The head of the housing association whose building was voted the best in Tartu: “If someone is willing to take the lead in renovating the house, appreciate them”

Historic wooden house at Tähe 38 in Tartu was awarded the title of the city’s best-renovated apartment building in 2025. The people of Tartu also voted it as the winner of the public vote. But these outstanding achievements did not come easy. Behind them lies six years of dedicated and detail-oriented renovation work led by Silver Koppel, head of the apartment association. We asked him how did one of the first apartment buildings renovated with funding from LHV undergo such an impressive transformation, what was the most challenging aspect of the project, and what advice would he give to other housing associations facing this significant undertaking.

To start, tell us a bit about this building. What makes Tähe 38 special?

The architecture itself is what makes it special. It is a stately building constructed in the early 20th century, which comes across more as a grand and uniform family home than as a regular apartment building. Wooden ornaments, mouldings, symmetry and beautiful protruding features create a truly beautiful overall impression. I also like the fact that the house is set back slightly from the kerb and has a small green space in front of it, which lends it an even more majestic air compared to the houses directly lining the street.

How did you come to be involved in the management of the apartment association, and what has motivated you to look after this building with such dedication?

I moved there nine years ago and bought an apartment, 50 square metres of which was ready to move in, with the potential to add another 50 square metres in the future by converting the loft. At first, living on my own, there was plenty of space, but once I started a family, the place became a bit cramped.

It made sense to combine the renovation of our building with the extension of our own apartment to avoid several costly alterations later on. This enabled me to install a new heating pipework in my apartment when we converted the whole building to district heating. We were also able to build courtyard-side dormers for the entire building in a uniform style, as required by the city.

By that point, there were no longer any particularly motivated and active leaders in the building. Although I hadn’t consciously sought this role, the responsibility landed on me. Since someone had to get things moving and tie up the loose ends, I took it upon myself. That’s how this role somehow ended up in my hands quite naturally.

Following a public vote, the city of Tartu awarded your house the prize for the best-renovated apartment building in 2025. What does this recognition mean for you and the other residents?

For me, this mainly means that this complex process that lasted for six years was not for nothing. After all, all of this came largely at the expense of my own family, work and hobbies – things that other members of the apartment association often don’t see or realize. The recognition from the city of Tartu and its residents is a great honour for all of us and a token of appreciation for the work we have done, and it certainly came as a surprise.

Since it was the first large and complex renovation project that I had ever managed, not all of my decisions were fully thought through at the start. The fact that, despite my lack of experience, I managed to achieve a result that was rated the best in the city is a great motivation for the future.

During this lengthy process, I also discovered something important for myself: I realised that I actually really enjoy organising and managing construction projects like this. I feel I’m quite good at this because I can foresee the construction process a few steps ahead and, if necessary, come up with solutions on the spot.

Thanks to the experience and confidence I gained from this project, I made a complete career change and now work in the field of renovating houses and apartments. This hobby and running the association have now become my new career. I absolutely love creating something new, or turning something old into something fresh and beautiful that will last for another hundred years.

When you think back to what the house was like before the renovation and what it’s like now, what gives you the greatest joy?

At the moment, this house is a real gem. When I’m home and look out of the window, I very often notice people stopping in the street, admiring our house and taking photos of it. It always makes me feel very proud and warm inside.

When I moved into this house, I saw the value in the building’s great potential, its history and the people living there. Now, this feeling is complete because good people are finally living in a genuinely good environment. We have lots of children in the house, and our courtyard is like a little piece of Bullerby where they can safely run around together and create fantastic memories.

Were there any particularly difficult moments that you had to overcome together?

Of course there were clashes of opinion and difficult moments, because renovation work inevitably causes inconveniences to residents and disrupts their daily routine. If you are not actively involved in the process yourself, it is difficult to understand why there are piles of building materials in front of the house or why, for two weeks already, nothing seems to be happening on the site. There are always different kinds of people in an apartment association, and some see things from a different perspective or let their emotions work against making decisions. For me, it was a wonderful lesson and experience in how to stay focused, resolve conflicts, use diplomacy and complete the process successfully despite the obstacles.

It was one of the first apartment buildings whose renovation was funded by LHV. How would you describe your collaboration with LHV?

I also know that we were one of the first apartment associations in Estonia to take out a renovation loan from LHV. Perhaps thanks to this timing right at the start, we were able to finalise the contract and secure the loan decision a little more smoothly and easily. I have been very satisfied with the collaboration right from the start. Because of that, I have also brought projects from other housing associations to LHV in my new role. I have my own account manager at LHV, whom I can write directly to ask for initial estimates regarding renovation funds and options. Information always moves quickly and the replies are very professional. I am extremely satisfied with the quality of the service.

What were the most important factors for your apartment association in deciding to take out the loan from LHV?

To be honest, there weren’t many options available to apartment associations on the market at that time. Apart from LHV, Swedbank was essentially the only other bank to offer a loan. However, we received an offer from them with much more complex and rigid preconditions and a significantly higher interest rate. LHV had just launched its new product for apartment associations; this offer was more financially attractive, and the bank’s overall approach was much more flexible and supportive. So, for us, making that choice was quite simple and logical.

Have other neighbouring apartment associations come to ask for advice or congratulate you after the renovation and the recognition you received?

Absolutely, there has been a great deal of interest. While previously, this house used to be known mainly as an old funeral parlour or as the place where a famous hippie once lived, today’s young people and the area’s new residents are no longer aware of this history. They judge our house solely on the basis of its beautiful appearance. Thanks to the renovation, our building in the Karlova district has gained a whole new meaning and value.

If any apartment association is currently facing a similar decision – whether and how to renovate their building – what advice would you give them, based on your own experience?

Firstly, make a conscious decision to invest more time and money during the design phase. A well-prepared and detailed construction project saves a great deal of stress and time during the construction phase and prevents unexpected costs. A detailed project also makes it much easier to negotiate terms and prices with the builder. Due to my lack of experience at the start, I overlooked a lot of details, and we had to start making those decisions on the go, right there on the building site.

Secondly, make that decision and renovate as soon as possible! All construction costs and materials are only going to get more expensive, and the situation won’t be any better next year. It would be wiser to act now. The monthly reconstruction fund for our apartment building is currently around 2.2 euros per square metre, but I’m already seeing new borrowers paying 2.5 euros, and even 3–4 euros per square metre. The difference is noticeable.

Thirdly, I would really like to emphasise this: if there is even one person in your building who is genuinely willing to devote their free time, energy and motivation to undertake this massive renovation project, please value them. Don’t look for made-up reasons not to do things, and don’t kill that person’s enthusiasm by arguing amongst yourselves in the association. Such dedication is rare these days. Trust me, no external project manager brought in from outside will ever carry out this difficult task with the same passion, care and dedication as someone who lives in that very same building.