Apartment renovation in Purvciems - for 467 series buildings and French project towers

Six micro-districts and many series in one neighbourhood

The development of Purvciems was planned from 1964. The neighbourhood history page mentions the 103, 104, 119 and 467 series, Czech, Lithuanian and small-family projects, six micro-districts and 18-storey French project towers. This means that two neighbouring apartments in Purvciems can require completely different renovation plans.

In the 467 series the walls are reinforced concrete large panels, and public sources write that practically all the walls are load-bearing. Worn water pipes and electrical wiring are named as typical for this series. So in a 467 series apartment a full renovation must look at the pipes and wires, and moving walls must be assessed against the building's design. The neighbourhood history page gives the French project towers as 18-storey; in such a building, before the renovation find out where the risers and ventilation ducts run.

The series pages have more on each type: 467 series apartment renovation, 602 series apartment renovation and 103 series apartment renovation.

If a neighbour from above has flooded the apartment

In a nine-storey or taller building, one leak can damage the ceilings and walls of several floors. An apartment owner is responsible for damage caused to others, and everyone must compensate for damage caused by their action or inaction. The regulations do not directly oblige the building manager to draw up a flooding report, so you have to collect the evidence yourself.

1. Ask in writing for an inspection Immediately ask the building manager in writing to inspect the damage and draw up a report.
2. Record the damage Photograph and film the ceilings, walls and floor before removing anything.
3. Keep the documents Keep estimates and invoices; they are needed when claiming compensation.

After a leak, do not rush to paint. Ceilings and walls must dry, and manufacturers require a dry base for finishing materials: for example, for Tikkurila paint the surface must be dry and the air humidity no more than 80%, and absorbent surfaces skimmed with dry mixes are primed before painting. If mould appears under wallpaper or in corners, it is treated separately before finishing.

Once the damage is documented, the renovation needs an estimate with a list of work. In the request, describe the damage and write which rooms were affected. In more detail: renovation after flooding and what to do if neighbours flooded you.

Deglava iela, Dzelzavas iela and Stirnu iela: access and the request

Purvciems is crossed by Deglava iela, Dzelzavas iela and Stirnu iela, and the neighbourhood has extensive public transport. The large inner courtyards and busy arterial roads affect access and stopping, so in the request write along which street it is easier to reach your entrance.

• The building series or year; if you do not know, the street name and the number of storeys of the building.
• Which floor the apartment is on and whether the building has a lift.
• The area in m² and the number of rooms.
• The rooms to renovate, and whether the bathroom is combined.
• Whether you will change the risers, radiators or walls.
• The condition of the rooms; for a detached house also the condition of the exterior.

If your property is a detached house in the south-eastern part, the common property rules need not be considered, but write whether the renovation affects only the interior or also the volume of the house. On this work: private house renovation.

A kitchen with a room in a 103 or 119 series apartment

Purvciems also has 103 and 119 series buildings. In the 103 series, as public sources write, the partitions are aerated concrete or expanded clay concrete panels and are non-load-bearing, while in the 119 series, as public sources write, in most apartments only the outer walls are load-bearing. The specific wall is nevertheless checked against the building's design.

According to the Riga municipality's explanation, to demolish a non-load-bearing wall an architect prepares a plan, and a construction notice is submitted in the Construction Information System. Approval of reconstruction in Purvciems takes place at the Riga municipality's City Development Department (formerly the Riga City Building Board). If the kitchen has a gas hob, a mechanical ventilation unit, for example a cooker hood with a fan, must not be connected to a natural ventilation duct if the room has no constant air exchange. See kitchen with a room.

Wiring and the distribution board in a Soviet-era apartment

The explanation on LV portāls says that in many homes the electrical wiring was installed in Soviet times and the wires are 30 to 50 years old. In Soviet-era buildings in Purvciems it is worth checking before finishing, because after tiling and skimming it is more expensive to replace wires. The Fire Safety Regulations currently in force require an inspection of the electrical wiring once every 10 years, and the result is recorded in a report.

If the electrical wiring is reconstructed, since 01.07.2025 it must have residual current protection, with a tripping current of no more than 30 mA for socket and lighting circuits. In the request, describe the distribution board and write how many sockets and light points are needed. For a description of the work: electrical wiring replacement, and on old wires: old electrical wiring in an apartment.

Prices and work in Purvciems

• Cosmetic renovation: from €100/m² of apartment area.
• Full renovation: from €280/m² of apartment area.
• Skimming walls or ceilings: from €10/m².
• Plasterboard partition: from €12/m².

Prices are for labour only; materials are a separate item in the estimate. Example for a 15 m² room with 40 m² of wall: skimming 40 × €10 = €400 and painting 40 × €4 = €160, in total from €560. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.

Work pages: bathroom renovation in Purvciems, wall skimming in Purvciems, plasterboard partition walls in Purvciems, electrical wiring replacement in Purvciems.