In many old apartment buildings, residents living on the first floors do not have balconies.
But this is a useful place where you can dry things, store food, plant plants, and just relax in the fresh air.
That is why many residents of the first floors are interested in how to attach a balcony on the first floor of a multi-storey building and can this be legally done in 2021?
Types of balconies and methods for their extension
Before figuring out how to build a balcony on the first floor, you should choose the type of balcony:
- hinged - built on supports and brackets. A stone, concrete, monolithic or brick support is placed under the base. The floor is being installed, the walls are being removed. Often with this method of extension, the entrance to the apartment is made through the balcony on the first floor;
- attached - done on the foundation. It is recommended to make such a balcony if the distance to the ground is small. If the height to the first floor is decent, then you should think about adding a hanging balcony. In an attached balcony, the entrance is usually made from inside the apartment.
If a refusal is received
Based on Article 27 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, the housing inspectorate may refuse you. Please study this article carefully to understand the reasons for refusal .
Perhaps it will be possible to eliminate some shortcomings so that the possibility of coordination still arises.
If you receive a refusal, ask the head of the organization to justify the reasons for the refusal in writing.
After this, prepare a new package of documents and apply again to the Housing Inspectorate.
Resubmission of documents is possible within 3 months after the initial refusal. If you believe that the refusal does not comply with legal requirements, contact the court .
The procedure for legally adding a balcony to an apartment
The most difficult thing in installing a balcony on the ground floor is to obtain permission from the local administration and the consent of all the owners living in the residential building that they are not against the neighbor using part of the common property to build an additional extension to the balcony.
To register a legal extension to an apartment, you must go through a number of steps:
Stage 1. Obtaining consent from all owners of an apartment building for redevelopment
To ensure that the owner does not have problems with the constructed balcony on the first floor in the future, he needs to initiate a meeting at which to raise the issue of the planned construction of the building.
It is important to collect all the signatures of the neighbors, indicating that they are not against the neighbor building a balcony on their common territory.
Stage 2. Preparation of project documentation
Before contacting the city/settlement administration, you must order a project for the future balcony from an architectural bureau . The finished project should be agreed upon with the supervisory authorities: water utility, gas service.
If necessary, you will have to pay for the transfer of communications (for example, if a gas pipe runs along the wall).
Stage 3. Contacting the local administration
How to get permission to add a balcony in 2021? To do this, the owner of the apartment must contact the construction department of the district administration with a certain package of documents. It is advisable to inquire in advance about what documents need to be collected from the relevant department (department) of the local administration.
The required package of documents must include the following papers:
- application for redevelopment;
- project of the future balcony;
- a document confirming ownership of the apartment;
- certificate from the BTI;
- documents confirming the approval of future construction with public utilities;
- photos of the house;
- written consent of neighbors.
An application for redevelopment can be considered by local authorities within 45 days. If the municipality has approved the application of a resident of an apartment building, then he can begin building a balcony according to the provided project.
Stage 4. Construction of the balcony
When the balcony project is approved and agreed upon, and the municipality gives the applicant the go-ahead to build an extension, then he can start building the balcony himself or using the services of builders. After construction, it is necessary to issue a certificate of commissioning of the facility.
Stage 5. Registration of property rights
When the balcony is erected, the owner must again appear at the municipality with papers . Specialists can go to the site and inspect how the balcony was built, whether it was built according to the project or not.
If everything was done correctly, then the applicant can go to Rosreestr with documents to make changes to the technical documentation for the apartment.
Design is an important point
No construction is complete without a design procedure. If there is no balcony, and the owner wants to build one, the first step is to draw up a sketch of the future balcony. At the same time, we must not forget that the design must be harmoniously combined with the overall facade of the building. For design, a drawing is created, from which in the future it will be possible to easily calculate the amount of consumables.
Any construction begins with drawing up a project
Nowadays there are a lot of computer programs that allow you to create a project and see the future design in 3D images.
The ideal option is to use the services of a competent and professional architect or builder, because the main thing is not only beauty, but also the strength and durability of the structure.
Price issue
Apartment owners who want to make an extension to the balcony are concerned with the question: “How much does it cost to add a balcony on the first floor?” There is no specifically established figure, since much depends on the choice of certain materials, on the number of windows, and on the complexity of the design.
The cost of adding a balcony, in addition to the construction itself, includes the following expenses:
- services for developing a balcony project - different design organizations have their own prices, the amount of which can be found out from the designer;
- services of intermediary companies - if the customer resorts to the services of third parties;
- costs associated with uprooting trees (if it is necessary to remove plantings that interfere with the installation of a balcony). For cutting each tree you will have to pay from 150 to 350 dollars (depending on height, diameter, tree species).
On average, you will have to pay 100 thousand rubles to add a balcony in Russia in 2021.
What does the law say?
There is currently no clear legal permission or prohibition
Any redevelopment is regulated by Article 25 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation.
Due to the fact that housing reconstruction may affect the interests of neighbors and disrupt the safety of housing , it is required to carry it out in accordance with GOST, SNiP, SanPiN. In addition, each region has adopted its own by-laws that supplement federal documents.
The Housing Code of the Russian Federation contains conditions for collecting a fine for illegal changes in layout . In addition to a fine, the owner will be required to restore the original appearance. If, in connection with the reconstruction, an emergency situation involving damage occurs, then compensation for losses to the victims will also fall on the shoulders of the offender.
Redevelopment that is not formalized by law can serve as an obstacle to the sale of housing. The changed floor plan makes the previous documents invalid and must be re-issued.
It is possible to coordinate this issue with the new owners, who will agree to arrange everything themselves after the purchase . Only the value of real estate in this case will decrease significantly.
The fine for illegally changing the layout in accordance with the Code of Administrative Offenses (Article 7) is 2-2.5 thousand rubles. If the apartment is not restored to its original appearance, a fine may be re-imposed.
You can learn how to coordinate the redevelopment of a loggia from our article. We also have a sample application for redevelopment.
Legal extension
In order not to take risks and not think about how to legitimize an already erected balcony, you should not start construction before obtaining permission from local authorities.
If the construction has already been carried out without permits, then in order to legalize it, you will need to contact the municipality again with a corresponding application.
If the construction was carried out in accordance with all norms and rules, then the extension will be legalized. But it often happens the other way around - the owner built the balcony himself, having no idea about the construction rules or standards.
How to decorate a balcony in this case? Maybe he won’t be able to get anything done - if he erected a balcony without following building rules and regulations. In this case, he may be required to demolish the building (according to Article 29 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation) and return the house to its previous appearance.
If the owner erected a balcony without permission, without contacting the competent authorities with this issue, then he may subsequently have problems with the sale or exchange of real estate.
Window-balcony - a new design solution
If you don’t have a balcony, then you don’t have to worry too much, because today there are quite a lot of different construction innovations that have already been introduced. One of them is a balcony window. The design is truly unique, because an ordinary window can easily be transformed into a small balcony with railings. Danish developers made a real splash by creating such a design. Now it is quite widely used in country cottages and serves not only as a balcony, but also as an emergency fire exit.
Window-balcony is a modern construction innovation that is gaining enormous popularity every day.
Using a balcony window, you can make the attic more spacious and fill it with daylight. This design is considered an innovation and a practical solution for those who want to get a beautiful view from the window, access to the air directly from the Masandra.
Useful tips
- You can attach a balcony not only on the first floor, but also on the second floor. An excellent option is when the neighbors below have already built an extension, and it will later serve as a support for the construction of a balcony on the second floor.
- Before constructing a balcony, you must obtain permission from the management company, the local administration, as well as from all neighbors - owners of the apartment building.
- Making a balcony project on your own is difficult. It’s better not to waste time, but to turn to specialists - designers who know how to properly build an extension.
Hanging type
How to make a hanging balcony with your own hands? Most often, construction begins with a metal frame. Such a frame has several main parts, such as: struts, lower dressings, racks, upper dressings and fencing.
Elements such as struts are the basis of the design. In simple words, they determine how wide the balcony will be. They have the shape of a triangle, which on one side is attached to the wall at 90 degrees.
A brace is installed between the ribs of the struts, which strengthens the structure.
As for the remaining parts, they perform the following functions:
- The struts are tied with a lower bandage;
- Racks are necessary for installing the canopy and fencing;
- The upper part of the racks is tied with an upper bandage.
Please note that the height of the fence must be at least one meter.
In order to make a high-quality frame, you will definitely need a welding machine and other special tools.
The loggia is made with your own hands from a corner:
- The angle and pipes must be cut into parts whose dimensions are indicated in the project;
- We make braces using a 50x50 mm corner. The edge of the strut on top should correspond to the width of the loggia. Most often, the width is 80 cm. The number of such struts is determined by the length of the loggia.
First apply appropriate markings on the wall for all frame fastening elements. The struts are installed according to the markings. Installation is carried out on anchors. After bracing, it is necessary to perform tying.
The beam should be located near the wall and also attached with anchors. For greater stability, additional stiffeners must be installed between the struts. In the future, the floor will be installed on such ribs.
Answers to questions on the topic
Do I need to obtain permission to create a cellar on the 1st floor balcony?
Agree that it is simple and convenient when there is a place in the apartment where you can store food in the winter. There is no need to go to the garage or go to the village to get pickles or potatoes. Therefore, many apartment owners strive to make a cellar under the first floor balcony.
Before digging a cellar under a balcony, you need to understand that the creation of this kind of premises requires mandatory approval from the local administration. After receiving approval, you can begin digging a hole and building a cellar.
Upon completion of construction, an acceptance certificate for the work performed should be issued. Then the finished work must be shown to a specialist from the local administration (he must check whether the cellar was built correctly, taking into account all the recommendations or not).
In the end, the apartment owner must contact Rosreestr and make changes to the total size of the living space, as well as to the apartment layout.
Extension of a balcony on the 1st floor in a panel house - is this possible?
Many residents of apartment buildings are interested in: “Is it legal to add a balcony on the first floor of a panel building?”
It is no coincidence that this question is asked, because a panel house differs from other types of houses (from a brick house) in that its construction has many load-bearing walls.
If the integrity of at least one wall is violated, this can lead to a decrease in the rigidity of the entire structure, and this will be contrary to building codes and regulations.
It is possible to attach a balcony to the 1st floor in a panel house, but provided that:
- load-bearing walls will not be affected;
- the owner of the apartment must coordinate the redevelopment process with the local administration;
- When developing a balcony project, specialists must adhere to the design of the entire house.
What to do if a balcony extension is refused?
Who should I contact if, for unknown reasons, the local administration refused to add a balcony to the owner of an apartment on the 1st floor? In this case, the interested person can go to court and further try to prove his right to erect an additional building to the apartment.
Is it possible to legalize an already attached balcony?
What to do if the balcony has already been built without any approvals? What and how to do to legalize the construction so that the owner does not have problems with the property in the future?
In any case, the procedure does not change - the owner of the apartment must contact the local administration and inform them that he needs to arrange an attached balcony.
Competent employees of the department of architecture and urban planning must go to the site and inspect whether the extension was erected correctly, what specialists the apartment owner used, and whether these specialists had a license to carry out this type of activity.
The addition of a balcony on the ground floor falls into the category of apartment redevelopments . This means that without approval from the local administration, such a structure will be considered illegal.
To make a balcony on the ground floor, the owner needs to obtain the consent of the municipality, the management company, as well as all neighbors. It is impossible to carry out an extension on your own without knowledge of building rules and regulations.
To prevent the owner of the apartment from having problems with his housing in the future (he will not be able to sell it, exchange it, donate it, etc.), he needs to involve designers in the idea, obtain consent from the local administration for the construction of a balcony, and also enter the changed information about the apartment in Rosreestr.
How to legalize balcony glazing: Preparatory stage
A person who lives on the top floor may want to install double-glazed windows on an open balcony as additional protection for the room. Such a barrier can reduce the likelihood of thieves entering your home. People who live on other floors may seek to expand the area in this way.
Before carrying out work on glazing a balcony, the apartment owner needs to perform several steps. The first is obtaining the consent of all residents. The balcony is part of the facade and, therefore, common property, so you need to hold a general meeting of residents, where you need to get a certain number of votes - at least 70%.
The owner of the apartment should understand that if, after installing double-glazed windows and other actions, cracks or other defects appear in the walls, then he will have to dismantle and fix the problems.
Government authorities may prohibit changes to the appearance of a building if it has the status of an “architectural monument,” so it is better to clarify in advance whether the house is historical.
There are different services that carry out work on balcony glazing. The company must have a license for this type of activity.
Where can I get permission?
To get approval for the glazing of balconies, it is not enough to collect the necessary documents; you also need to know where to get permission to glaze balconies and loggias.
The entire package of documents is submitted to the Housing Inspectorate. If the project is not rejected, then, together with the issued permit, it “roams” further through the authorities. Permissions from administrative and supervisory authorities will be required, in particular:
- The company that manages the house;
- State examination;
- Rospotrebnadzor (SES);
- State Fire Inspectorate (regional office);
- Department of Cultural Heritage (if the house is recognized as an architectural monument).
You can obtain permission to glaze a balcony in Moscow or St. Petersburg by contacting the “single window service”, the regional branch of the BTI or the Moscow Housing Inspectorate.
If circumstances are successful, you can obtain permission to glaze a balcony within a month.
