Apartment and house renovation in Suži - for private houses by Lake Ķīšezers and the forests

Sparse development with gardens by Jaunciema gatve

The Suži neighbourhood has two more densely inhabited places, Suži and Ozolkalni, both between Jaunciema gatve and Lake Ķīšezers, surrounded by extensive natural areas. The private house development areas take up 12.7 ha, and residential development areas with greenery are designated along Jaunciema gatve up to Suži village on the Garkalne side. The Riga neighbourhoods portal writes that these development areas lie on the dunes that are widespread in the neighbourhood and the flood risk in them is practically non-existent; the ground-floor solution is nevertheless determined by the construction of the particular house.

In private houses and low-rise buildings, typical work is renewing interiors, installing bathrooms and kitchens, and reconstructing or extending the living area. Unlike an apartment in an apartment building, a private house has no common-property risers and no building manager: the pipes, heating and electrical supply are the owners' own responsibility. This makes decisions easier, but it means the estimate must also include what in an apartment would be the building's common system.

The houses here are of different ages. The Suži manor house in the neo-Renaissance style was built at the end of the 19th century, in Soviet years an army unit's military town where officers' families lived was set up in Suži, and Suži was included within the Riga city boundaries in 1974. If a house was built long ago, first find out the condition of the floors, walls and wiring, and then choose between a cosmetic renovation and a full renewal: cosmetic or full renovation.

Approaching by Jaunciema gatve and what the request needs

The main access to Suži and Ozolkalni is by Jaunciema gatve and local roads. If the road to the house is narrow or gravel, write that in the request.

Useful in the request:

• the year the house was built and the wall material
• the number of floors, the total area and the rooms you will renovate
• how the house is heated and where the electrical distribution board is
• whether the bathroom or the kitchen will stay where it is or be moved
• whether you plan an extension or building out the attic
• a short description of the condition of the rooms; you can send photos or a plan to the specialist when they contact you

A new bathroom in a private house

In a private house the bathroom can be moved or installed upstairs. Then you first need to decide how water and sewerage will be supplied and how the room will be ventilated: in residential buildings, bathrooms and toilets are ventilated through natural exhaust ducts, unless there is another ventilation solution. Demolition, waterproofing, tiling and installing the fixtures follow.

For waterproofing, the manufacturer (Ceresit CL 51) recommends at least two coats so that the dry layer is 0.5 mm; tape is worked into the joints, and collars are used around pipes and floor drains. If the floor is on a wooden floor structure, the base must be stable before waterproofing. More on the pages bathroom renovation in Suži and bathroom waterproofing.

The kitchen and the living area: renewal or extension

A kitchen renovation in a private house can stay within the same walls or become a bigger job if the kitchen is combined with the living room. If the kitchen has a gas hob, it may be replaced or moved within the same room in agreement with the gas supplier. An appliance with a flue needs the supplier's permission even in the same room, and a report on the condition of the flue and ventilation ducts; moving it to another room needs the supplier's technical conditions, a report and a building design. Gas work is not part of the renovation estimate.

If the volume of the building is changed, for example by an extension, it is a reconstruction. Suži has been part of Riga since 1974, so approval of reconstruction in Suži is handled by the City Development Department of the Riga municipality (until 1 September 2021, the Riga City Building Board), and the documents are submitted in the BIS. For buildings older than 50 years that are not under state protection, the department can determine the cultural and historical value and the permitted action. See kitchen renovation in Suži and private house renovation in Suži.

Wiring throughout the house, not just in one room

In many homes the wiring was installed in Soviet times, and these wires are 30–50 years old. The Fire Safety Regulations currently in force require an inspection of the wiring every 10 years. If the wires are replaced, from 01.07.2025 the reconstructed installation is equipped with residual current protection.

In a private house it is more worthwhile to plan the rewiring together with the wall and floor work, because after the finishing channels are no longer chased into the walls. In the request, write how many sockets and light points are needed in each room and whether you plan underfloor heating. See rewiring in Suži and old electrical wiring.

Ground-floor floors and underfloor heating

The ground-floor floor of a private house can be on the ground, over a crawl space or on wooden joists, and each option has a different solution. On a concrete base, unevenness is levelled with a self-levelling compound; the manufacturer (Ceresit CN 76) states that drying depends on the thickness of the layer, and under laminate or parquet the moisture of a cement base must be up to 2.0%, and with underfloor heating up to 1.8%.

Underfloor heating in a private house can be electric or connected to the house heating. An electric floor needs residual current protection when the installation is reconstructed. In the request, write what heating the house uses and in which rooms you want underfloor heating. See underfloor heating in Suži and uneven floor: what to do.

Prices in Suži: apartment prices and a house estimate

• Bathroom renovation (all work): from €3,000
• Full renovation: from €280/m² of apartment area
• Rewiring in an apartment: from €20/m² of apartment area
• Socket, switch or light point: from €12 per point
• Underfloor heating installation: from €16/m²
• Floor levelling, pour or screed: from €6.50/m²

Prices are for labour; materials are calculated separately in the estimate. For a private house renovation the price is by estimate. Example for an apartment: a 1-room apartment of 33 m², full renovation: 33 × €280 = from €9,240 (labour); sockets and switches are from €12 per point. The bathroom renovation total depends on the room's m² and the finish. How long a renovation takes depends on the amount of work and the drying time of materials. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.