Owners of apartments on the ground floor of high-rise buildings are often deprived of such a privilege as a balcony. But this is a small, but functional additional space, which is often used for storing various things, conservation, etc. You can go out onto the balcony just to get some air. Therefore, many owners of apartments on the ground floor cannot come to terms with its absence. They decide to add a balcony. This procedure will be discussed later.
Possible difficulties
The attached balconies (pictured below) look solid as no permits can be obtained for the flimsy structure.
Not only this condition must be met by the owner of the apartment in order to implement his plan. It is worth noting that, in theory, any resident of an apartment building can attach a balcony, regardless of the floor of their residence. However, in some cases this is a very complex process. The easiest way to add additional living space is on the first floor.
However, putting this idea into practice can be difficult for many reasons. You need to get permission to add a balcony, as this work belongs to the category of reconstruction. You will need to collect the relevant papers, prepare documents. Their list will be no less than when building a house from scratch.
Difficulties arise if the building is built in the historical part of the city. Any changes can disrupt the special perception of the object, so the owners of apartments in such houses are often refused to carry out such work. But in typical high-rise buildings, such difficulties do not arise. The easiest way to get permission is for residents of residential areas. This document is issued in the Russian Federation in an organization that protects architectural monuments.
Another difficulty that residents of the first floor face when obtaining permission is the need to collect signatures from all neighbors. This is a mandatory requirement, since the house is shared, like all its walls. If one of the neighbors refuses to sign, there will also be a refusal to carry out construction work.
You also need to properly prepare the documents that will need to be approved by the relevant authorities. The reconstruction project must be created in accordance with existing rules and regulations. Otherwise, the extension may be dangerous, it will be recognized as illegal.
How do I get permission?
Whether it is possible to attach a balcony depends onmany factors. It is necessary to prepare the appropriate package of documents. They are forwarded to the appropriate authorities. First, you will need a document on the person's ownership of this apartment. This may be a contract of sale, deed of gift, the right of inheritance, as well as privatization papers. You also need a passport and its photocopies, an identification code.
If the surname does not match in the passport and property documents (even by one letter), you need to prepare a certificate of its change.
Upon request, a registration certificate of the apartment is presented, which must be drawn up no later than 12 months ago. You also need to take a certificate from the housing office on the composition of the family (the number of people registered in the apartment).
You also need to submit signatures of neighbors who live on the floor above and in close proximity to the apartment, agreeing to carry out such work. This document must be certified by a notary. The collected papers are sent to the city or regional administration.
To attach a balcony in a panel house or other high-rise building, you should get a sketch of the construction site in the architecture department. This is a paid service that costs about 8 thousand rubles. The plan is necessary for the proper conduct of construction work. Without it, you can make a mistake, due to which the design will be unstable and unsafe. Therefore, in the building department in your city, you need to get the appropriate sketch.
In addition, permission is also obtained in the city water utility, power grid, gas service and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Duringvisits to each instance will need to pay the established fees, which depend on the size of the future balcony. It is also worth considering that after the completion of the construction process, it will be necessary to present the building to representatives of inspection organizations. Only after that it will be possible to obtain a registration certificate confirming the legality of the extension, allowing its operation.
Steps in the process of creating an extension
When considering how to attach a balcony to an apartment, you should pay attention to the legal procedure for this process.
If you build a balcony without permission, this is punishable by a fine, and the citizen will also be required to dismantle the extension at their own expense. This procedure is regulated by the courts.
The general legal mechanism consists of the following steps:
- The owner of the apartment obtains consent from all other owners of neighboring apartments, for example at a general meeting or by collecting signatures. This is a mandatory action, since during the construction the external wall of the house, which is a common shared property, will be affected. Also, the balcony, which will be built on the first floor, may prevent residents from accessing the land, which is also in the common shared ownership of the apartment owners. Therefore, a voluntary agreement of the owners is mandatory.
- Preparation of permits and project documentation. Engineering surveys are necessarily carried out by the appropriate specialist who is involved in thiscontract procedures. In the same order, project documentation is drawn up, and its further examination is carried out. The listed documents allow you to obtain a building permit, which is issued by local governments.
- After that, you can attach a balcony on the first floor in accordance with the developed plan.
- Acceptance of the reconstruction, after which the owner of the apartment receives a certificate of commissioning of the facility. This is the main document that allows you to get ownership of the apartment with new additions.
When can't I add a balcony?
There are situations when you can not attach a balcony to the house. In this case, you should forget about such an idea altogether.
Rejection will be received with a 100% guarantee in the following cases:
- The windows of the apartment, to which additional living space needs to be completed, overlook the central street of the city.
- The house is recognized as a monument of history, architecture.
- The extension spoils the overall look of the house, as the facade, for example, is made in a classic style, and the owners want to complete the balcony with modern materials, such as high-tech.
- Reconstruction can damage the building. This is possible if the house is old or there are slight deformations on its walls. During construction work, they can become larger, which will lead to the destruction of the wall or the house in general.
- Technologies, building materials do not meet modern requirements of SNiP, SanPiN, etc.
- Reconstruction involves the destruction of the load-bearing wall.
- Underground utilities approach the surface closer than 2.5 m from the future attached balcony on the first floor.
These are the main cases when reconstruction will have to be abandoned. There may be other reasons for the failure, which are determined during inspections at all stages of the work. If the balcony was not built in accordance with the approved plan, its operation will be impossible. To avoid significant financial costs, you need to perform construction work in accordance with all existing rules and regulations.
Foundation
You can attach a balcony on the ground floor in many ways. The technology depends on the dimensions of the structure, the condition of the load-bearing walls, etc. If the extension is large, heavy, you can not do without arranging the foundation. Small, relatively light structures can be equipped with special supporting structures.
To make the foundation correctly, you need to assess the characteristics of the soil and climate in the area. Be sure to need information about how deep the soil freezes in winter. The foundation must be built below this boundary. This is a mandatory requirement, otherwise the structure is deformed. Because of this, the extension may also collapse.
The foundation should run along the perimeter of the entire balcony. The extension can be installed only near one room or capture 2-3 rooms at once. Taking into account the configuration of the balcony, it is created andfoundation.
The base of the future extension can be done in different ways. It can be just a columnar structure, the elements of which are located at a distance of 50 cm from each other. If it is planned to make a small cellar at the base of the balcony, a strip foundation is equipped. It is a strip of concrete that runs along the entire perimeter of the extension.
If the soil in this area is unsteady, and groundwater comes close to the surface, it will be necessary to create a pile foundation. The height and appearance of the base is chosen in accordance with the general appearance of the house. It is necessary to use a special backfill of gravel and sand, waterproofing and other materials required for the construction of the foundation.
Floorings, walls
The attached balcony on the first floor must be strong, stable, reliable. Also, it should be combined with the design of the facade of the building itself. An ordinary reinforced concrete slab can be used as an overlap. It will serve as the floor in the future extension. In modern construction, plates with standard dimensions are used. Their width can be 1.2-1.8 m, and the length varies from 3 to 6 m.
Inside the balcony, you can arrange the flooring according to your preferences. But it is better to insulate the overlap. For this, different materials are used, for example, expanded clay, mineral wool, polystyrene foam, etc. There are many options, but it is worth choosing the safest method. Mineral wool is best suited for these purposes. For floor mountinga frame is mounted, between the beams of which mineral thermal insulation is laid.
Sheets of plywood are laid on top, and waterproofing should be under the cotton wool. So it will be possible to avoid heat loss during the cold period.
The walls on the balcony must be strong. To do this, create partitions with a minimum thickness of 25 cm. Brick is best suited for these purposes. It is necessary to choose varieties that are not exposed to moisture and adverse weather conditions. Glazing should be provided at the front of the wall.
It is also recommended to insulate the wall from the outside. When choosing a finish for an extension, you need to take into account the design features of the existing facade. It is necessary to harmoniously fit the extension into the overall concept. Otherwise, you may not even get a building permit.
Open design
A balcony attached to a house may not have walls up to the top floor. In some cases, it is enough for the owners to create an open structure. This balcony has several advantages. This is a lightweight structure that does not need a foundation, which significantly reduces the cost of the construction process. In this case, it will be much more difficult to make a mistake, so it will be easier to put the extension into operation.
The disadvantage of the open structure on the ground floor is its inability to protect things stored here from uninvited guests. These can be both people and birds, animals. Open balconies are intended solely forthe hosts could breathe fresh air. But you can't store things here.
Creating an open balcony
For mounting an open structure, racks made of a durable metal profile are mounted under the balcony. They look like corners, one side of which is attached to the wall of the house, and the other will support the balcony. Such structural elements are located at a distance of 50 cm from each other.
The extension of the balcony involves its installation on top of the metal corners. To do this, you need to purchase the appropriate profile. It is necessary to sheathe such a balcony with durable material that is not afraid of shocks, weather influences. Next, you need to finish the floor inside the extension with a material that is not afraid of water. This, for example, can be a deck board. It is also necessary to provide a drain for water and melted snow in the design.
Roof
Performing an extension of the balcony, you need to equip the roof. It will protect the interior from precipitation. An inclined structure is mounted from the wall of the building. To do this, use a metal profile or wooden beams.
Next, the crate is mounted, and any roofing material is laid on it (preferably light). If the balcony is insulated, thermal insulation is also installed on the roof. A galvanized belt is installed at the point of contact between the structure and the wall of the house. It should extend a few centimeters to the wall of the house to protect the balcony from moisture.
Exit to the balcony
Completing the extension of the balcony, you need to make an exit from the apartment. The window is dismantled, and part of the wall is dismantled. Next, install a balconyblock. The opening for it should have standard dimensions. Otherwise, you will have to order a window and a door according to an individual project.
