How to enlarge a window opening, what exactly needs to be done

Large windows in a house or apartment are the dream of many. But often, the size of window openings in existing buildings does not allow the installation of the desired panoramic structure. Especially when it comes to buildings erected during the USSR, where the standards, trends and tendencies in architecture were completely different.

And it is logical that in such a situation many people think about expanding the window opening. And they don’t even know that arbitrariness in this matter is unacceptable: such an event requires mandatory approval from the supervisory authorities. But why is that? How to get permission? What can be done in different types of houses? What technologies are used in modern construction? The Smart Windows team knows the answers to these questions and is ready to share them with all readers of our blog!

Is it possible to enlarge a window in a panel house?

Have you decided to remodel your apartment? Or are you doing a major renovation? When planning changes, many people want to change the size or shape of standard windows. This process is labor-intensive and will require a lot of effort from homeowners, but it is in demand and is popular.

It should be noted: the redevelopment of window openings is strictly regulated by the state and before starting work it is necessary to obtain permission from the regulatory authorities. We share useful tips on the topic with you in this material!

How to make a window smaller yourself

It’s great if an apartment or house meets all the requirements of discerning owners. However, this can be achieved by doing the construction yourself, and even then not always. Therefore, when moving into a new, but secondary housing, the owners strive to improve it and remodel it to their own taste. Usually, many people are not satisfied with window openings - there are either many of them, or they are not of the size that would be more functional. Let's look at how to make a window smaller.

Wooden window block.

Before deciding to install a small window, you need to ask whether it is really necessary. For example, in children's rooms and bedrooms it will be better if there is enough incoming natural light. You can also change the size of the window with curtains. Reducing the opening is also done if the wide size does not allow the use of space for installing the necessary furniture.

Firstly, to begin redevelopment in an apartment building, you need to obtain the relevant documents from the BTI. This is where permits for changes to public housing are issued. In your own home, you can skip this point. Secondly, the sealing of the opening must correspond to the wall of the house, that is, timber will not fit into panel and brick buildings, which means that the necessary material is purchased immediately. Thirdly, when installing a small window, safety precautions are observed, as well as respect for neighbors - it is impossible for their windows to be damaged by construction debris, and falling bricks are also unacceptable.

In which houses can window openings be expanded?

Many of those who have started changing window openings do not know when it is appropriate and when it is not. According to the Ukrainian legislative framework, redevelopment without permission from the relevant government services can only be carried out when the supporting structure is not affected and changes are not made to the building’s engineering networks and communications.

In other words, you can remove a shingle partition, but you can’t remove a brick partition. In panel houses (old buildings), the walls are a load-bearing element. Changes in window size must be coordinated with the design organization. It is considered undesirable to demolish any partitions in such buildings.

With modern monolithic frame structures the situation is the opposite - there is no force load on their external walls. Therefore, technically this is not difficult to do. The only problem is that changes may create dissonance in the appearance of the building, and your request may be rejected. Remember: external walls can only be dismantled by agreement, as changes can significantly deteriorate the appearance of the building!

The easiest way to make changes to window openings is in private houses and cottages. If you live in such a place, we hasten to please you: no trips to authorities or obtaining approvals will be required! But when planning changes, be sure to consult with specialists: it is quite possible that you will need to install additional metal frames to strengthen the wall of the building.

Cladding brick windows

Decorating windows with facing bricks is an excellent method of decorating window areas.

It emphasizes the contour, adds volume and highlights the windows on the façade of the building. Cladding a window with contrasting or relief brick allows you to almost completely change the facade. Facing brick gives the building a more neat and elegant look. Finally, you can make beautiful cornices from decorative bricks.

The surroundings of the windows must be carefully calculated and symmetrical in relation to the masonry of the main walls and the corners of the building. Original, beautiful windows will complete the look of the facade, provided that the cracks are carefully sealed using special masonry or using brick platbands.

The harmonious appearance of the facade directly depends on the size and shape of the windows, or more precisely, on how symmetrical they are relative to the corners of the building and the width of the partitions. It is necessary to comply with certain standards when constructing the walls of buildings, but in practice it is often possible to observe inconsistencies that it is advisable to eliminate before laying facing bricks.

Methods for expanding window openings

There are several extension options to suit your specific situation. But in order to avoid unpleasant consequences (collapsed walls and ceiling) and not endanger your life and the lives of your household, be sure to consult with professionals. Do not attempt to carry out the work yourself without proper qualifications.

Vertical expansion involves combining two rooms, for example a room and a kitchen or a balcony, into a single space. To do this, the opening is enlarged due to the fact that the partition and window sill are demolished. Batteries, usually located under the window, are carried. Attention! It is extremely important to know that:

• After reorganization measures, the balcony is still considered a non-residential premises! According to the documentation, he will be listed as such.
• You cannot take batteries out to the balcony window.
• The only option for moving heating radiators is to move them to the side, but inside the room.

Do not take on work without realizing the possible negative consequences! The optimal solution is consultation with the design organization or builders. The fact is that in many houses, especially panel houses, the partition between the room and the loggia holds the balcony slab. Its demolition could damage the structure and result in casualties.

By horizontal expansion we mean increasing the window opening in width. This may entail the installation of elements that strengthen it. If you plan to install windows in a concrete wall, you must take into account that the façade slab is reinforced with steel reinforcement.

Thus, if you cut it, the load-bearing capacity will be weakened. Due to such rash actions, cracks and chips appear, which subsequently provoke collapse. This can be prevented by strengthening the opening with a welded metal structure. Only specialists can correctly calculate its parameters.

How to expand a window opening in a brick wall? Please note in advance that it may collapse due to the fact that the lintel located above the window frame will not have anything to support it. Therefore, the first step should be to install a new lintel, wider than the planned window opening. It consists of two parts and can be made from:

• U-shaped or I-beam steel beam.
• Metal fittings (corners) connected by welding.

Installation is carried out in two stages. First, a groove is cut or hollowed out on the inside of the wall, where the beam is later installed. Next, the same actions are performed from the outside. This prevents the brickwork from collapsing after the old frame has been removed.

How can I reduce it?

The opening in the wall does not always need to be enlarged; sometimes, on the contrary, it is increased. This is done to install a door or window of a smaller size, or if an excess section has been cut off.

The easiest option is to use a beam.

Sequencing:

1. 
   Using a plane, the timber is adjusted to the desired size. The final workpiece should not protrude beyond the edge of the wall. The surface is sanded so that the putty fits better on it.

2. To attach the blanks to the wall, holes are drilled in them. Anchors and bolts are used to secure the posts and lintels.
3. The gaps are filled with construction foam. Small cracks are filled with putty.
4. When the structure is installed, it is impregnated with a primer and lined with a suitable material.

It must be taken into account that the sash will be regularly subjected to dynamic loads. Therefore, there should not be a large distance between the fastening steps.

In addition to timber, the opening can be reduced using materials such as:

• Drywall. To install it, you will need to assemble a frame based on an aluminum profile. Drywall sheets are fixed with self-tapping screws.
• Foam blocks. They are easy to work with; they are used mainly in houses with thick walls. The blocks on the sides of the opening are placed in columns on top of each other, and the lintel is made of timber.
• Bricks. For this type of masonry, it is recommended to make the lintel from metal corners.

Any of the listed materials can be used to narrow the opening in a concrete wall.

Technologies for expanding window openings in apartments and private houses

Today there are many technologies, but the most used are dynamic impact and diamond cutting. Dynamic impact cutting is performed using a jackhammer, hammer drill and other tools. Before starting work, all objects are removed from the room, the window opening is cleaned of dust and dirt.

After this, they begin to dismantle the old box and mark the boundaries of the new window. Use a sledgehammer to knock out through holes in the marked lines. These manipulations can also be performed with a hammer drill. But there is a risk of violating the integrity of the load-bearing wall, because microcracks and chips form. They will then have to be sealed additionally.

Related article: Double roller blinds for plastic windows

Diamond cutting is more efficient: it is silent, does not generate excess dust, and allows for smooth cuts. It can be used on any wall:

As you can see, increasing window openings is labor-intensive, but quite doable. The main thing is to adhere to the letter of the law and safety regulations, and entrust the work to qualified specialists with extensive experience in this field. May everything work out for you!

How to remove “extra” walls

Traditionally, part of the walls that is no longer needed due to enlargement is removed in one of the following ways:

• Cut using a grinder. This is a neat and quiet method used by professionals. For work, discs with diamond coating and for metal are used (in panel or monolithic houses with reinforcement). The remaining part of the wall is not damaged, there are no microcracks on it. You need to be prepared for a lot of fine dust.
• It is knocked out with a sledgehammer or a jackhammer. The walls that are to remain are initially strengthened. After that, starting from the edge, they are broken with a sledgehammer. As you approach the planned opening line, a hammer drill is used. In addition to dust, this method leaves many pieces of brick and concrete falling onto the floor with a roar, which will not please the neighbors on the floor below.

Expanding the window opening

Most of Moscow's housing stock is represented by apartment buildings that were built in the last century according to standard designs. Over time, the ideas of apartment owners about what requirements it should meet changed, but the apartments themselves did not get any better.

The fact is that standard house designs were developed in order to provide housing for a huge number of Soviet citizens as quickly as possible, and the convenience of housing (and especially architectural delights) was not in the first place. This was the reason that, with the advent of new opportunities, owners began en masse to arrange redevelopments in their apartments.

Expansion of a window opening, example of a redevelopment project:

The most popular redevelopment measures are the arrangement of a combined bathroom from a bathroom and a toilet, the combination of a kitchen and a room into a kitchen-living room and the redevelopment of partitions, but there are also much more interesting redevelopment options, one of which we will talk about in this article - expanding the window opening in apartment.

They resort to expanding the window opening in two cases: if there is objectively not enough lighting in the room and if there is a banal desire to have a larger window, for example, to improve the view from the apartment. Since the expansion of the window opening clearly relates to redevelopment, it will have to be approved. Below we will talk about how to do this.

Coordination of window opening expansion

Coordination of redevelopment (including the expansion of a window opening) in most cases begins with the collection of documents that need to be submitted to the Moscow Housing Inspectorate to obtain permission to begin repair work. The main documents that you will need to submit in any case are the registration certificate of the BTI apartment, the redevelopment project, the certificate of ownership of the apartment and the application.

Documents for redevelopment:

You can try the refusal in court if you think that it was obtained as a result of an error, but the redevelopment permit will be valid for a year from the date of issue. If for some reason you did not manage to complete all the work within this period, you can apply to extend the redevelopment permit. The permit can be renewed an unlimited number of times, but not more than for a month.

In some cases, an expanded window opening must be reinforced with metal structures. Since it will not be possible to check the correctness of the reinforcement after finishing the opening, there is a need to draw up inspection reports for hidden work. These acts are filled out by a representative of the construction company, after which they are signed by a representative of the design organization. The design and construction organization must have the necessary SRO approvals to complete these documents. In addition, the completion of hidden work reports must be indicated in the repair work log.

Certificates of inspection of hidden work:

After all the work is completed, you will need to report this to the Moscow Housing Inspectorate, which will send an employee to your apartment to participate in the work of the acceptance committee. Also, representatives of the construction and design organization will participate in the acceptance of the apartment after redevelopment (if common property was affected, then a representative of the DEZ).

If all the work was completed in accordance with the approved redevelopment project, then the owner of the apartment is issued a certificate of completed redevelopment, on the basis of which changes are made to the technical passport of the BTI apartment. By the way, a BTI employee will also visit your apartment for measurements, and only after that the redevelopment can be considered completed

Certificate of completed redevelopment:

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Expanding window openings in various types of houses

This section of our article is intended more for builders, however, it would be a good idea for apartment owners to familiarize themselves with it for a better understanding of what happens during renovations. As you might have guessed, different types of houses have certain nuances when expanding the window opening.

For example, in some panel houses, the outer walls are included in the building’s strength diagram, so by expanding the opening without permission, you risk damaging the reinforcement that is located in the panel along the perimeter of the window. That is why the window opening must be reinforced with a frame made of metal structures. One of the most popular options for expanding a window opening is to dismantle the window sill block. However, be careful - if your panel house was built after 2006, then it will not be possible to widen the opening, since the design of these buildings is not designed for this.

In monolithic houses, it is extremely rare that external walls are load-bearing (like most internal walls), therefore, as a rule, reinforcement is not required.

In a brick house, the upper part of the window opening is represented by a concrete lintel, which keeps the structure from collapsing. When expanding an opening in a brick house (for example, when connecting two windows into one), it is necessary to first replace the old lintel with a new one and only then carry out dismantling work.

If you are planning to expand a window opening, then in any case you will need to develop a redevelopment project, which our company has been specializing in for more than ten years. If you do not have enough time to coordinate the redevelopment, then we can offer our services here too; in addition, we carry out physical work on constructing new and expanding existing openings in load-bearing walls and piers. For consultation, you can call us or write by email.

Work that can be done without permission

Redevelopment or reconstruction is work that is reflected in the BTI apartment plan. For example, when additional premises appear and their functional purpose changes:

• when dressing rooms appear in the apartment or one room is divided into two or more;
• when the kitchen is moved from its original location to the corridor or pantry;
• when the window sill between the loggia and the room is demolished and French doors are installed;
• when the area of ​​the bathroom is expanded by moving the doors or a new opening is made in the partition or load-bearing wall;
• when rooms are combined - bathroom and toilet, kitchen and living room.

This is only a small part of the work that needs to be coordinated, and all changes must be recorded in the BTI on the apartment plan.

There are renovations that leave the apartment plan unchanged, and this will not be considered a redevelopment. It may seem that you are doing a serious, major renovation, but in reality you do not need to obtain permission for it, just as you do not need to prepare project documentation, change the BTI plan, pay state fees and wait for permission. You can simply make repairs without contacting any authorities.

Criteria by which it can be understood that coordination with the Moscow Housing Inspectorate is not required:

• the partitions inside the apartment remain in place;
• door and window openings are not transferred;
• the doors themselves remain where they are provided for on the BTI plan;
• the floor design does not change;
• plumbing, pipes, gas pipelines - everything remains in place.

The apartment plan shows where the doorways are located, what kind of doors are installed - hinged or sliding.
If a swing door is dismantled and a sliding door is installed, this is a redevelopment. If you replace the door with another similar one, even if it opens in the other direction, it will not be a redevelopment, since nothing will change on the plan. Examples of work that do not need to be approved:

• replacing electrical wiring when walls need to be tapped;
• laying new pipes for the bathroom;
• leveling walls for painting or wallpaper;
• installation of new doors;
• window replacement;
• replacement of bathtub, toilet, sink, sink;
• finishing the room - painting walls, replacing wallpaper and ceiling coverings.

All this is not considered redevelopment and does not require approval even if the owner of the apartment wishes. If you submit documents to the Moscow Housing Inspectorate with a request to issue a permit for such work, it will refuse. In accordance with Moscow Government Decree No. 508-PP, permission in principle is not issued for work that does not involve changes to the BTI plan.

If you are in doubt whether your repair needs to be legalized, write us a list of proposed work. Our consultation is free. We will tell you exactly what you can do without permission, and what you need to obtain one for:

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