Apartment renovation in Dreiliņi - for late 602 series buildings and new-build fit-out

The 602 series built in the 1990s, with new builds alongside

A Riga neighbourhood portal writes that the construction of 602 series buildings in Dreiliņi began around 1990 and stopped in 1993, leaving an unfinished complex of nine-storey buildings and undeveloped fields. Wikipedia mentions that an improved version of this series was built in Dreiliņi and Pļavnieki. So the 602 series buildings here are from the late period of the series, not from the 1970s.

The structure stays the same: according to nopo.lv the load-bearing walls are expanded clay concrete panels, the floors are reinforced concrete slabs, and all the internal walls are usually load-bearing. So moving a wall is not a simple job, but the renovation work can touch what is inside and on the surface of the walls: wiring, pipes, plaster and floors.

Next to these buildings Dreiliņi has new apartment projects, detached houses, supermarkets and warehouses. In a new building the renovation can mean the first fit-out: the apartment is handed over in a grey or white finish, and the owner completes it as they choose.

Lubānas iela and Biķernieku iela: what to mention in the request

Dreiliņi is by the city boundary, and the main access is along Lubānas iela, Biķernieku iela and the boundary roads. Access to the new buildings can differ. Write the address and where materials can be unloaded near the building. The apartment owners' association can set house rules, including on how to use the lift and the stairwell during renovation; ask the building manager whether your building has any.

To work out the scope, also write:

• 602 series or new project, and the year the building was handed over;
• the floor and whether long sheets fit in the lift;
• the area in m² and the number of rooms;
• in a new building: what finish was handed over and whether there are cleaned walls, screed, wiring to the points;
• in the 602 series: whether the bathroom and toilet are combined and whether you will change the risers;
• a short description of the condition of the rooms; you can send photos or a plan to the specialist when they contact you.

Bathroom and wiring in the 602 series

The bathroom layout in the 602 series differs: nopo.lv mentions a separate bathroom, while varianti.lv shows for a three-room apartment a bathroom combined with a toilet and an extra separate toilet by the entrance. Check that in your apartment, because the area of walls to be tiled depends on it. The kitchen in this series is about 7–8 m², so the splashback and the appliance layout are planned precisely.

According to nopo.lv, the typical weak points of the series are panel joints, joint waterproofing and weak soundproofing. If there is mould or damp in the corners of the bathroom, mention it in the request, because the cause may be outside the apartment. For waterproofing the manufacturer Ceresit recommends at least two coats of CL 51, so that the dry layer is 0.5 mm. See 602 series apartment renovation, bathroom in a 602 series building and full renovation in Dreiliņi.

Risers and the building manager in a nine-storey building

The riser is the common property of the apartment owners, so replacing a section of it in a bathroom renovation must be agreed with the building manager. The pipes from the riser to the plumbing fixtures are part of the apartment. The costs of managing the building are covered by each owner in proportion to their share of the common property, based on the decision of the owners' association.

The owner must allow the building manager's authorised specialists access to the building's utilities, so it is advisable to leave an access hatch by the riser. If you plan to change a radiator in the apartment, note that a radiator whose operation depends on the building's heating is common property. See riser replacement in Dreiliņi and risers: who pays.

New apartment in Dreiliņi: grey or white finish

In a new project, first find out exactly what the developer handed over. What a grey and a white finish include can differ for each developer, so the list of work depends on what has actually been done in the apartment: whether the walls are plastered, the screed laid, the wiring run and the bathroom installed. If this is not clear in the handover documents, write in the request what they state. When completing the finish, remember also the smoke detector: the Fire Safety Regulations currently in force require at least one stand-alone detector on each floor of an apartment in an apartment building, placed on the ceiling in a room where people sleep or stay.

For finishing work only, such as painting, hanging wallpaper or replacing the floor covering, no construction documents are needed. If in a new apartment you want to move a partition wall, approval of reconstruction in Dreiliņi is handled by the Riga municipality's City Development Department (formerly the Riga City Building Board), and according to the municipality's explanation, demolishing a non-load-bearing wall needs an architect's plan and a notice in the BIS. See new-build apartment fit-out in Dreiliņi and grey or white finish.

Prices: 602 series and new-build fit-out

• Cosmetic renovation: from €100/m² of apartment area
• Turnkey renovation: from €600/m²
• Replacing a section of a riser in an apartment: from €100 per riser
• Laminate laying: from €6.50/m²

All prices are for labour, and materials are separate in the estimate. Example: laminate in an 18 m² room: 18 × €6.50 = from €117. A 2-room apartment of 50 m², cosmetic renovation: 50 × €100 = from €5,000 (labour). If in a 602 series bathroom you replace two riser sections (cold and hot water): 2 × €100 = from €200. For a new build the total is determined by the finish handed over, the number of rooms and the chosen materials. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment. All prices: renovation prices.