Mansards – solution to avoid roof renovation expenditures. Analysis by Info-Prim Neo

The new local administration of Chisinau says it can shun away the responsibility of renovating the roofs of the apartment blocks in Chisinau if they allow the construction of mansard roofs. Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca proposed that the General Housing-Communal Division (GHCD) surveys the public opinion on the matter. Under the legislation in operation, in order to initiate such constructions, 75% of the block’s inhabitants must agree to it. GHCD deputy head Petru Gontea says that people are reluctant to agree for the moment. Some of them ask for a renovation of their flat or country house in exchange for their consent. Even so, says Gontea, any en masse construction of mansard roofs is too late for this year. However, it would be a good idea for the future. In this way, the large expenditures on renovating roofs would be significantly diminished. Petru Gontea suggested the Mayor to allocate for the next heating season only funds for the current renovation. [No legislation on mansard roof construction] Mansard roof are a good solution for the creation of new housing, without allocating additional plots. The previous Chisinau City Council wasn’t able to examine and pass the legislation about the construction of mansard roofs, even though the Commission for Construction and Architecture approved back in early 2006 such a document. Legislation is needed in order to expertise the apartment blocks. Only after that the investors could start the works. [The construction of mansard roofs started in 2004] Chisinau already has apartment blocks with mansard roof, which were built, obviously, without any legal backing from the City Council. The constructions began in 2004, as a result of housing shortage, the higher prices of plots and the necessity of renovating the old buildings. The idea was borrowed from the experience of other countries: Romania, Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic countries, Poland and Denmark. Mansard roof apartments are cheaper – affordable for young families. Mansard roof are also fit for administrative space or even commercial. Furthermore, they can contribute to the aesthetic aspect of the city. [Only one mansard roof officially built] City authorities expressed their interest last year in building mansards for 4 living blocks on Trandafirilor Street, Botanica district. The so-called “pilot project” for the construction of the first mansard roof ended in April this year, with the renovation of the building altogether. The mansard roof covers a total area of 1500 square meters of 20 apartments. All of the flats have thermopane windows and autonomous heating systems. They are connected to water, gas and sewerage. Moreover, the whole building was thermally isolated and landscape gardening was executed. These works were funded by the same economic agent that built the mansard. All of the 20 apartments were already put up for sale, the price of a square meter reaching 450 USD. [Renovating the roofs and interior networks costs at least 60 million lei] The privatisation of the living space didn’t change the attitude of the citizens towards their building blocks. Neither rights, nor obligations have been established about the common property. The inhabitants continue to ask for subsidies for the maintenance and sanitation of the blocks and front yards. The housing administration is now in a critical situation. Most of the buildings in Chisinau look bad and the networks are old. 60% of the interior networks and 30% of roof surfaces require urgent renovation. The minimal expenditures are estimated at 60 million lei. Meanwhile, the building administration staff doesn’t have any legislation to make the inhabitants contribute to the building maintenance. In case the mansard roof will be accepted, a part of the expenditures will be covered by the economic agents that will build them. [Apartment blocks of 102-type are most indicated for mansard roofs] The economic agents that are going to do the construction works will be obliged to offer into the communal-housing fund 10% of the mansard areas. The buildings will be selected by the Chisinau City Council, even if they are privatised buildings or cooperatives. Most likely that on the Stefan cel Mare Boulevard the construction of mansard roofs will be prohibited. Many of the buildings here are historical monuments and are not allowed to be renovated. According to experts, most indicated buildings for mansard roofs are type 102 apartment blocks. These are more resistant to earthquakes and don’t need a complicated technical expertise, comparing to other buildings in the city.