Apartment renovation in Teika - for the 103 series, Khrushchyovkas and pre-war detached houses

A colony of family houses by Vidzemes šoseja and the later series

Teika began as a residential colony by Vidzemes šoseja, and buyers of the plots had to build detached buildings for one or two families on them. So some of the homes in Teika are small detached houses, where renovation can affect the whole building: floors, walls and electrical wiring. In old buildings the floors between storeys are often timber, and before floor levelling you need to find out what the floor rests on.

Later, 103 series buildings, 316 and 318 series Khrushchyovkas and five-storey brick buildings from the Brezhnev era were built in Teika. In the 103 series the outer walls are sand-lime brick or hollow clay brick, and the partition walls are aerated concrete or expanded clay concrete panels; they are not load-bearing. The 316 and 318 series buildings were built from 1956 to 1964, with sand-lime brick walls.

If your apartment is in one of these buildings and the wires, pipes and finishes date from when it was built, a full renovation in Teika means demolition down to the structure, new electrical wiring and pipes, screed and all the finishing. For the 103 series, the sources name windows and utilities as typical issues.

Brīvības gatve, Gustava Zemgala gatve and what to write in the form

Teika is a neighbourhood close to the centre along Brīvības gatve, and the main roads are Brīvības gatve and Gustava Zemgala gatve. Busy arterial roads and dense residential blocks affect parking, so in the request write whether the building has a courtyard or a driveway.

• building type: 103 series, Khrushchyovka, five-storey brick building or detached house; if you do not know, the year of construction
• the floor and whether the stairwell has a lift
• the apartment area in m² and the rooms you will renovate
• whether you will change the risers, the partition walls or all of the electrical wiring
• the condition of each room

A 103 series apartment: approval is still needed for a non-load-bearing wall

Public sources say that the partition walls in the 103 series are not load-bearing, but the specific wall is checked against the building's design. That does not mean a wall can be demolished without documents. 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 BIS as a simplified renovation.

Approval of reconstruction in Teika takes place at the Riga municipality's City Development Department (Pilsētas attīstības departaments; formerly the Riga City Building Board). Its Architecture Division checks the notices and cancels those that do not comply. If a wall separates two apartments, the consent of both owners is needed. For plans and options see the pages 103 series apartment renovation, a kitchen opened to a room in Teika and approval of replanning.

A Khrushchyovka in Teika: a small bathroom and stairs without a lift

Khrushchyovka apartments are small: a one-room apartment 29–35 m², a two-room 39–41 m², a three-room around 51 m², and the rooms are walk-through. Five-storey Khrushchyovkas have no lift, so be sure to give the floor in the request. Public sources also mention weak soundproofing; if neighbours' noise bothers you, soundproofing can be part of the same renovation.

In Khrushchyovkas the bath and toilet can be combined or separate, so check in your own apartment. If the floor area is small, a shower with a floor drain can be installed instead of a bath. Waterproofing is applied in at least two layers, and the manufacturer (Ceresit CL 51) recommends working waterproofing tape into the wall-to-floor joints and collars around the drain and pipes. For planning see small bathroom renovation in Teika and a bathroom in a Khrushchyovka.

Old wiring in a detached house or a brick building

In many homes the electrical wiring was installed in Soviet times, and the explanation on LV portāls says that such wiring is 30–50 years old and worn. The Fire Safety Regulations currently in force require an inspection of the electrical wiring once every 10 years, with an inspection report. If an inspection or repair shows that the wiring must be replaced, since 01.07.2025 reconstructed electrical wiring must be fitted with residual current protection.

In a detached house in Teika, replacing the wiring can affect all floors, but in an apartment in an apartment building only the lines up to the common-property riser; the electricity supply of the stairwell is part of the management of the building. In the request, write whether the distribution board already has residual current devices and how many sockets and light points you plan. See electrical wiring replacement in Teika.

An office or commercial premises by Brīvības gatve

Teika is not only apartments: the neighbourhood has office complexes, technology companies and commercial premises. If you are renovating an office or a small space for clients, in the request write the area, how many workplaces are needed and what remains of the existing finishes. The price of an office renovation is by estimate and depends on the same factors as for an apartment: area, the condition of walls and floors, utilities and finishes. See office renovation in Teika.

Prices in Teika

• Full renovation: from €280/m² of apartment area
• Cosmetic renovation: from €100/m² of apartment area
• Bathroom renovation (all the work): from €3,000
• Electrical wiring replacement in an apartment: from €20/m² of apartment area
• Socket, switch or light point: from €12 per point

Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. Example: a two-room Khrushchyovka of 40 m², full renovation: 40 × €280 = from €11,200 (labour). The total changes with the condition of the walls and floors, whether the risers are changed, and the chosen finishes. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.