Planning a renovation of your apartment? Key things to think about

Planning a renovation of your apartment? Key things to think about

Renovating a home is a fun but challenging project, which involves a wide range of technical and legal issues. Evaldas Jančiauskas, Head of Building Maintenance at Civinity Namai, a multifamily administration and maintenance company, explains the nuances that need to be considered when planning a housing renovation in a block of flats.

It is essential to distinguish between cosmetic repairs and major repairs

Before starting any renovation work, it is advisable to first decide what kind of work will be carried out. According to Civinity Namai, a clear work plan will not only help to make home repairs cheaper and faster, but will also allow you to assess what documents and specialist help you will need.

If you are only planning to improve the appearance of your home, such as repainting walls, replacing flooring or renewing bathroom tiles, this is classified as cosmetic repairs, which do not require special permits.

However, if you are planning a major renovation of your flat, where you plan to change the layout of the flat, or to change the engineering networks such as plumbing and electrical installations, this may be classified as major renovation work and will require permits and written consent from your neighbours.

Demolition of walls can only be carried out with the help of specialists

There are some owners of old flats in blocks of flats who decide to change the layout of the flat when planning renovation work, for example to combine the living room and kitchen. If you are planning such a change, be aware that any demolition of walls, cutting openings or other alterations to the walls is very risky.

The first step is to find out whether the wall to be demolished is not a load-bearing wall. This can be done by analysing the design documentation of the building, as well as the documentation of previous repairs that have already been carried out on the building.

“According to Civinity Namai, you should not rely solely on the existing documentation of the building, as during the lifetime of the building, changes may have been made that are not known to anyone and have not been registered, and the status of self-supporting walls may have been changed from load-bearing to load-bearing.

It is therefore essential to consult specialists before starting any wall demolition work and it is recommended to carry out a structural survey to assess the function of the wall to be replaced.

“If the building is constructed and in use, we recommend that the layout of the apartment remains as it was designed in the apartment building. Demolition or dismantling of walls changes the loads on the building, increases the risk of cracks in the walls and the risk of the building collapsing. However, if the layout of the apartment is to be changed, the existing condition of the building, the impact of the planned works on other building structures and a technical working design must be assessed beforehand. The work must be carried out by certified contractors and supervised by certified maintenance engineers,” says a Civinity Namai specialist.

Some repairs require permits and neighbours’ consent

If you are planning cosmetic repairs to your flat, you don’t need permits, but if the repairs will cause noise, you must inform the municipality at least 7 days before the work starts.

However, if the renovation involves replacing engineering networks (radiators, electrical wiring, plumbing), glazing a balcony, replacing windows and doors, hanging an air conditioner on a building wall, or changing the layout of the apartment, it requires a technical project, the approval of the other apartment owners and a building permit.

Repairs carried out without prior authorisation are subject to fines. Ordinary repairs carried out without authorisation will incur a fine of between €300 and €600, while major repairs carried out in an apartment building without authorisation are subject to a fine of up to €2,300. If major repairs are carried out in a cultural heritage zone, the fine can be up to €3500.

Replace radiators after winter

When carrying out renovation work indoors, it seems that the work can be carried out in any season of the year. However, some works are recommended to be carried out only during the warm season.

One of these is replacing or repairing radiators. Such work should be planned for the spring after the end of the heating season or early autumn before the start of the heating season. Proper planning will make the work easier, cheaper and avoid inconveniencing your neighbours.

“When replacing radiators in old blocks of flats during the heating season, you need to disconnect the entire heating system of the building, drain the thermostat from the radiators, refill the radiators when the work is finished and carry out additional draining work. This work is not only extra costly, but also causes considerable inconvenience to the occupants of the whole building. In new-build houses, the heating system is only connected to the apartment, so it is easier to change the radiator in such apartments during the heating season,” says Jančiauskas.

Don’t forget your neighbours

Apartment renovation in a block of flats can cause inconvenience to neighbours, so you need to keep them in mind before starting work.

First of all, when carrying out renovation work, you need to take into account the noise prevention rules in force at the city council. In Vilnius, for example, noise-sensitive repairs can be carried out from 7am to 6pm on weekdays and from 9am to 5pm on weekends and public holidays. In Kaunas, however, work can be carried out longer – until 10pm.

We also recommend that you always inform your neighbours in advance of any planned repair work, preferably by specifying the hours during which the work is to be carried out.

“It is good practice for communities to include the contact phone number of the homeowner or the manager carrying out the repairs, so that neighbours with complaints or questions can contact them directly rather than seeking help from the authorities,” says Jančiauskas.

Another important nuance is the order of the common areas of the apartment building. It is important to understand that common areas, such as basements and staircases, are not allowed to store materials or other items for repairs.

“Those carrying out repairs should take care of the cleanliness of staircases, lifts and other common areas themselves. It is recommended that contractors should be obliged to clean common areas soiled by the work every day after the work has been completed, even before the start of the work,” recommends a Civinity Namai specialist.