Vilnius apartment renovation delayed by funding and labour shortages

Renovation work on an apartment building in Vilnius has been delayed, with the contractor seeking a further extension and acknowledging shortages of funding and workers, LRT reported.

Residents of the building in the capital’s Karoliniškės district say they do not understand why work that began last September has taken so long and are questioning its quality. An information board at the building said the renovation was due to be completed in May.

The renovation was commissioned by Atnaujinkime miestą, a public institution. Its acting director, Laurynas Šeškevičius, said up to 60% of the planned work had been completed.

Elena, a resident whose name was changed and is known to the editorial office, said holes for heat-recovery ventilation units had been drilled in some apartments as early as November, but the units had still not been installed.

“The building is covered with insulation material, but the facade tiles have not yet been installed. The insulation material is not exposed; there is an additional layer, but I cannot identify the materials precisely because I have been unable to find the renovation project that was uploaded for residents,” she told LRT.

She said she was concerned that the building had not been covered with facade tiles and had been repeatedly exposed to rain and snow, potentially creating a risk of defects, mould and other problems.

Elena also said neighbours had told her that water had leaked through a window reveal in at least one apartment during a heavy downpour. According to her, a neighbour arranged three appointments for work on the window reveals, but the worker failed to arrive each time without warning.

“The windows have been replaced, apparently everywhere, as have the pipes and heated towel rails. But that seems to be where the work completed in full ends. Another section of the building began renovation later, but externally it is much more advanced, with almost the entire facade finished. Different contractors are working there,” she said.

Šeškevičius said work had progressed smoothly until the spring. A new heating system had been installed promptly, roof work had been carried out and the installation of windows and balconies had begun.

“Because we visit renovated buildings at least once a week, we noticed a slowdown in the work this spring. The installation of facade tiles was delayed, as were finishing works inside the apartments, including repairs to window reveals after the windows were installed,” he said.

After identifying the problem, the institution repeatedly urged the contractor to speed up the work. In April, contractor Karesta, a small partnership, requested an extension.

After assessing the circumstances and receiving approval from the Environmental Projects Management Agency, the institution extended the deadline by three months, to August 8.

The head of Karesta acknowledged to LRT that the work was stalled for several reasons, including shortages of funding and workers, as well as design problems.