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.
Can they refuse?
When coordinating the project, special circumstances may arise due to which it will not be possible to build a balcony on the ground floor.
Basic rules prohibit its extension if:
- Your home is an architectural monument.
- The side of the house where construction is supposed to begin faces one of the central streets of the city.
- An extension will spoil the appearance of the house or may damage the structure.
- The materials from which the balcony will be made or the technique for its construction are outdated and do not comply with accepted modern standards.
- During the construction process, it is planned to damage one of the load-bearing walls.
- The location of underground communications interferes with construction (they are closer than 2.5 meters).
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.
How to get permission
Permission to glaze a loggia is issued by the territorial housing inspection, but before contacting this organization, you should collect a package of documents.
Documents for obtaining permission to glaze a loggia:
- A statement drawn up according to the sample;
- The original or a copy certified by a notary public of the state registration certificate for the right to own property;
- Technical passport of the premises;
- Loggia glazing project, agreed upon by all authorities.
You should go to the BTI for a technical passport - it will contain all the information on the basis of which the project is developed.
But the greatest difficulty lies in obtaining a project for glazing a loggia - it can only be issued by organizations that have permission to design residential buildings. Employees of the design organization first draw up a conclusion about the possibility of glazing your balcony based on its technical condition, and then develop a glazing project.
Balcony glazing project
After this, the finished project must undergo approval for the glazing of the loggia in four more organizations - the management company (DEZ), Rospotrebnadzor (SES), Gospozhnadzor and the architectural department of the city. Under favorable circumstances, having gone through all these authorities, you will take the package of documents to the territorial housing inspection, where you will be given permission to glaze the balcony.
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.
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.
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.
Do I need permission to glaze a balcony?
Coordination of balcony glazing is always necessary when you intend to do it yourself.
This is explained by the fact that any redevelopment of the home may affect the interests of your neighbors and affect the integrity of the common property. Why you can’t glaze a balcony without permission:
- The window design will increase the load on the structure;
- Poor quality glazing will change the level of illumination of the apartment;
- Installation errors may result in frames falling out and causing injury to bystanders.
Balcony frames falling out
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 much does it cost to build a balcony on the first floor?
The final cost of a commissioned balcony depends on the building materials and installation method. Now the cost of installing a balcony exceeds one hundred thousand rubles. After receiving the entire package of permits and the consent of the neighbors, you will have to pay state fees in several authorized departments. Utility organizations also do not always give permission for installation absolutely free.
The final cost also includes the cost of completing the project. An experienced designer who is able to foresee all the likely requirements of the competent authorities and the exact location of utilities will not work for free.
Finding out exactly how much a balcony costs to build on the first floor is possible only after thorough calculations. Using a wooden balcony block will reduce the final price compared to using a plastic group.
A large regional or federal center will require large expenses. The cost of the entire package of documents with permits ranges around four thousand dollars. In the periphery, it is possible to meet a much smaller amount. Thus, installing a balcony in Bugulma will be several times cheaper than in large cities.
The area of the balcony, although legally not recognized as residential, plays an important role in practical terms. Things needed for a certain season are stored here, and you can also arrange a winter garden or organize a living space. A balcony or loggia greatly influences the overall investment component of real estate, so their presence becomes an attractive condition when buying an apartment. However, installing balconies requires a long wait for permission and the help of experienced workers for installation.
Only specialists can install a loggia or a hanging balcony on the first floor. Their work will cost more than that of a team of hacks, but will guarantee trouble-free operation in the future. The costs of correcting technological errors made during installation may be higher than the cost of the installation itself.
Storing construction waste during and after installation work should not be allowed, as there are penalties for this.
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.
Redevelopment of a balcony into a room
If the owner of the apartment wants to convert the balcony into a full-fledged (albeit rather specific) room, then this certainly falls under the characteristics of redevelopment and requires approval from the BTI. In addition, most likely, you will need to inform your neighbors about the planned changes and obtain written permission from them (a signature on the citizen’s petition is sufficient).
However, there is one problem. Although the law does not directly prohibit this procedure, a number of technical prohibitions prevent such redevelopment. Primarily due to the fact that the balcony is a “cold” room, which is much more difficult to warm up due to its location. This consequently lowers the average temperature throughout the house.
Therefore, to increase your chances of obtaining permission to redevelop a balcony into a room, you need to do two things. The first is to make the balcony closed (if it is not already so) by increasing its thermal insulation. The second is to make tight doors separating the new room from the rest of the premises. In this case, there will be no significant difficulties in coordinating the redevelopment in official structures.
In what cases is balcony glazing not allowed?
You cannot expect that your request for permission to glaze a balcony will be granted in any case. For example, if you plan to move central heating devices onto the balcony area, there is a risk of unbalancing the entire heating system, so you will not be given permission to take this step. For the same reason, it is not allowed to remove part of the wall under the window opening or expand the doorway onto the balcony.
Glazing of the loggia is not carried out even if it will disrupt the external architectural appearance of the house as a whole. This applies to situations where your balcony faces the central side of the street, especially in the historical part of the city.
Illegal glazing of balconies
Of course, the entire procedure for obtaining a permit is lengthy and expensive, since you will have to pay bills: for the creation of the project, approval in various organizations, BTI services and various state duties. Sometimes this amount reaches the cost of the glazing itself, so many decide to produce it without obtaining permission. But everyone decides for themselves: to obey the requirements of the law and feel calm, or to take risks and expect trouble from regulatory services at any moment.
Typical glazing projects for balconies and loggias in Moscow and the region
A ready-made project for a glazed balcony, which uses several double-glazed windows and a multi-chamber profile, can turn a small balcony space into a full-fledged living space. This option is perfect for glazing loggias.
In a typical loggia glazing project, you can use laminated wood-look film or mirrored double-glazed windows. Glazing of loggias and balconies according to standard projects does not require much time, and also always costs less than the individual option.
