Apartment and house renovation in Jaunciems - for houses from the 1920s and 1930s and blocks from the 1970s

Pre-war private houses and 1970s blocks by Lake Ķīšezers

The Riga neighbourhoods portal writes that Jaunciems has kept private houses built in the 1920s and 1930s and apartment buildings built in the 1970s. The multi-storey residential development is concentrated in the northern part of the village around Jaunciema gatve near Gaileņu iela and Jaunciema 2. šķērslīnija, on about 4.2 ha. The neighbourhood lies by Lake Ķīšezers and also has industrial and warehouse areas. So a renovation here can be either an apartment in an apartment building or the interior renewal of a private house.

In a pre-war private house, a renovation can mean work with wooden structures, old floors and old installations. In a 1970s building the questions are different: the common-property risers, the bathroom and toilet, and wiring that may date from the time of construction. Check in the building's documents which series the building belongs to, because it determines which walls are load-bearing. If there are no documents, you can send the apartment plan or the cadastral survey file to the specialist when they contact you.

Jaunciems Lutheran Church at Jaunciema 5. šķērslīnija 6 is an architectural monument of regional significance (state protection No. 8151) and has a protection zone. In this zone, construction intents must be agreed with the National Heritage Board if they change the environment or affect how the monument is perceived, and the zone boundaries are shown at mantojums.lv. If you plan an extension to a private house or a facade reconstruction, first check whether the house is in the zone. For buildings older than 50 years that are not under state protection, the City Development Department, when examining a proposal, can determine the cultural and historical value and the permitted action.

Jaunciema gatve and what the request needs

Jaunciema gatve is the main road by which the neighbourhood is reached. Jaunciems has kept the paper-mill-era house numbering: the closer to the centre of Riga, the higher the numbers, while the numbering of the cross-lines is the opposite. So in the request write the full address with the cross-line number, if there is one, and where materials can be unloaded by the house. In an apartment building, mention whether there is a lift.

• a private house or an apartment in an apartment building;
• the approximate year of construction and whether the house has ever been rebuilt;
• the area in m², the number of floors or the floor of the apartment;
• the type of heating and whether the house has a stove;
• when the wiring was last replaced or inspected;
• the condition of the rooms, the floor and the electrical distribution board.

A house from the 1920s and 1930s: what to renew inside

In an old private house, the order of work is determined by what is still in good condition: the roof, windows and walls, then the wiring and water, then the floors and finishes. A wooden floor, if the boards are sound, can be restored and varnished rather than covered with a new covering. The Riga neighbourhoods portal writes that most of Jaunciems has soil with good bearing capacity, but in the Ķīšezers shoreline strip up to Jaunciema gatve the groundwater is shallower than 1.5 m; if the ground floor is laid directly on the soil, write its construction in the request.

In a bathroom, waterproofing is applied to the floor and to the walls in the shower area; the manufacturer Ceresit CL 51 recommends at least two coats and tape at the joints.

If a room is added to a house, it is a reconstruction and needs construction intent documents. For building out an attic, the type of document is chosen according to the content of the work, and the designer can advise on it. Approval of reconstruction in Jaunciems is handled by the City Development Department of the Riga municipality (formerly the Riga City Building Board). See private house renovation in Jaunciems, attic renovation and private house renovation.

Old wiring in a private house and in an apartment

LV portāls explains that in many homes the wiring was installed in Soviet times and the wires are 30–50 years old and worn. The Fire Safety Regulations currently in force require an inspection of the wiring every 10 years, and the result is recorded in an inspection report. If the report shows that the wires must be replaced, this is done before plastering and painting. In a private house where after the renovation you plan electric heating, underfloor heating or powerful kitchen equipment, write this load in the request, because the number of circuits and the size of the distribution board depend on it.

When wiring is reconstructed, from 01.07.2025 it must be equipped with residual current protection. The installation is led by a construction specialist, and the measurements are made by an electrical specialist whose certificate can be checked in the BIS register of construction specialists. In an apartment building, the electricity supply of the common property is part of managing the building, while the wires of the apartment are the owner's responsibility. See rewiring in Jaunciems and old electrical wiring.

Renovation noise in a 1970s building

The Riga territory maintenance and building upkeep regulations currently in force do not set renovation hours. The Riga Municipal Police explains that noise in itself is not directly prohibited and everyday noise is usually not a violation; liability arises if public order and a person's peace are disturbed. For that, an individual can receive a warning or a fine of up to 100 fine units.

In an apartment building, the apartment owners' association can set house rules, and they must be followed, so before demolition ask the building manager whether the building has its own renovation hours. See renovation work hours.

Prices for an apartment and a house in Jaunciems

• Cosmetic renovation: from €100/m² of apartment area
• Rewiring in an apartment: from €20/m² of apartment area
• Socket, switch or light point: from €12 per point
• Parquet sanding and varnishing: from €23/m²

Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. Example: a 2-room apartment of 50 m², cosmetic renovation: 50 × €100 = from €5,000 (labour). For a private house renovation the price is by estimate, determined by the area, the number of rooms, the condition of the walls and floors and whether the wires and pipes are replaced. If in an apartment 25 m² of parquet is sanded and varnished: 25 × €23 = from €575. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment. All prices: renovation prices.