Apartment renovation by building series
Apartment renovation by building series starts with the question of what the building is made of and what in it is common property. For the 103 series it has been published that the partitions are usually non-load-bearing, but which walls are load-bearing can be said only from the building design or a structural engineer's opinion. We do cosmetic and full renovation in series-built and older buildings in Riga and the Riga region; in the request, write the series or the year the building was constructed.
After you submit the form, we contact you within 5 minutes
What the building series says about a renovation
The series does not determine the renovation by itself, but it says a lot about the walls, floor slabs and services. It affects whether a partition can be moved, how much work the old wiring and pipes need and which problems concern the whole building rather than your apartment.
The apartment owner owns the non-load-bearing partitions, the finish of walls, ceilings and floors, doors and services up to the common-property risers. Load-bearing walls, walls between apartments, floor slabs, external walls, windows in external structures and the building's services are common property. In their own apartment, an owner may carry out construction work without the agreement of other owners, as far as it does not affect common property or other apartments; if it does, the consent of the apartment owners' association is needed.
Law on Residential Properties, Section 3(2), Section 4(1) and Section 11. Checked 11.11.2026.
Which series page to choose
602 series apartment renovation: expanded clay concrete panel buildings from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, mostly 9 storeys. The internal walls are usually load-bearing, so changes to openings need a structural engineer's solution.
119 series apartment renovation: reinforced concrete panel buildings from the early 1980s to roughly the mid-1990s. For the 119 series it has been published that the external walls are usually load-bearing; which walls are load-bearing can be said only from the building design or a structural engineer's opinion.
103 series apartment renovation: brick external walls, and it has been published that the partitions are usually non-load-bearing, of aerated concrete or expanded clay concrete; which walls are load-bearing is shown by the building design. Mostly 5 storeys. The bathroom and toilet are usually separate.
104 series apartment renovation: 9-, 12- or 16-storey buildings with aerated concrete external walls and reinforced concrete internal load-bearing walls. In a one-room apartment the bathroom and toilet are usually combined.
467 series apartment renovation: 9-storey reinforced concrete large-panel buildings from the late 1970s and the 1980s, where practically all the walls are load-bearing. Worn pipes and wiring often have to be dealt with.
464 series apartment renovation: 5-storey panel buildings with gypsum concrete partitions, built since the early 1960s. Typical issues are waterproofing, risers and ventilation.
316 and 318 series apartment renovation: sand-lime brick buildings from 1956–1964 with 2–5 storeys. Lithuanian project apartment renovation: this is often what 464 series buildings are called. Khrushchyovka renovation: buildings from the second half of the 1950s with small, walk-through rooms.
Older buildings have their own pages. Stalin-era apartment renovation: masonry buildings with thick brick walls and high ceilings. Pre-war building apartment renovation: masonry tenement buildings with mostly wooden floor slabs. Wooden house apartment renovation: wooden tenement buildings, for example in Āgenskalns and Čiekurkalns.
The series in brief: walls and typical issues
| Series | Built | Walls | What to check before renovating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 602 | mid-1970s to early 1980s | expanded clay concrete panels, internal walls usually load-bearing | panel joints, damp in corners, soundproofing |
| 119 | early 1980s to mid-1990s | reinforced concrete panels, published: external walls usually load-bearing | electrical risers, ventilation shafts |
| 103 | early 1970s to the 1990s | brick external walls, published: partitions usually non-load-bearing | windows, services, heat loss through floor slabs |
| 104 | 1970s | aerated concrete external walls, reinforced concrete internal load-bearing walls | joints, balcony fixings, type of bathroom and toilet |
| 467 | late 1970s and 1980s | reinforced concrete large panels, practically all walls load-bearing | water pipes, wiring |
| 464 | since the early 1960s | reinforced concrete panels, gypsum concrete partitions | waterproofing, risers, ventilation on the ground floors |
The table shows what public sources say about the series. A particular building can be different, so check the walls, the bathroom and the ceiling height in your own apartment and write in the request what you found; you can send a plan or photos to the specialist when they contact you.
The facade, joints and roof are a matter for the whole building
In a Ministry of Economics study, the 104 and 119 series buildings had no typical defects, but individual shortcomings were found in the joints, balcony fixings and water collecting on the roof. In a study of the 464 series buildings they were found safe for continued use. External walls, the roof and the external structures of balconies are common property, and their repair is decided by the association together with the building manager.
There are support programmes for renovating a whole building: “Rīga renovē” co-finances an energy audit, a technical survey and a technical design, while Altum loans are intended for the whole apartment building. These programmes are for the whole building. If a joint leaks or there is damp in a corner, first report it to the building manager, and only then renew the finish.
How much a renovation in a series building costs
| Work | When it is needed | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic renovation | walls, ceilings, floor covering, doors; wiring and pipes stay | from €100/m² |
| Full renovation | demolition down to the structure, new wiring and pipes, screed, plaster, finish | from €280/m² |
| Turnkey renovation | all the work from demolition to finishing in one order | from €600/m² |
| Bathroom renovation (all work) | demolition, waterproofing, tiling, plumbing installation | from €3,000 |
| Rewiring an apartment | old cables, new electrical distribution | from €20/m² |
| Riser section replacement in an apartment | old pipe within the apartment, agreed with the building manager | from €100 per riser |
Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. The price of cosmetic and full renovation is per square metre of apartment area. The series does not change the price directly; the list of work does: for a 50 m² two-room apartment a cosmetic renovation is from €5,000 (labour) and a full renovation from €14,000 (labour).
- apartment area in m² and number of rooms;
- cosmetic or full renovation;
- condition of the walls, floors and ceilings;
- whether the wiring, pipes and risers are changed;
- the chosen finish (tiles, floor covering, doors).
All prices: apartment renovation prices. If you are unsure about the renovation type, compare them in the article cosmetic or full renovation.
What to write in the request
- The address or neighbourhood and the floor.
- The building series or year of construction; if you do not know it, write the building's address.
- The area in m² and the number of rooms.
- Which rooms to renovate and what work is needed.
- The condition of each room and the layout of the apartment.
- Whether you will choose the materials yourself.
An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment. We agree the price and the list of work before the job starts.
What the renovation price covers and what is added
What this work includes
- work within the apartment: demolition, walls, ceilings and floors;
- wiring and pipes in the apartment up to the riser (in a full renovation);
- bathroom and kitchen work, tiling, floor coverings, doors.
What is calculated separately
- materials, tiles and sanitary ware;
- replacement of a riser section, which has to be agreed with the building manager;
- replanning documents and the structural engineer's solution;
- repair of the facade, panel joints and roof (common property);
- construction waste removal.
Main prices
| Renovation types | from €100 |
|---|---|
| Room renovation | from €3,000 |
| Renovation work | from €24 |
| Renovation by building series | from €280 |
| Apartment replanning | from €12 |
| Renovation for your situation | from €100 |
| Private house interiors | from €280 |
| Business premises | from €100 |
Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate.
Get an estimateAfter you submit the form, we contact you within 5 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out which series my apartment is in?
If you do not know the series, write the address in the request, and the year of construction if it is known. For a renovation, information about the walls and services in your apartment is more important than the series number.
Does a renovation in a series building need a permit?
Documents are not needed for an interior project without reconstruction (Cabinet Regulation No. 529, sub-paragraph 7.1); the municipality explains that this applies, for example, to painting, wallpaper and replacing the floor covering. If you demolish a non-load-bearing wall, in Riga a construction notice is submitted, and for an opening in a load-bearing wall an explanatory memorandum is needed. More detail: does a renovation need a permit.
May a wall be demolished in a panel building?
It depends on whether the wall is load-bearing. For a non-load-bearing wall, according to the Riga municipality, an architect prepares a plan and submits a notice. An opening in a load-bearing wall needs an architect and a structural engineer, an explanatory memorandum and the consent of more than half of the apartment owners. More detail: may a wall in an apartment be demolished.
Who pays for riser replacement in a series building?
A riser is the common property of the apartment owners. Each owner covers the costs of managing the building according to their share, on the basis of the association's decision, and riser replacement is usually paid for in the same way. More detail: risers as common property.
Can I glaze a loggia in a series building without documents?
Yes, if the work matches a loggia glazing model sketch approved by the municipality or a facade sketch agreed with the building board (Cabinet Regulation No. 529, sub-paragraph 7.4.7). The annex to the Riga regulations has standard sketches for the 103, 104, 119, 464, 467 and 602 series.
Tell us about the apartment
A specialist will contact you within 5 minutes to confirm the work and the estimate.
Request
Fill in the form: name, phone, address and briefly what needs renovating.
Contact within 5 minutes
A specialist confirms the work, the floor area and when you need it.
Visit and estimate
An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment: work, area, materials separately.
The price before the job
We agree the price and the list of work before the job starts, in Riga and the Riga region.