats, so that the dry layer is 0.5 mm, tape in the joints, and collars for pipes and drains. The base must be dry, stable and clean, and crumbling surfaces are primed.

In a detached house the bathroom can be enlarged or moved, because there are no neighbours below it. In an apartment building, a wet room above the rooms of the apartment below is permitted only if the requirements for soundproofing, waterproofing, thermal insulation, fire safety, ventilation and safety are met. Waterproofing in a bathroom: from €6/m². See bathroom renovation in Bišumuiža and waterproofing in a bathroom.

Demolition and noise: what the rules say

Demolition and drilling are the noisiest part of a renovation. Riga's and the state's regulations set no specific renovation hours. For disturbing a person's peace, a warning or a fine of up to 100 fine units, that is, up to €500, may be applied, but the Riga Municipal Police explain that everyday household noise is usually not an offence. The police do not measure noise levels in residential premises; if the noise is disturbing now, it is checked on site.

In an apartment building the association may set house rules, so ask the manager whether the building has renovation hours. See renovation hours.

Prices for apartments and houses in Bišumuiža

Rewiring in an apartment: from €20/m² of apartment area. Socket, switch or light point: from €12 per point. Replacing a riser section in an apartment: from €100 per riser. Full renovation: from €280/m² of apartment area. Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate.

Example for a 50 m² apartment: rewiring 50 × €20 = from €1,000 and 20 points × €12 = from €240, in total from €1,240 (labour). If a full renovation is done in the same apartment, 50 × €280 = from €14,000 (labour). An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.