✅ Is it possible to demolish a balcony partition

Judging by current trends in the world of interior design, demolishing the partition between the balcony and the room is one of the most popular tasks among renovation teams. Indeed, such an operation allows you to achieve significant positive changes:

Expand the space of the room;
Remove unnecessary tens of centimeters of walls;
Provide access to the loggia not only through the doorway.

Quite often, such a solution is accompanied by the installation of additional devices, for example, a partition on the balcony between apartments. But these are special cases. Much more common is the practice of installing movable folding structures instead of a demolished wall. And this decision really makes sense. Thanks to a well-assembled device, you will receive a kind of screen that can be folded or unfolded at any time, limiting visual contact with the outside world. The partition will also help create a separate, full-fledged room on the balcony, for example, for a personal office.

What does the legislation say?

Attaching a balcony to a room or kitchen is not even a redevelopment, but a reconstruction , since it entails a change in the purpose of the area (now the balcony area will become residential), as well as an increase in both the total area of the apartment and the living area.
This will lead to the need to make changes to the passports - technical and cadastral, as well as replacement of title documents for the apartment due to the increase in area.

Unauthorized spontaneous changes in the appearance of the facade of the house, as well as the internal layout, are not permitted, which is quite understandable and logical: without understanding how and what to dismantle or build on, the building can be brought to destruction.

Only specialists can understand all the nuances of connecting a balcony, and the following legislative acts will help them with this:

Art. 25 - 29 Housing Code of the Russian Federation;
RF PP No. 491 dated 08/13/2006;
Resolution of the State Committee of the Russian Federation for Construction and Housing and Communal Sector dated September 27, 2003 No. 170.

These documents explain the need for a permit. If the answer is negative, there is a chance to win your right to rebuild your apartment in court ; this situation is regulated by Art. 222 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.

Find out on our website about the problems when buying or selling an apartment with redevelopment, as well as how to legalize unauthorized redevelopment through the court.

The legislative framework

Decree of the State Construction Committee of the Russian Federation No. 170 dated September 27, 2003 does not contain such wording as redevelopment of the loggia; however, permission can be obtained: different manipulations are possible here, and regional regulations can express different positions.

Today the following transformations are strictly prohibited:

If they entail a change in the façade of the architectural complex.
If the process involves load-bearing walls.
If the loggia redevelopment project involves moving a heating radiator to its area.
If it is planned to eliminate the threshold.
If the thermal circuit is damaged.

Problems arise with the facade if the house is classified as a cultural heritage site. In other cases, there is a chance to get approval. But you will have to seek permission for redevelopment from an additional authority - the city architectural department.

What can you do and what can't you do?

The balcony is a cantilever structure embedded in the outer wall of the building.

You can use the extra space in different ways, depending on the redevelopment method. The addition of a balcony turns this area, in essence, into a bay window .

You can download samples of contracts and powers of attorney, as well as redevelopment acts from us for free. Find out also about the cost of remodeling an apartment.

Reconstruction methods

There are two ways, and both of these types of redevelopment involve dismantling the existing balcony railing , and instead, the entire perimeter is often covered with metal-plastic structures, glazed up to half or the entire height.
You can make a wall of gas or foam concrete blocks in the lower part around the perimeter.

In any case, it will be necessary to insulate the outer enclosing wall in its opaque part, as well as finishing the inner surface of the balcony - for example, by covering it with plastic or wooden lining, and all these operations create additional load on the balcony slab.

In old houses, the wear and tear of which is assessed as critical, such redevelopment can be simply dangerous, that is, threatening the life and health of not only the inhabitants of the apartment, but also neighbors below and passers-by.

The main essence of the redevelopment concerns the existing wall of the building, in which the balcony door and window are installed; with any method of connecting the balcony to the room or kitchen, they will need to be removed.

Reorganization methods can be as follows:

disassemble the wall of a residential building completely, down to the floor level , combining the entire area, together with the newly attached one, into one room;
Do not demolish the window sill wall to the base, but leave it at the height of the window sill .

Both options are good in their own way, but you should never dismantle at your own discretion. The apartment owner is not allowed to decide which method is better: only a construction engineer from a design organization or BTI can determine whether it is possible to disassemble the window sill wall.

You cannot heat a balcony by installing a radiator and laying pipes from the general house heating system, and when demolishing a window sill wall, the radiator that was there can be moved to another wall, closer to the riser.

If the wall of the house in which there was a balcony block is recognized as load-bearing, then the window sill wall cannot be dismantled . It is not allowed to install additional taps on intra-apartment networks, including heating.

Apartment renovation: Is it possible to demolish the wall between the loggia and the room

Go ahead. Dismantling the wall can also worsen microclimatic indicators. Look: a window, being a translucent structure, transmits 4-6 times more heat (supplied by housing and communal services) than a wall of the same area. The wall on the loggia is only a little bit of a wall as such - there is a door and a window, and below, under the window sill, there is a radiator - it is this that creates a thermal curtain near the window and retains warm air in the apartment.

Demolition of the wall separating the loggia from the room is a major renovation procedure. Capital means affecting the load-bearing structural elements of the house. But the wall panels of many houses are self-supporting, and the wall that partitions the loggia with the room is attached to them as a non-load-bearing element.

What is redevelopment?

Not versed in highly specialized issues, the home owner cannot know which works are considered planning and which are not. Is glazing a balcony a redevelopment?

Glazing

Glazing a balcony - is it a redevelopment or not?
In recent years, the solution to this issue has been simplified, and glazing is allowed to be done without approval, but not everywhere.

It is important that in appearance it does not differ from the design of neighboring balconies.

Of course, increasing the area by moving it outside the slab is strictly prohibited .

But in any case, it is necessary to pay a visit to the APU so that the weighting of the balcony does not lead to not only architectural, but also more serious problems, including collapse.

Demolition of window sill wall

Dismantling the window sill requires changes to the apartment plan, which confirms that such an intervention is a redevelopment .

Attaching a balcony to a room or kitchen

Both connection options lead to changes in the apartment plan, that is, they are redevelopment .

Legitimation procedure

Is it possible to legalize the connection of a balcony to a kitchen or room? It is possible to legitimize such interference in the layout of the apartment, and it makes more sense to start with the approval of the project: in case of refusal, not only will money be lost, but irreparable damage to the building of the house may be caused.

Where to start, where to turn?

You need to start the process by talking with your household and making sure that there are no principled opponents of change. It is also important, if the house is serviced by a management company or an HOA, housing cooperative, to obtain written permission for future work .

And the point is not only that adding a balcony affects the issue of changing the area of the apartment, but also concerns heating: the heating system of the entire house may work at its limit and not be able to heat additional square meters.

Then you need to contact the BTI, where basic information about the structures of the house frame and drawings describing which walls are load-bearing and which are not should be stored.

The application must be in writing, with a request to approve the connection of the balcony.

A new project can be produced by BTI specialists, and if its technical capabilities are limited, the project can be ordered from any licensed design company. The updated project will need to be endorsed by the BTI.

You should call a technician to your home. BTI inspector to produce a new technical passport, which will certify that there are currently no alterations. Here, at the BTI, they will also explain which services in the locality will require approval.

Submission of documents

Where is the redevelopment done? They give official approval or refusal for redevelopment in Zhil. inspections . Here they will check if all the papers are available and will take you to work. The application requires the submission of an application, with the remaining documents attached according to the list, depending on the situation.

Features of connecting a balcony to a room or kitchen

The question of adding a balcony space to a room or kitchen has a lot of peculiarities.

Is it possible to legalize the connection of a balcony to the kitchen without demolishing the window sill wall (with the removal of the window opening)? If they don’t allow you to tear a wall to smithereens, then it’s load-bearing . In this case you cannot:

remove the jumper;
touch the remaining sections of the wall - they must be left, including a piece of the wall on the side.

It may be proposed to strengthen the opening with a portal device.

Is it possible to legalize the addition of a balcony to the kitchen with the demolition of the window sill wall?

It is recommended to cut off the added square footage of the room or kitchen with a glass or plastic partition in order to maintain the thermal regime.

Is it possible to convert a balcony into a kitchen in a panel house? In a panel house, all the walls are load-bearing, even those inside the apartment. This limits the owner’s desire to create an additional opening or dismantle the dividing wall.

It is strictly forbidden to touch the “threshold” in such houses after dismantling the window sill wall.

You cannot install heavy things on the newly created living space - machines, pianos, etc., so as not to overload the balcony slab.

When ordering a project, you should not forget that specialists also need to order a thermal engineering calculation: its absence may cause the package of papers to be returned.

Attaching a balcony to a room or kitchen is a lengthy process and also requires material costs.

Before redevelopment begins, you need to weigh all the pros and cons, and understand whether it is worth undertaking this expensive alteration, which will also entail the re-issuance of title papers.

You can learn about the possibility of agreeing on the redevelopment of a balcony from the video:

Didn't find the answer to your question? Find out how to solve exactly your problem - call right now:

Balcony or loggia?

First of all, it’s worth understanding how a balcony differs from a loggia. The first one protrudes on the facade, its design is lighter, and therefore it is almost impossible to coordinate its connection. It is quite possible to add a loggia.

Advice:

it will be easier if there is more than one loggia in the apartment - from the point of view of fire safety, there should be a place where you can escape from fire and carbon monoxide. That is why permission from the fire inspectorate is sometimes required to approve redevelopment.

Enlarging the window

Sometimes you need not so much to add a balcony as to make the room brighter. This is true, for example, if the balcony is small, and taking into account the insulation of all its walls, there will be very little usable area left. Then you can simply cut the window sill block and make it lower. In addition, this will allow you to turn the window sill into a mini-sofa.

Advice:

it is much easier to coordinate such a redevelopment than the complete addition of a loggia. In addition, you can replace the window and choose a model without jumpers - there will be more light.

Removing windows and doors

Such redevelopment will also probably be approved, but a thermal engineering calculation may be required. The fact is that the heating system of a house is designed for a certain area of heated premises. If large loggias are added to several apartments at once, this can significantly affect the temperature in the entire house.

Advice:

thoroughly insulate all the walls of the loggia, install high-quality double-glazed windows. In addition, it would be nice to provide additional heating, for example, an electric heated floor or an electric convector.

Removing the window sill block and threshold

Depending on the type and design of the house, the dismantling of the window sill block may be approved or prohibited. For example, in a panel house there is no chance, but in a monolithic new building there will probably be no problems. It is important not only whether this part of the wall is load-bearing, but also the mounting scheme for the balcony slab.

Advice:

Even if the demolition of the window sill block has been agreed upon, demolishing the threshold is strictly prohibited. Such redevelopment is permissible only in monolithic new buildings with a single integral floor and balcony slab. To hide the threshold, you can raise the entire floor on the loggia to create an impromptu podium.

Reasons why permission may be denied

The reasons for the ban on glazing can be technical or aesthetic:

Balconies, which are cantilever elements of the building, are strictly prohibited from overloading or changing their design, as this may lead to their collapse.
The house has the status of an architectural monument and its historical value has been confirmed.
The building is too old and is scheduled for demolition soon.
If flammable materials are used.
Unacceptable interference with the load-bearing walls of the building.

Glass partition

You can often see projects in which the window sill block is replaced with a glass partition or accordion door. Sometimes it is even erected specifically to obtain BTI permission, and then dismantled. In addition, not every partition is coordinated. Double glazed windows and rigid fixation mechanisms at the top and bottom are required.

Advice:

Whether to dismantle the partition after receiving approval remains on the conscience of the apartment owner. As well as in principle the approval of redevelopment. But it is worth remembering that if problems arise with the construction of the house, and you are found guilty, then you will have to eliminate the consequences at your own expense. And sometimes answer in accordance with the criminal code.

Is it possible to demolish the wall between the loggia and the room to expand the room?

A redevelopment similar to that conceived by you is, by definition, a major overhaul (bearing and enclosing structures are affected). Technically, the idea is feasible; most external wall panels, as a rule, are self-supporting (the load is taken by the load-bearing frame to which these elements are attached. However, it is possible that they are designed to absorb the load from the wall panels (walls) lying above. In general, to implement the idea , it is necessary to design, coordinate with the organization operating the house and bring design solutions to life!

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It's possible, but it's very difficult. Strengthen the demolished area, strengthen the loggia (the load will increase, since it is necessary to insulate at the room level, including from above and below - after all, the neighbors still have loggias), move the heating. Not everything is always possible within rational limits. And architecture may be against it. If only in terms of design, it is debatable and advantageous, but if in terms of the appearance of the house, it is a dead end. Well, yes, what Irina wrote above is correct, but you have to look at it specifically, it’s not universal.

Transferring the battery to the loggia

It is strictly prohibited to move the central heating battery to a cold room outside the house circuit. And the point is not even that you will illegally heat extra square meters. The entire heating system in the house is disrupted, and therefore, at a minimum, it will become colder for the neighbors, and at maximum, the heating system will not withstand the overload, and an accident will occur.

Advice:

The battery can be moved to the wall next to the window. A solution would be a vertical battery on the wall between the room and the balcony.

Does it make sense to combine a balcony with a room?

I wouldn't lose my only balcony/loggia. I'm thinking about expanding the kitchen. But it should take me half a log of the 2 available. And there’s a washing machine, for example, or a refrigerator, something like that. And there is an exit at the end to the rest of the loggia. The battery cannot be removed. Heated floors. And of course no BTI will allow it. If you decide to sell, then put the window frame in place.

We live in a one-room apartment, the three of us - my husband and I, and a child. We are doing repairs. My husband has an obsessive thought - to combine the balcony with the room, i.e. Of course, you can’t break down the partition itself (load-bearing wall), but you can take out the window and door leading to the balcony, insulate the balcony, cut a hole for the pipe - install a radiator. But there will still be a step between the room and the balcony.

Is it possible to demolish a balcony partition?

Many owners of apartments in multi-storey buildings often suffer from inconvenient layouts. Therefore, many welcome the idea of combining a living room with a loggia or balcony. This option for increasing space allows you to create a unique design in the apartment.

But you can't just tear down the wall. It is necessary to carry out alterations correctly, and most importantly legally. Since the base of the balcony is a slab sandwiched between the floors, it is necessary to correctly distribute the load of furniture and other elements.

Connection methods

There are several options for combining a room with a balcony or loggia.

Removing only the window structure. The wall partition remains in place. In this case, it is necessary to glaze and insulate the balcony.
Complete dismantling of the wall. In this way, a room with a larger area is obtained. In this case, not only glazing and insulation are required, but also the relocation of the heating radiator.

If the second option is used, it is necessary to agree on a redevelopment plan with the relevant services.

This process is quite lengthy, so you should worry about it in advance. Even if you plan to simply move the heating radiator and not touch the wall, then the documents must be approved.

The space between the balcony and the room: design options

When planning to combine a room with a balcony, you should remember to coordinate the redevelopment. You can expand the area of the room using a balcony with your own hands; in order for the redevelopment to be legal, you need to prepare documents in advance. Some owners develop a design in detail, not taking into account that reality imposes certain restrictions.

You can think over the lighting and design scheme for the dining room separately from the kitchen, or you can use common interior elements, for example, the same furniture. The only option where a balcony window sill is suitable for a dining area is the case when the original width of the balcony was 4 m or more.

Pros and cons of the connection

Is it worth demolishing the partition wall between the balcony and the room? Let's try to figure it out by weighing the pros and cons. The advantages of this solution are:

undeniable increase in space;
increasing the level of natural light;
possibility of implementing a unique design.

All these facts in parallel also increase the cost of the apartment. To learn how to easily and simply remove the partition between the room and the balcony, watch this useful video:

But the disadvantages should also be noted:

a long and not always pleasant procedure for obtaining permission to demolish a partition;
sometimes only partial dismantling of the wall is possible;
Carrying out such work requires a certain amount of experience, so you can’t do it without the help of specialists.

There are many companies that specialize in redevelopment. Often they are also involved in obtaining approval documents.

Combining a loggia with a room and kitchen

Wait a minute, is it possible to simply increase living space by demolishing a load-bearing wall? For example, you demolish the wall between the kitchen and the living room, getting a living room, and they give the go-ahead for this, although you need to provide a lot of documents. What's wrong with the loggia? I understand it's a balcony, but the loggia is part of the living area.

Currently, combining a loggia and a certain interior space is a very popular type of apartment redevelopment: this is especially attractive to people who have housing with a small area. And, in fact, many people dream of getting useful meters of living space. However, in an effort to increase the area of the kitchen, living room or bedroom at the expense of a loggia, you need to know when to stop and not drown yourself: this article will tell you what you need to pay attention to and where to be extremely careful - after all, your architectural “delights” should not disturb the comfortable living of your neighbors.

Why you can’t demolish a window sill block

In pursuit of free space, owners of small apartments often decide to expand the space by combining a room with a balcony. Let's figure out when and how this can be done.

What the law says

According to the law, fully combining the balcony with the main part of the apartment is problematic: load-bearing walls cannot be demolished, and fire safety and the heating system must not be affected. If you see such a redevelopment, it is most likely not legalized.

But in those houses where it is allowed to remove the window sill block, you can combine the balcony and the room, separating them from each other with light “French” sliding doors.

However, many regional laws limit such alterations, and in Moscow this is completely prohibited by government decree No. 1104 of December 29, 2017.

The fine for demolishing walls without permission is 2000–2500 rubles (clause 9.12 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the City of Moscow dated November 21, 2007 No. 45). And you won’t be able to get away with just a fine for illegal redevelopment. If everything is not restored as it was, the apartment may be taken away and sold at auction, returning to the owner part of the money received from the sale.

But, if combining a balcony and a room is possible in your region, we recommend using our instructions.

How to arrange the connection of a balcony to a room

Contact the BTI with an application for redevelopment of the premises and attach a draft of the new layout of your apartment. The BTI will determine whether the redevelopment contradicts the integrity of the building. If everything is in order, then you will receive a certified apartment plan for redevelopment.
The redevelopment must be exactly as described in the BTI plan. Upon completion of the repair, an expert will come to you to document the compliance of the work performed with the final plan.
The safety and correctness of the layout must be proven by the SES. To do this, submit documents for redevelopment and answer some questions from SES employees regarding the arrangement of the combined space.
Draw up a certificate of consent of all family members registered in the apartment for redevelopment.
You will also need a certificate stating that the house is not an architectural monument.
Contact the court to confirm the legality of the redevelopment. With this appeal, you must submit an application to the BTI with a request to issue an updated registration certificate for the apartment.

What else can't be done

Balconies belong to cold rooms, and rooms – to warm ones, but some people want to insulate the balcony so as to make a small room. Be prepared for the fact that insulation will “eat up” precious space, and this procedure will cost at least 200 thousand rubles. In addition, if you want to insulate a balcony or loggia so that it is comfortable to be there even in winter, approval from the BTI is required. Such insulation requires a large amount of materials, which can increase the load on the slab.

Important! It is prohibited to take the battery onto the balcony! Because of this, the neighbors’ heating system may be disrupted and the temperature in their apartment will drop sharply. Instead of a conventional battery, an electric convector is installed on the balcony - it warms well and does not threaten failures in the room heating system.

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Illegal redesign

For illegal glazing of a balcony, punishment is provided in the form of a fine in the amount of 2-2.5 thousand rubles (Article 7.21 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation), and an order will also be issued requiring the mandatory dismantling of the balcony glazing structure.

In the case of unauthorized glazing of a balcony, there are two ways out of the situation: dismantle the structure or try to legalize it.

It is worth understanding that not all glazing can be legalized:

It is impossible to legalize glazing using wooden frames.
It is prohibited (according to fire regulations) to line the inside of the balcony with wooden clapboard - this is a flammable material. This design will also not be legalized.
It is impossible to legalize the placement of heated floors and radiators on insulated balconies and loggias, which are connected to public utilities.
If the lintel above the opening (supporting structure) is removed.
If, during the removal of the window sill block, the threshold was completely dismantled.
If the side walls of the balcony have been reduced (trimmed).
The window on the balcony is glazed to its entire height, thereby disrupting the architectural appearance of the house.

It is worth noting that this area is poorly controlled by the state and many citizens are in no hurry to legitimize the changes made.

You can live peacefully for quite a long time and use a glazed and extended balcony, but you definitely won’t be able to sell, donate or exchange such an apartment without new documents.