Apartments located on the ground floor are not particularly popular, as they often do not have balconies.
For some this does not create problems, but still a balcony is a useful part of the apartment.
There you can store bicycles, unnecessary things, arrange a comfortable living room, or simply hang laundry and breathe fresh air.
But it is possible to solve the problem of the lack of a balcony in an apartment on the first floor. Nowadays, it is a common practice to add additional structures to a house; there are companies specializing in this.
But in addition to investing in materials and work, it is also necessary to legitimize construction in the relevant authorities .
What do you have to fork out for?
Let’s say right away that expanding the living space on the ground floor is not a cheap pleasure. The price of building balconies on the first floor is affected by:
- resolving the issue of redevelopment;
- construction works.
Many people prefer to ignore the first point altogether and simply do what they need. For some, of course, this is an option, but it should be remembered that by doing this, the citizen cuts off the opportunity to carry out legal actions with the apartment.
That is, it will not be possible to transfer the property by gift or as an inheritance, or to sell it, or to use it as collateral. After all, any redevelopment involves making changes to the apartment’s registration certificate.
In general, the cases when the authorities nodded their heads in agreement after seeing such initiative can be counted on one hand. Much more often, the owner was given an order to remove his “handicrafts” from the wall of the house and return the facade to its previous appearance.
FAQ
We tried to provide answers to the most asked questions of construction forums. Follow the updates to keep abreast of legislative changes and benefit from the experience of predecessors.
- Is it possible to add a balcony on the 9th floor?
It is almost impossible to legalize the construction. It is not aesthetically pleasing and poses a great threat to residents. For safety reasons, it must be mounted on beams due to the additional load on the structure. And this is fraught with consequences.
- Having built a balcony without a package of documents, will I receive ownership of it?
It is impossible to completely guarantee that self-building will be legalized. To legalize, you must have permits. When considering a case on recognition of ownership rights, the court may make a positive decision or oblige the dismantling of improvements, returning the building to its previous appearance.
- Is it possible to reconstruct an apartment if I live in the historical part of the city?
In the historical part of the city, houses have architectural value. Any change to the facade, especially if it faces the main street, is unacceptable.
It is possible to expand your living space by adding square meters. But redevelopment is sometimes too expensive. Before you start work, weigh the pros and cons.
What authorities will have to be bypassed?
So where to go:
- a project is drawn up in a design organization;
- the water utility, gas workers and other supervisory authorities must approve it;
- the project is approved by the Department of Architecture and Construction.
- What documents will the department require:
- title deed;
- balcony project;
- application for redevelopment;
- documented “good” from utility companies;
- written consent of neighbors;
- photo of the building;
- certificate from the BTI.
Application for approval of redevelopment.
Written consent of neighbors.
Impressive? Add here that the application will be considered in up to forty-five days, and going through the authorities and collecting all the papers takes from four months to a year .
Moreover, it is not at all a fact that the authorities’ response will be positive. Otherwise, all the houses would be completely covered with balconies.
Attach a balcony to the apartment. What requirements must be submitted in court to legalize a balcony?
Let us recall that according to Article 15 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, the total area of a residential premises consists of the sum of the area of all parts of such premises, including the area of auxiliary premises intended to satisfy citizens' household and other needs related to their residence in residential premises, with the exception of balconies and loggias , verandas and terraces.
It follows from this that asking the court to recognize the ownership of an unauthorized balcony will not be correct or correct, because the balcony is not a residential premises and its area is not included in the total area of the apartment. In addition, a balcony is not an independent premises, the right to which can be registered with the registration authority.
Therefore, we believe that the court should be asked to preserve the apartment in a redesigned and refurbished state, taking into account the erected balcony, and to preserve the residential building in a reconstructed state, taking into account the erected balcony to the apartment.
In the event that an unauthorized balcony is combined with a living room or kitchen, as a result of which the total area of the apartment has increased, then the court should be asked to recognize the ownership of the newly created object - an apartment of a larger area according to the rules of Article 222 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation on unauthorized construction.
Before going to court, you should take care of collecting evidence to substantiate your claims. In particular, the following are required: a design for the installation of an extension - a balcony, a conclusion on the compliance of the installed balcony with all construction and sanitary norms and regulations, a decision of the general meeting of owners of the premises of the house that the owners do not object to the existing balcony and the preservation of the house in a reconstructed form.
Why can they refuse?
The following reasons exist:
- the balcony will threaten the safety of the building;
- the building is an architectural monument;
- the extension will damage the façade of the building or damage communications;
- the house is located in the city center.
Those who are bolder attach a balcony to a panel house, and then get it approved through the courts. To some extent, this is an advantage - a judge has more scope for making decisions than an official . It is enough to invite experts to court, and the judge will hear their opinion.
After the authorities have given the go-ahead for the extension of the balcony (or the existing extension has been legalized):
- a commission from the housing inspection draws up a report of the work done;
- ownership of the apartment is re-registered with the Rosreestr department;
- The registration certificate is reissued at the BTI.
Two ways to build an extension
There are 2 ways to build a balcony on the first floor. They differ from each other in technology and level of complexity. So, the balcony on the first floor can be made attached and suspended.
Extension balcony
Extension of a balcony or loggia
First, let's look at the stages of work that need to be performed with the attached structure:
- Marking the foundation. If you do everything yourself, then first you need to mark a rectangle and check the correctness of the procedure. Pay attention to uneven surfaces that may interfere with proper marking. So, you need to draw diagonals. In cases where the length of both diagonals coincides, we can talk about correctly carried out markings. Then the balcony on the first floor will be level and stable. Drive pegs into all four corners to secure the twine to them. Start digging a pit along the twine.
- Construction of the foundation. In order for the balcony to be stable, it is necessary to build a strong and reliable foundation. It is recommended to use reinforced concrete blocks. Make sure that the foundation height of the future structure and the house itself remains at the same level.
- Waterproofing issues. For some reason, some people treat the issue of waterproofing when building a balcony on the first floor carelessly. You may greatly regret this later. If you want the extension to last a long time, and its walls to have a decent level of protection from groundwater, you will have to do good waterproofing. The waterproofing layer must be laid 0.1 meters above the blind area. If you plan to build a basement under the balcony, then you will have to do double waterproofing.
- Construction of the ceiling. In most cases, the ceiling acts as a floor for the balcony. When laying it, make sure that the reinforcement coincides with the places of maximum stretching of the slabs. This is important for the stability of the structure.
- Walling. Most often, brick is used for this. Build the side walls so that they correspond to the maximum height of the extension. Naturally, the front wall must be built up to the glazing point. As for the thickness of the masonry, make it 25 centimeters.
- Roof construction. To lay the roof evenly, you need to build a frame made of wood. Make the frame at an angle so that rain and melt water can easily flow down the inclined plane. The roof can be made of slate or corrugated board. Choose the material based on your preferences. You can find out how much this or that invoice costs from specialists or on the Internet. It is important that you pay special attention to the joints. They must be surrounded by galvanized steel to prevent leaks. And to avoid the accumulation of condensation, provide a layer of insulation between the roof and the frame.
- Installation of doors and windows. If you install your windows correctly, you can ensure your extension stays warm.
- Finishing. During façade work, consider the style in which the main building is finished. When decorating interiors, you have a huge selection of materials at your disposal. Decide for yourself what to choose. You can use wood, tile or paint. Some combine several types of finishes at once to make their fantasies come true. The main thing is that you and your loved ones like everything.
Hanging balcony
Installation and glazing of balconies
Stages of working with a suspended structure:
- First you need to purchase a door that you will use to enter the future balcony. After this, you can begin work on dismantling the old window. Then an opening is made that fully corresponds to the parameters of the front door. When all the procedures have been completed, you can begin installing the balcony.
- The role of frames will be steel corners that are mounted in the wall. Approach this issue with special care, since the stability of the future structure depends on the reliability of fastening the corners.
- Attach a steel sheet to the frame - you can use galvanized sheet. After this, lay an insulated floor on its surface. On the ground floor we must build a warm balcony, which will be comfortable to be on even in winter.
- Based on the dimensions of the future structure, install a metal canopy. It is necessary to stretch a membrane over it for waterproofing. Screw a wooden sheathing on top.
As for the roof, you can use ondulin. By the way, this material is quite affordable. You can find out how much ondulin costs in any store that specializes in building materials. It copes well with the tasks assigned to it, looks beautiful from the outside and extinguishes raindrops without making noise.
- When the hanging frame is ready, secure the parts of the future structure. Approach the issue of sealing seams with special care. Use corrugated sheeting to cover the lower part.
- The last stage is finishing the inside. This also includes the installation of lighting fixtures.
Price factors
Simply building a balcony, without any intermediaries, will of course cost less . According to builders, the lower limit begins at 100,000 rubles . However, add here the epic chain of command and it is not at all a fact that they are all ready to give their consent for free.
You should also take a close look at the company that is developing the balcony installation project. The services of a competent designer, who takes into account all the location of communications and all possible quibbles of the authorities, simply cannot be cheap.
Intermediary services
Many residents who want to expand their living environment in a brick house turn to the services of intermediary companies. Thus, running around the authorities is significantly simplified, and construction begins immediately after the conclusion of the contract - after all, such organizations have the necessary connections in the administration and obtaining their consent is a matter of time.
They also have experienced lawyers who will not allow the project to run into “pitfalls” when trying to legitimize it.
If you decide to hide under the reliable protection of an intermediary company, you will have to fork out another 60 - 100 thousand in 4-5 months . Is it profitable to build a balcony in this situation?
Keep in mind that when selling, the cost of such housing increases by 200-500 thousand rubles (depending on the region).
Of course, when choosing a company, you need to pay special attention. Immediately dismiss those who promise to bring you all the agreed documents in two to three weeks . Even with the mediation of a company, this moment cannot be quick.
The price for making a balcony on the 1st floor depends on the company’s experience in the service market (at least 10 years) and its reputation.
How to reduce costs?
It depends on what you are willing to save on. Many companies provide free measurements as a promotion. Maybe you are ready to be patient and go through all the steps yourself.
Sometimes it is cheaper to legalize an existing extension through the court - however, for the success of this case you need a qualified lawyer, whose services will also require certain expenses.
Claim for redevelopment.
Whatever option you choose, it’s best not to rely on yourself, because going through offices and “windows” can lead to the fact that already in the middle of this epic you are disgusted with the very idea of expanding your living space. It is better to stock up on money and patience and do not skimp on the services of those who will protect you.
