Apartment and house renovation in Bukulti - for detached houses and garden houses

Detached houses in the north, family garden plots in the south

A neighbourhood portal describes Bukulti as a neighbourhood in two parts: the northern part has individual detached houses, while the south-western and southern parts are mostly family garden plot areas. Between them is newer low-rise housing. So renovation in Bukulti can be of two kinds: renovating a permanent home, and a small garden or summer cottage that the owner wants to adapt for longer stays.

In a detached house the work can be interior renovation, fitting bathrooms and kitchens, and reconstructing or extending the living area. In a garden cottage the starting point is different: you need to find out whether there is water, sewerage and enough electrical capacity, because without them there is nowhere to connect a bathroom.

In Riga, for buildings older than 50 years that are not state-protected, the City Development Department can determine the cultural and historical value and the permitted actions when it considers a construction proposal. This becomes important when an old house is reconstructed or extended.

Jaunciema gatve and what to put in the request

Access to Bukulti is determined by Jaunciema gatve and the connections to Brīvības gatve. The street network is sparser, and near water and woodland some houses are on local roads, so write the exact address in the request.

• detached house, terraced house or garden house; the year it was built, if you know it
• whether people live in the house all year round
• water, sewerage and heating: what there is and what there is not
• area in m², number of floors and which rooms to renovate
• whether you plan an extension, an attic conversion or a new bathroom
• the condition of the rooms and of the outside of the house

A garden house as a year-round home

If a garden or summer house is reconstructed for year-round living, more than the finish changes. Under the Building Construction Regulations, simplified renovation means improvements that do not change the load-bearing structures, the volume or the use of the building. If the use or the volume of the building changes, it is no longer simplified work, and a designer can recommend the most suitable type of proposal. Approval of the reconstruction in Bukulti is handled by the Riga municipality's City Development Department (until 1 September 2021 the former Riga City Building Board), and the documents are submitted in the BIS.

The usual order of interior work is: utilities, floor base, wall and ceiling lining, bathroom, finish. Internal insulation and lining depend on the wall structure. See summer house renovation in Bukulti, private house renovation and internal wall insulation.

Bathroom: bath, shower and toilet

In a detached house the bathroom is chosen to suit the family: a bath, a shower with a floor drain, or both. Replacing a bath or fitting a new one, and fitting a toilet during renovation, are separate items in the estimate, while waterproofing and tiles are the foundation. In corners, at the floor and around the plumbing fixtures, the joints are filled with silicone, not grout, says the tile adhesive manufacturer Ceresit.

If you only need to replace a tap or repair a cistern, that is a plumber's job, see santehnikisriga.lv. For the whole renovation see bathroom renovation in Bukulti and toilet renovation.

Electricity in a small house: capacity and safety

If a garden house has so far been used only in summer, its electrical wiring may not be designed for a winter load with heaters, a boiler and a washing machine, so it is assessed together with the heating solution. Before the finish, decide whether the wiring is replaced. If the installation is reconstructed, since 01.07.2025 it must be fitted with residual current protection, the installation is carried out under the supervision of a certified construction specialist, and tests, for example of the earthing, are done by a certified electrical specialist.

In the request, write which appliances the house will have and what the distribution board is like. Replacing the electrical wiring is priced by area and points. See electrical wiring replacement in Bukulti.

Work noise next to garden plots and detached houses

Neighbours on garden plots can be just behind the fence, and noisy work is audible. Riga's rules set no specific hours for renovation work. For disturbing a person's peace a warning or a fine of up to 100 fine units (up to €500) can be applied, and the Riga Municipal Police explains that making noise is not in itself directly prohibited: liability arises if public order is disturbed. If the garden-plot association has its own internal rules, ask its board about them. See renovation work hours.

Prices for houses in Bukulti

Bathroom renovation (all the work): from €3,000. Replacing or fitting a bath: from €130 per bath. Fitting a toilet during renovation: from €50 per toilet. Plasterboard or suspended ceiling: from €15/m². Plasterboard partition wall: from €12/m². Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate.

Example: in a garden-house room of 3 m × 2.6 m, a plasterboard partition wall is 7.8 m² × €12 = from €93.60. For reconstruction and insulation of a garden house the price is by estimate, because it is determined by the area of the house, the condition of the walls, whether water and wiring are brought in, and the chosen finish. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the house.