Renovation and finishing in Zaķusala - for the few apartments, offices and work premises

An island whose old houses were demolished by the 1980s

Zaķusala is a long island in the Daugava with television, office, transport and development areas. At the beginning of the 20th century there were one-storey wooden cottages here, sometimes a two-storey building, built of logs from river barges (strūgas). Almost all of the island's residential houses were demolished by the 1980s, and the residents were allocated apartments in the new housing estates. Next to the LTV tower, the “Ģinguļi” houses were preserved; they were not demolished because they housed the builders of the tower. So residential development here is limited, and the premises serve the media, offices, events and real estate development.

Zaķusala belongs to the Salas neighbourhood, and the largest plots of mixed development are in the central part of the island on both sides of the Salu tilts. For renovation this practically means two cases. The first is an apartment or work premises in an older building, where the wires, pipes and floors have to be assessed before finishing. The second is premises in a newer building, where the structures are in order and only the finish and layout have to change.

Salu tilts and what to write in the request

Zaķusala is reached along the Salu tilts, and transport junctions are concentrated here, so in the request state at which building entrance a vehicle can stop and whether the building has security or a pass system. In a large office building it also helps to know whether the building manager sets hours for renovation work.

• type of premises: apartment, office, studio or other work premises
• area in m² and number of rooms
• approximate age of the building and the floor
• what has to change: walls, floors, ceilings, wires, sanitary rooms
• whether the layout of the rooms or partition walls will change
• condition of the rooms

Renovating office or work premises

An office renovation can include renewing walls and ceilings, the floor covering, sockets and lighting, and new partition walls. In Knauf drywall systems, the frame of a plasterboard partition wall is usually made of CW profiles (studs) and UW profiles in the floor and ceiling; thermal insulation, skimming and painting are separate jobs. If the building is divided into apartment properties, shared areas such as corridors or stairs are common property: their renovation is decided by the apartment owners' association, and the work is organised by the building manager.

If the electrical wiring is changed, since 01.07.2025 the reconstructed installation is fitted with residual current protection. The price for an office is by estimate, based on the same factors as for an apartment: area, condition of surfaces, utilities and finish. See office renovation in Zaķusala, plasterboard partition walls in Zaķusala and staircase renovation.

An apartment to rent out: durable finish and bathroom

If you are renovating an apartment in Zaķusala or a nearby neighbourhood to rent out, the finish is chosen to be easy to maintain and renew: painted walls, a vinyl floor or laminate, a simple bathroom. Bathroom renovation includes demolition, waterproofing, tiling and installing plumbing fixtures. The manufacturer (Ceresit CM 17) requires the adhesive to cover at least 65% of the underside of the tile, and in corners, at the floor and at plumbing the joints are filled with silicone, not grout.

After tiling, the grout needs time: in the Ceresit CE 40 technical data sheet, water load is permitted after 24 hours and full strength is reached after 5 days. See renovating a rental apartment in Zaķusala and bathroom renovation in Zaķusala.

Floor in work premises: vinyl, laminate and the base

In an office or studio the floor has to withstand chair castors and a lot of footsteps, so you can choose a vinyl floor or durable laminate. For both coverings the base must be level and dry: the manufacturer of Ceresit CN 76 states a moisture of up to 2.0% for the cement base under flexible coverings and laminate, and up to 1.8% with floor heating. In large rooms, movement joints are observed in the levelling layer: an area of up to 36 m² indoors, and joints also at room thresholds.

If there is uneven concrete under the old covering, levelling comes first, then the covering and skirting boards. See vinyl flooring installation in Zaķusala and floor levelling.

Noisy work in a building where others are working

In an office and media building, demolition and drilling disturb those working in the neighbouring rooms. Since 1 July 2024 Riga has had no binding regulations of its own with a general quiet time, because that is when “Sabiedriskās kārtības noteikumi Rīgā” (Public Order Regulations in Riga) ceased to be in force, but building owners or the apartment owners' association can set their own rules of use, and they must be followed. Ask the building manager whether the building has a set time for noisy work, and write it in the request. See renovation working hours.

An older building and approval

The part of the island 700 m north-west of the Salu tilts is in the protection zone of the historic centre of Riga (part No. 9), so if the building is in this part and the renovation changes its exterior, find out the requirements before the work. In addition, for buildings older than 50 years that are not state-protected, the City Development Department can determine the cultural and historical value and the permitted action when it examines a construction intent.

For interior work that does not include renovation, reconstruction or demolition, no construction intent documents are needed. If you plan an opening in a load-bearing wall or a change to the room group, approval of reconstruction in Zaķusala is handled by the City Development Department of the Riga municipality (formerly the Riga City Building Board), and the documents are submitted in BIS. See does a renovation need a permit.

Prices in Zaķusala

• Cosmetic renovation: from €100/m² of apartment area
• Plasterboard partition wall: from €12/m²
• Vinyl flooring installation: from €10/m²
• Tiling: from €24/m²
• Floor levelling, poured compound or screed: from €6.50/m²

Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. Example for an apartment: a partition 4 m long and 2.7 m high is 10.8 m² × €12 = from €129.60 (labour), while thermal insulation, skimming and painting are separate. For an office renovation as a whole the price is by estimate. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.