Can You Move the Kitchen or Bathroom in an Apartment

You can relocate kitchen or bathroom in a Moscow apartment only where the floor plan allows: the new wet area must not sit above neighbors' dry living rooms below, and sewer, risers, slopes, and ventilation must support safe operation. Any relocation requires approval before chasing walls — otherwise you risk fines, orders to restore layout, and flooding neighbors.

Profmaster has delivered turnkey apartment renovation in Moscow and the region since 2006. Below is how to check feasibility, what goes into the project, and how not to confuse a convenient idea with engineering reality. This article is informational and not legal advice.

Official materials: layout changes on mos.ru, MGI key information.

What counts as a wet area

In short: wet areas are rooms and zones with regular water supply and drainage.

Zone	Typical equipment	Engineering load
Bathroom	Toilet, basin, shower/bath	Sewer, hot/cold water, ventilation
Kitchen	Sink, dishwasher, sometimes washer	Water, sewer, electrical, gas/extract
Laundry nook	Washer, dryer	Water, sewer, electrical
Shower room	Tray, hydro equipment	Waterproofing, slopes, ventilation

If you simplify: if water drains there regularly, it is not a “normal room” — it is an engineering node with higher waterproofing and neighbor risk.

The main rule: what is below you and below neighbors

In short: do not place wet areas above neighbors' dry living rooms unless the building project allows it.

New wet-area location	Typical assessment
Above neighbor's bathroom/kitchen below	More often allowed with correct engineering
Above neighbor's hall/storage	Depends on building project
Above neighbor's bedroom/living room	Usually not allowed
Above your own bedroom/living room	Often not allowed or needs special solution
In technical corridor/shaft zone	Check on floor plan

The floor plan is the first document a designer requests. Without it, discussing relocation is pointless: a designer can draw a shower in a bedroom, but MGI may not approve it.

Main risk: copying a magazine layout without checking building structure.

Bathroom relocation: engineering limits

In short: toilet and shower move only as far as sewer slope and floor height allow.

What affects allowable pipe routing:

• distance to sewer riser;
• pipe diameter and number of bends;
• need for platform or raised floor for slope;
• depth of chases in slab — often limited;
• access hatches and revisions;
• ventilation shaft — cannot be taken for furniture.

Task	Typical engineering solution
Moving toilet 1–2 m	New routing with slope within platform
Moving far from riser	Platform, sometimes pump scheme — per project
Combining bath and toilet	Sewer reroute, new slopes
Second bathroom	Riser connection, ventilation, waterproofing

Practical bathroom checklist: combined bathroom checklist. Bathroom budget guide: bathroom renovation cost — after site visit.

Kitchen relocation: water, gas, ventilation

In short: kitchen is wet area plus high electrical and sometimes gas load.

When moving kitchen, check:

• sewer slope for sink;
• water pressure and pipe diameter;
• whether location is allowed above rooms below;
• gas behavior if present;
• kitchen extract route;
• electrical capacity for hob and oven.

Scenario	What is usually approved
Moving sink along kitchen wall	Reconfiguration
Kitchen in former bedroom	Layout + reconfiguration
Merging kitchen and living room	See merging rules
Moving gas hob	Separate gas approval

What needs approval and what does not

Action	Approval	Comment
Moving toilet/shower within bathroom	Yes	Reconfiguration changes
Expanding bathroom into hall	Yes	Plan changes
Moving kitchen sink	Yes	Water and sewer
Bath to shower without moving drain	Often yes	Waterproofing and junctions
Tile refresh without moving points	Usually no	If plan and pipes unchanged
Moving washer to hall	Depends on project	New wet point

Waterproofing and neighbor liability

In short: wet-zone relocation always raises leak risk; saving on waterproofing leads to opening finished work at your home and neighbors'.

Minimum project and site package:

• two-layer floor and wall waterproofing in wet zone;
• correct junctions at trays, toilet, shower base;
• height reserve for sewer slope;
• proper slab penetrations;
• system test before tiling.

Main risk: a “thin” floor without platform where slope cannot be met — clogs and overflows appear after handover.

Checklist before moving a wet zone

• Building floor plan obtained.
• What is below new zone on lower floor checked.
• Distance to sewer and water risers defined.
• Slope feasibility without damaging slab structure assessed.
• Ventilation shafts checked — not previously sealed.
• Gas presence and kitchen impact confirmed.
• Layout/reconfiguration project ordered.
• Permit obtained before chases and demolition.
• Estimate lists waterproofing, platform, MEP, approval separately.
• Wet-zone electrical agreed — electrical plan.
• Access hatches and revisions planned after finish.
• Testing sequence before closing tile understood.

Risks, consequences, and prevention

Risk	Consequence	Prevention
Wet zone above neighbor's bedroom	MGI rejection, leaks, disputes	Floor plan check before design
Insufficient sewer slope	Clogs, odor, floor rework	Calculation in project, platform
Chasing slab without project	Slab damage, rejection	Technical solution and permit
Weak waterproofing	Neighbor flooding, repair at your cost	Two-layer waterproofing and test
Sealed ventilation	Mold, condensation	Keep/relocate duct per project
Work without approval	Fine, restoration	Project before start
No access hatches	Unserviceable hidden nodes	Hatches in estimate

Link to full renovation and budget

Wet-zone relocation usually increases:

• demolition and rough work;
• plumbing and waterproofing cost;
• approval timeline;
• electrical and ventilation requirements;
• hidden defect risk in resale stock.

In resale apartments, audit actual pipes before design — resale checklist. Broader approval context: layout approval 2026.

Preliminary capital renovation guide: calculator; exact total with kitchen or bathroom move is fixed after site visit.

When to contact Profmaster

Contact Profmaster if you plan kitchen or bathroom relocation within capital renovation and want engineering and finishing calculated upfront, not “as we go.”

We are a fit when:

• turnkey renovation with plumbing, waterproofing, and tile is needed;
• routes must be agreed before floors and walls close;
• multiple wet zones or non-standard layout is planned;
• full MEP is needed with electrical planning;
• you want one team for the full cycle.

The company has worked since 2006. Approval design is done by a licensed organization; we build renovation to the approved scheme.

Request via services or contacts.

Summary

Kitchen or bathroom relocation works only where floor plan and project confirm it: allowable position over neighbors, working slopes, ventilation, and waterproofing. Without approval, such work is a direct path to leaks, fines, and paying for renovation twice.

In short: floor plan and project first, then chases. A wet zone is responsibility to MGI and to neighbors below.

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Disclaimer: for information only, not legal advice. Feasibility depends on building type, floor plan, and approving authorities. Current process on mos.ru.