Redesigning an Apartment: What Cannot Be Approved?

Questions about the rules of apartment redesign are among the most frequent on our site. We asked an expert to explain when it's definitely impossible to get approval for a new layout and what exceptions exist.

Alexey Parshin, Expert. Head of the company that handles apartment redesign approvals at GOROD

What cannot be changed in the kitchen?

You cannot relocate the kitchen to a living room or bedroom. Therefore, converting an apartment into a studio won't work: you won't be able to change the location of sewage and water supply pipes. Also, it's not allowed to place a kitchen above the living area of neighbors on the floor below.

However, you can combine the kitchen and living room if you have an electric stove installed. Or move the kitchen to a corridor or storage room, provided that you previously allocate five square meters for placing the kitchen niche. In this case, all equipment must remain in its original position.

Expanding the area by using space from the bathroom and living room.

Demolishing or relocating ventilation channels.

Reducing the kitchen area to less than five square meters.

Important:

To switch from a gas stove to an electric one, you need to get approval from the gas service (and sometimes other organizations) — this is due to increasing the electrical power supply required for operating the new stove.

What cannot be changed in the living room?

Moving or demolishing load-bearing columns and walls.

This type of redesign will definitely not be approved — relocating can harm the structural integrity of the building. This is dangerous.

Increasing the living room area by using space from the bathroom and kitchen.

This is something only residents of upper floors can do; others won't be allowed to make such changes.

Breaking down the wall between a bedroom and a kitchen with a gas stove.

There are exceptions though: if the partition is non-load-bearing and you have replaced the gas stove with an electric one, it's possible to remove the wall. But you'll need to install a hermetic sliding partition between functional zones.

What cannot be changed in the bedroom?

Connecting to the common heating system for installing water-based radiant floors (and not only them).

Demolishing a load-bearing wall to connect the balcony to the room.

What cannot be changed in the bathroom?

Moving the bathroom any distance away.

Your 'wet' zones must be located directly above the 'wet' zones of neighbors.

Ignoring floor waterproofing.

Removing the threshold between the bathroom and corridor.

Creating an exit from the bathroom into a living room.

The exit from the bathroom must lead to the corridor or hall. However, there are exceptions: in apartments with two bathrooms, one can lead to the corridor, while another can lead to the bedroom.

What cannot be changed on the balcony or loggia?

Relocating radiators from a room to an attached loggia.

Combining the balcony and room without installing a French window and checking the wall you intend to demolish.

Removing the threshold between the balcony and room (in panel buildings).

Extending the balcony and altering the external appearance of the building.