Renovation and finishing in Vecrīga - in historic masonry buildings, apartments and offices

The UNESCO historic centre: around 4,000 buildings under protection

The historic centre of Riga has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 4 December 1997; it covers 438.3 ha and includes around 4,000 buildings, and its protection zone covers 1574.2 ha. Vecrīga is the core of this centre, where medieval, Renaissance and Baroque buildings have been preserved, along with simpler residential buildings, and next to the apartments there are hotels, offices and commercial premises.

In historic masonry buildings the typical work is a careful renovation of the apartment's interior, agreeing the changes with the building board and observing the facade and window protection rules. For pre-war masonry buildings the sources mention timber floors between storeys, high ceilings, non-standard windows and that without reconstruction there is no lift. See pre-war building apartment renovation.

Pedestrian streets, regulated access and paid parking

Vecrīga is dominated by a pedestrian environment, access for vehicles and deliveries is regulated, there is little parking, and narrow streets and courtyards restrict access. Vecrīga is in Riga's paid parking zone (R, with A and B at the edges), so in the request write whether the building has a courtyard or gate and which floor the apartment is on.

• the street and the approximate age of the building, if you know it
• the floor, whether there is a lift, and the width of the stairs if they are narrow
• the area in m², the ceiling height and the rooms you will renovate
• whether you will keep the historic details: the wooden floor, doors, stoves, ceiling cornices
• whether the renovation affects windows, walls or risers

The facade, windows and entrance doors: what the rules do not allow

The Riga historic centre preservation rules require that changes to facades or roofs have a design and a permit approved by the state cultural monument protection authority (paragraph 9.2 of the Cabinet regulations). They prohibit simplifying the architecture of facades and replacing historic windows and entrance doors with mirror-glass or plastic products.

In an apartment renovation this means: windows, which are the outer structures of the building and common property, are not changed at your own discretion. If windows must be restored, you choose a restoration or replacement that keeps the division and appearance, and agree it with the building manager and the cultural heritage authority. If the building is a cultural monument, the solution is agreed with the National Heritage Board (Nacionālā kultūras mantojuma pārvalde; for monuments of national or regional significance) or the cultural and historical heritage unit of the City Development Department (for monuments of local significance).

Inside: timber floors, old floors and wires

For interior work that does not involve renovation, reconstruction or demolition, construction-intent documents are not needed: painting walls, changing the floor covering or finishing a bathroom stay within the apartment. If the floor between storeys is timber, do not lay a screed or a heavy tiled floor on it before it is clear what it can bear. Old parquet or a board floor may be worth keeping and sanding.

Wires in an old building are replaced together with the wall work. Since 01.07.2025 reconstructed electrical wiring must be fitted with residual current protection, and the electricity supply of the common property in the stairwell is part of the management of the building. Approval of reconstruction in Vecrīga takes place at the Riga municipality's City Development Department (formerly the Riga City Building Board). See parquet sanding in Vecrīga and electrical wiring replacement in Vecrīga.

A bathroom in an old masonry building

In an old masonry building the position of the bathroom, the pipes and the ventilation in one apartment can differ from the neighbouring apartment, so check them in your own apartment before planning. Building code LBN 200-21 provides that in apartment buildings sanitary rooms are placed above similar rooms; above a neighbour's living rooms they are permitted if the requirements for soundproofing, waterproofing, ventilation and safety are met. Utilities that do not serve the specific apartment need closed shafts.

On a timber floor structure, waterproofing needs a stable and dry base, and the manufacturer (Ceresit CL 51) recommends at least two layers. In the request, write where the bathroom and the riser are. See bathroom renovation in Vecrīga.

A rental apartment, an office or a shop in the old town

The functions of Vecrīga are tourism, hospitality, catering, culture, offices, retail and living. For a rental apartment, durable surfaces and a bathroom that is easy to maintain matter in a renovation; for an office, workplaces, lighting and sockets. In both cases the facade and window rules are the same. See rental apartment renovation in Vecrīga, office renovation in Vecrīga and café renovation.

Prices in Vecrīga

• Cosmetic renovation: from €100/m² of apartment area
• Parquet sanding and varnishing: from €23/m²
• Skimming walls or ceilings: from €10/m²
• Painting walls or ceilings: from €4/m²

All prices are for labour; materials are separate in the estimate. With high ceilings the wall area is larger, so painting and skimming are calculated per m² of wall, not of floor. Example: a room with 55 m² of wall and ceiling surface: skimming 55 × €10 = €550 + painting 55 × €4 = €220, in total from €770 (labour). An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.