Apartment renovation in Zolitūde - for 119 series sections, tower buildings and new projects

1983, the 119 series and sections with different numbers of storeys

Construction of Zolitūde began in 1983, and the neighbourhood is dominated by buildings of the 119 series design developed in Latvia. The buildings were built with a varying number of storeys in the sections (6–10 storeys), and with 16-storey tower buildings. The 119 series was designed entirely in Latvia and is still in demand; it was also built in Purvciems. The neighbourhood also has 104 series buildings and new projects, and in the southern part extensive detached-house development.

In 119 series buildings the walls are reinforced concrete panels, and nopo.lv gives a ceiling height of about 2.6 m. As typical issues public sources name electrical risers and ventilation shafts, while a Ministry of Economics study of 104 and 119 series buildings found no series-wide defects; individual shortcomings were in joints, balcony fixings and water accumulating on the roof.

In Soviet-era panel buildings the typical work is renovating old electrical wiring, the bathroom and the kitchen, and replanning that takes into account the load-bearing walls and the shared risers. If the apartment still has the wires and pipes of the 1980s, a full renovation in Zolitūde may be a suitable type of renovation; the details of the series are on the page 119 series apartment renovation.

Kārļa Ulmaņa gatve, the railway and the request

Zolitūde is reached along Kārļa Ulmaņa gatve, the roads towards the airport and by train. The proximity of the railway and the airport affects noise and access. In the request, write where a vehicle can stop at which section and entrance, because in one building the sections can have different numbers of storeys.

• the series or, in a new project, the year of handover and the type of finish
• the floor and the number of storeys of the section
• the area in m² and the number of rooms
• whether the bathroom is combined or separate
• whether you will change the risers, radiators or electrical wiring
• a short description of the condition of the rooms; you can send photos or a plan to the specialist when they contact you

Risers in a tall building: what must be agreed

In a ten or sixteen-storey building one riser passes through many apartments, and it is the common property of the apartment owners. If in a bathroom renovation a section in the apartment is changed, the water shut-off and the work are agreed with the building manager. The building manager entrusted with the maintenance of the risers is responsible for this work, and each owner covers the costs of the common property according to their share.

If a riser is covered with a box, leave a hatch: the owner must allow the building manager's authorised specialists access to the building's utilities. If the riser has not been changed since the building was constructed, ask the building manager whether the building plans a replacement on all floors. See riser replacement in Zolitūde and risers: who pays.

A bathroom in a 119 series apartment and the ventilation shaft

In the 119 series the bathroom plan differs by apartment, so check yours before planning: in a one-room apartment it may be combined, and in larger apartments the bathroom and toilet may be separate. The ventilation shaft is not covered over in a renovation: in residential buildings bathrooms and toilets are ventilated through natural exhaust ducts, and each air duct is connected to the common ventilation system in its own duct. If a fan is planned in the bathroom, keep it separate from the kitchen duct.

For tiling the manufacturer (Ceresit CM 17) requires the adhesive to cover at least 65% of the underside of the tile, and joints in corners and by plumbing fixtures are filled with silicone. See a bathroom in a 119 series building and combined bathroom renovation in Zolitūde.

A loggia and noise from the railway or aircraft

The appendix to Riga's Territorial Use Regulations contains standard loggia glazing solutions for 104 and 119 series buildings too; if the glazing matches this sketch, a building design is not needed. If noise from the railway or aircraft bothers you, replacing the windows can be considered in the renovation. An owner may replace the windows, which are outer structures of the building, at their own expense in agreement with the building manager; the association may decide that its consent is also needed.

Joining a loggia to a room affects common property, because the outer structures of loggias are common property, and requires the consent of the apartment owners' association. See loggia renovation in Zolitūde and soundproofing.

A new project in Zolitūde: from a grey finish

In a new project the renovation starts differently: the structures and utilities are new, and the job is completing the finishing. In the request, write what the developer has already done: screed, plaster, wires, plumbing connections. The manufacturer (Ceresit CM 17) requires a cement screed under tiles to be at least 28 days old with moisture below 4%, and under parquet or laminate Ceresit states a cement base moisture of up to 2.0%.

For interior work that does not involve renovation, reconstruction or demolition (painting, wallpaper, floor covering), documents are not needed. See new-build apartment fit-out in Zolitūde and turnkey renovation.

A detached house in the southern part of Zolitūde

The southern part of Zolitūde has extensive detached-house development. A detached house has no common-property risers, and decisions about pipes, heating and wires are the owner's, but for changes of volume, for example an extension, documents are submitted in the BIS to the Riga municipality's City Development Department (formerly the Riga City Building Board). See private house renovation in Zolitūde.

Prices in Zolitūde

• Full renovation: from €280/m² of apartment area
• Turnkey renovation: from €600/m²
• Replacing a riser section in an apartment: from €100 per riser
• Laminate laying: from €6.50/m²

Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. Example: a three-room apartment of 65 m² in a 119 series building, full renovation: 65 × €280 = from €18,200 (labour). The total changes with the condition of the walls and floors, whether risers and radiators are changed, and the chosen finishes. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.