Apartment renovation in Maskavas forštate - for wooden and masonry apartment buildings

Wooden buildings after the burning of the suburbs and 350 historic buildings

Wikipedia writes that Maskavas forštate mainly has surviving wooden buildings built in the early 19th century after the burning of the suburbs; there are no wooden buildings here built before the 18th century. In 2005, data was compiled on 350 historic buildings. The mainly residential blocks are in the south-eastern part of the neighbourhood around Lubānas, Salaspils and Slāvu iela, while the rest consists of the market and commercial areas near the railway.

Two things follow for a renovation. First: the buildings are old, with timber floors between storeys, so you first assess the condition of the floors, walls and wiring, and only then choose the finishes. Second: in Riga, for buildings older than 50 years that are not state-protected, the City Development Department (Pilsētas attīstības departaments), when reviewing a construction intent, can determine the cultural and historical value and the permitted action. If the renovation affects windows, the facade or walls, find out which approvals are needed before the work.

A wooden apartment house: floors, the floor structure and the wall from the inside

If in a wooden building the floor is boards on timber joists and the boards are sound, they can be restored, sanded and varnished. If the floor is uneven, the levelling method is chosen according to the condition of the floor structure, because a timber floor is not a concrete slab. Under laminate or parquet manufacturers require a dry base: Ceresit states a cement base moisture of up to 2.0% for timber and flexible coverings.

If an apartment in a wooden building feels cold, internal wall insulation must take into account that a wooden wall has to stay dry. Which solution suits depends on the wall and the apartment, so in the request describe the condition of the walls and windows. More on this type: wooden house apartment renovation, wooden floor restoration and internal wall insulation.

A pre-war masonry building: high ceilings, no lift, non-standard windows

According to apollo.lv, in pre-war masonry apartment buildings the floors between storeys are mostly timber, there is no lift without reconstruction, the windows are non-standard, and the thick walls and high ceilings raise heating costs. This means more square metres of wall and ceiling per square metre of floor, and made-to-measure finishing of the window reveals.

If you want to replace the non-standard windows of an old building, keep in mind that windows in an outer wall are common property of the building: an owner may replace them at their own expense in agreement with the building manager, and construction documents are not needed if the existing window division, proportions and frame colour are kept. If you want a different division, first find out whether the building has a cultural and historical value. If the building is in the protection zone of Riga's historic centre, the original windows facing the street are protected (Cabinet Regulation No. 127); ask the department. Inside, the finishing of openings and window sills remains: window opening finishing.

If the floor has old parquet, you can try sanding and varnishing it rather than replacing it. If demolition requires removing old floor coverings or pipe insulation, remember that in buildings built before the ban on asbestos they may contain asbestos, which cannot be identified by appearance; it is determined in a laboratory. See pre-war building apartment renovation and parquet sanding.

Maskavas iela, the station and the market: access and the form

Maskavas iela leads to Maskavas forštate, and the Central Station and the market are close by. Maskavas forštate is in Riga's paid parking zones (B and C), so in the request write where by the building or in the courtyard materials can be unloaded. If the entrance is from the courtyard, also write whether vehicles can drive in.

• The building: wooden or masonry, approximate time of construction, if you know it.
• The floor and the type of stairs; whether there is a lift.
• The area in m² and the ceiling height, if you have measured it.
• The floor: boards, parquet or another covering.
• Whether you will keep the stoves and whether you will replace the windows.
• The condition: floors, walls, the electrical distribution board, the bathroom.

Old wiring and renovating a rental apartment

In old buildings the electrical wiring may have been added to several times. The Fire Safety Regulations currently in force require an inspection of the electrical wiring once every 10 years, and if the installation is reconstructed it must have residual current protection. Wiring is replaced before plastering and skimming: electrical wiring replacement.

If you are renovating an apartment for letting, the scope of work can be chosen so that the coverings and the bathroom withstand frequent use, and so that the tenant receives an apartment with checked electrical wiring and a smoke detector, which is mandatory in an apartment in an apartment building. On this situation: rental apartment renovation.

Prices for an apartment in an old building

• Cosmetic renovation: from €100/m² of apartment area.
• Parquet sanding and varnishing: from €23/m².
• Electrical wiring replacement in an apartment: from €20/m² of apartment area.
• Wall plastering: from €8/m².

Prices are for labour, and materials are in a separate part of the estimate. Example: replacing the wiring in a 50 m² apartment: 50 × €20 = from €1,000 (labour, without sockets and switches, which cost from €12 per point). High ceilings and uneven walls increase the amount of finishing, so the price changes with the condition of the walls and floors. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.

Work: cosmetic renovation in Maskavas forštate, parquet sanding in Maskavas forštate, wall plastering in Maskavas forštate, old apartment renovation in Maskavas forštate.