Make a suspended balcony on the 2nd floor. Is it possible to make a balcony if it is not there: all the pros and cons

According to the project, many apartment buildings do not have loggias on the first (sometimes even on the second) floors. The owners of such apartments are deprived of additional space, which can be converted into a rather cozy multifunctional living area. Some tenants are thinking about the possibility of adding a balcony with their own hands to the wall of the house. The addition of a balcony on the ground floor is a very real undertaking. Even on the second floor, a home-made balcony is being successfully added to an apartment building.

How to make a balcony from scratch

Let us immediately focus on the issue - the manufacture of balconies without obtaining permission from the relevant authorities ends in major troubles and a decree on the demolition of the constructed loggia. Unauthorized extension of this structure to a multi-storey building is prohibited.

Therefore, it is not worth starting an extension without formalized documents.

How to get permission to build a balcony or loggia

On this issue, it is better to consult a specialist. They will conduct an agreement with the necessary authorities. In case you nevertheless added a balcony without permission, experts will explain how to legalize this extension.

List of documents required to obtain permission to build a balcony:

On the ownership of the apartment.
BTI reference with the floor plan.
Housing and communal services resolution.
The consent of the tenants (neighbors) to the extension in writing.
Redevelopment project.
Coordination with utilities.
Coordination with the Department of Architecture.
Application to the district administration.

We do not recommend obtaining documents on your own - it will take a long time and may end in failure, and you will not be able to build anything.

Project preparation

Construction cannot begin without preliminary design. First, draw up sketches of the future building. Remember that your balcony should be harmoniously attached to the facade of the house. Then you make a competent drawing of the balcony, according to which you do all the necessary calculations, taking into account the materials used.

Remember: you have to build not only a beautiful but also a solid structure.

Balcony design options

We dismantle the window block and select the opening for the door block, it is necessary to install pre-prepared blocks in them (how an opening in the wall is made can be found on the Internet).

The foundation of the suspended structure is now complete. The following works are left:

Flooring - we lay wooden logs that serve as the basis for the floor covering, for example, OSB board. We insulate the floors, lay out the decorative coating.

We weld a metal sheet under the base, which serves as protection against arson and penetration.

Fastening decorative exterior cladding. You can apply a professional sheet.
Glazing of the constructed balcony, its insulation. These works are carried out as on ordinary balconies.

In addition to the standard form, a balcony can be built with a take-out - an extension of the balcony room.

Also, when building, one should not forget about the aesthetic side. Your building will look more complete when you decorate its support frame.

Suspended (or hinged) balcony on the ground floor

Extension of an attached balcony with a foundation

The most common option for building a balcony with your own hands is an attached one. In this case, the entire constructed structure rests on the foundation and is attached to the front wall of the building.

What does such a self-built balcony look like? The photo below is one of the options.

Side balcony on the ground floor

Good to know: an attached structure has an advantage over a suspended one - it can be attached without fear with a long overhang from the wall and much larger in area.

We start the extension from the foundation. We make the markup, check its correctness along the diagonals. We dig a pit and install foundation blocks there. The load on them will be small, so we use the standard 2400x60x30 cm.

Attention: the depth of the foundation pit must exceed the depth of soil freezing. The height of the balcony foundation should be at the level of the house foundation.

The decorative finishing of the basement of the extension should be made in the style of the building - lined with stone or plastered.

Further, the construction consists in the erection of brickwork, which forms the walls of the balcony. Its height should not be lower than the height of the building's balcony board. The optimum brickwork thickness is 250 mm. It must be attached as tightly as possible to the wall of the building.

The time for the construction of a balcony of this type is at least a month.

We have considered the main types of self-built balconies attached to the building. In fact, there are many other varieties. We offer you to get acquainted with the self-made balcony in the video at the link

A balcony often becomes an indispensable part of an apartment: someone equips it as a living space, someone organizes a flower garden or a small vegetable garden on it, and many simply store seasonal things, furniture or building materials on it. In any case, it is very difficult to imagine an apartment without a balcony or loggia, and their presence becomes a huge plus when buying a home.

In modern buildings, there are balconies even on the first floors, but they are not provided for in the projects of Khrushchev houses. For this reason, many decide to attach themselves a balcony. But to carry out such work, you need not only special knowledge and skills, but also all the necessary documents, permits and technical justifications for the extension project. Let's try to figure out in stages how to attach a balcony on the first floor correctly from the point of view of both construction technologies and the law.

How to legally attach a balcony on the first floor?

The most difficult stage of adding a balcony to an apartment on the ground floor is, oddly enough, preparation for construction. It includes obtaining the necessary permits and project development.

An approximate procedure for preparing for the balcony extension:

Obtaining the consent of neighbors. It is often at this stage that a problem arises, for which it is difficult to come to a compromise. The main thing here is to convince the rest of the residents of the house that the presence of a balcony in your apartment will not in any way affect the appearance of the building itself, the adjacent territory, as well as the strength of the house.
Prepare the project of the balcony itself. It should take into account all technological and architectural solutions, as well as SNiP norms.
Take photographs of the part of the territory where the balcony is supposed to be erected.
To obtain official consent, you must submit all of the above documents to the bureau of technical inventory, as well as pay a certain state fee.
In addition, you will need permits from Rospotrebnadzor, state fire supervision, city department of culture and utilities.
The next step after the approval of the project is to contact the local authorities to obtain a building permit.

The easiest way in this case is not to try to deal with all the paperwork on your own, but to contact a legal company that provides services for coordinating construction and redevelopment. Such a solution will significantly save you money and hassle.

There are times when residents are refused permission for such a construction. This may be due to the fact that:

According to the project, the balcony will be located on the front side of the building, and not from the yard;
In the presence of various communications in the immediate vicinity;
If the building is in disrepair and the extension could cause serious damage.

But such nuances are quite rare, and most often it is possible to get the necessary package of documents, although not always quickly.

Options for adding a balcony on the first floor

Three main types of balconies can be attached to the first floor:

Suspension;
Attached (on a foundation or piles).

Suspended balcony with brackets

In the first case, the balcony slab is "suspended" on brackets that are attached directly to the wall of the building. Moreover, the larger the balcony area is planned, the more supports will be needed. Such an extension requires a thorough check of the building wall for accident rate and the ability to take on the weight of the structure.

Side balconies are built separately, on their own foundations. This option is possible if the distance from the ground to the required height of the balcony floors is small. At the same time, there is no particular load on the wall of the house, but additional difficulties arise associated with the competent arrangement of the foundation. But at the same time as the balcony, you can build a cellar under it.

Side balcony on stilts

A balcony that rests on piles or a columnar foundation also does not give a large additional load on the building wall. Such a structure will be quite reliable and durable, while there will be free space under the balcony, which can be used for growing a flower garden or laying a lawn - this fact can be an excellent argument when obtaining consent for construction from neighbors.

Let us dwell in more detail on each of the methods presented.

How to attach a suspended balcony on the first floor

Procedure for building a suspended balcony:

This option is the easiest to execute, since there is no need to carry out earthworks here.

How to attach an attached balcony (on the foundation)

The beginning of construction in this case is the laying of the foundation. Most often, for attached balconies, a strip type of foundation is used, since it is cheaper, and at the same time allows you to provide an optimal load on the ground. But there is also an option with a columnar foundation or a balcony on piles. The principle of such balconies is generally the same.

Procedure for adding a balcony on a foundation:

The depth of laying the foundation is determined, taking into account the peculiarities of soil freezing, and the load on it is calculated by the weight of the structure, the type of foundation is determined.
Pegs-beacons are driven in the corners of the future balcony, a rope is stretched between them according to the level.
The necessary earthworks are being carried out. If you plan to lay a strip foundation, a trench is dug around the perimeter, in the case of a columnar foundation - holes.
The foundation frame is being built, concrete is poured.
After some time, after the concrete has completely dried, a balcony frame is constructed, a floor slab or wooden logs are laid.
Walls are being erected, glazing and finishing of the balcony are carried out.

It turns out a beautiful balcony

It is important to take into account that the height of the balcony foundation must match the height of the building foundation.

Tips and nuances for adding a balcony to the first floor of a building

There are a number of separate points that relate to the addition of a balcony to an apartment on the first floor of the building. From the point of view of construction, the following nuances should be taken into account:

Any type of balcony must have a very solid foundation. This is especially true of those cases when it is planned to expand the space of the living room with its help by partially or completely combining the premises;
The balcony foundation must fit snugly against the building foundation. The quality of further insulation of the room depends on this;
The roof must be installed at an angle;
The door should never open into the balcony. The surest option is when the door opens into the room. Firstly, it will save space on a small balcony, and secondly, it will protect you from situations with the "slamming" of plastic doors;
It is a bad idea to choose stained-glass or panoramic glazing of the balcony, which is attached to the apartment on the first floor of the building. In this case, you should take special care of safety and at least install grilles on the balcony windows, even better - an alarm system.

And a little about the legal side of the issue:

A solid strip foundation is the most reliable option, but be sure to consult with lawyers before installing it. The fact is that the city authorities can force you to pay for the part of the land on which the foundation was erected, since in this case it passes from public use to your personal possession;
Getting permission to add a balcony on the second floor is much more difficult. A good option when the neighbors from below have already attached a balcony to themselves, and it can serve as a support for the construction on the second floor. Otherwise, the structure must be supported on special supports that do not threaten the integrity of the building's load-bearing wall;
Remember that it is much easier and cheaper to collect documents and permits before the start of construction than trying to legalize an extension after its implementation;
It is almost impossible to make a project of an attached balcony on your own. To do this, it is better to turn to specialists, because they are already familiar with all the possible nuances and pitfalls of approving and legitimizing such buildings.

The addition of a balcony to an apartment on the ground floors of a building is a very complex and long process, which should be approached with special responsibility. It is possible to independently carry out such a redevelopment only by thoroughly studying all the nuances of the legal legalization of such structures and the technological side of the issue. But the easiest option would be to contact a trusted construction company with successful experience in the implementation of such projects.

Inhabitants of the first floors of typical high-rise buildings face two problems: a small apartment area and a lack of a balcony. You can cope with both by completing the balcony extension with your own hands.

Recently, the addition of balconies on the first or second floor is rapidly gaining popularity. Of course, this will allow not only to increase the area of the apartment, but also to increase the value of real estate. How to make such a balcony with your own hands will be discussed in this article.

Ways to attach a balcony

There are two main ways to add a balcony from scratch:

Suspended type - suitable for building not only on the first, but also on the second floors.
Adjacent type - do-it-yourself extension is possible only on the 1st floor, since it requires the construction of a separate foundation.

You can make an extension with your own hands and such a balcony on piles

How the extension and installation of the balcony will be carried out, everyone chooses based on their personal capabilities, but any extension of the living space, the construction of a balcony with their own hands, including, must be agreed upon in the appropriate authorities. A permit for the construction of balconies with your own hands on the first floor and above can be obtained after submitting an official, technically competent project of the future balcony to the architectural department and the district administration.

Important: To draw up drawings and calculations for the addition of a balcony, it is better to contact a qualified specialist, providing him with your sketches. And the relevant authorities will accept the project the first time and issue a work permit.

An unauthorized extension of a balcony on the 1st and 2nd floors without approval may entail not only fines and difficulties with the sale of an apartment, but also the requirement to demolish an expensive structure.

Attachment of a hinged balcony

This type of extension is actively used on the 1st floor. Do-it-yourself balcony extension, the photo below shows this, it is also possible above.

Suspended type of balcony extension on the 2nd floor

As a rule, a new self-installed balcony exceeds the dimensions of standard structures, since it is often mounted with a take-out, and this requires a suspended roof. Metal corners should be attached to the wall - their pitch and size are smaller than those lying at the base. A layer of hydro and vapor barrier is applied to them, and then a wooden crate is attached. The finished frame is covered with roofing material.

At the corners of the frame, using welding, we fasten metal vertical racks and a horizontal beam (at the height of the future glazing), it should be connected to the base with vertical elements, observing a step of 40-60 cm.

It looks like a frame for an extension with your own hands

Outdoor decoration

When the frame is ready, you can start glazing and cladding it. Do-it-yourself outdoor decoration is done with a profiled sheet or PVC siding.

Constructed and clad with siding hinged balcony on the ground floor

Interior decoration

If the balcony will be used in the cold season, then it is necessary to carry out thermal insulation work: insulate the floor, walls, ceiling.

It is better not to make the structure of the suspended balcony heavier, therefore, light materials should be used for decoration: drywall, plastic panels, linoleum, laminate, etc.

Do-it-yourself balcony extension on the first floor

This option allows you to make a balcony of almost any size with your own hands: you can take it out to a fairly large width, and stretch it along the entire apartment in length without affecting the neighbors. The result is a unique glazed terrace.

The construction of a balcony begins with a diagram and subsequent design. Such a balcony is being built on a separate foundation, therefore, in addition to the sketch, it is necessary to calculate the depth of its foundation. To do this, it is better to contact specialists who will determine the type of soil and the depth of its freezing, the level of groundwater, etc.

Important: The addition of a balcony on a separate foundation, in contrast to a suspended structure, requires registration of ownership of the plot under the building site; without this, a building permit cannot be obtained.

DIY extension foundation

It is impossible to simply attach a balcony by erecting walls on the ground, it is necessary to prepare a reliable foundation. To do this, do:

Markup. The foundation of the building must be tightly adjacent to the foundation of the house. An area of the required dimensions is indicated, the correctness of the marking is checked. When the diagonals of the rectangle coincide, pegs are driven in at its corners, through which the cord is pulled.
Excavation. When digging a pit with your own hands, it is advisable to immediately take away the soil so that the embankment does not interfere with the work, and the very place where the work is going on should be fenced off for safety.
Assembly. Since the load will be relatively small, the narrowest blocks (2400x60x30 cm) can be used. The heights of the foundations of the house and the extension must match.
Waterproofing - installed in 2 layers before overlapping the basement. If a cellar or basement is planned, then it is necessary to install waterproofing at a height of about 10 cm from the ground level and in front of the overlap.
Installation of an extension overlap. Reinforced concrete slabs: length 3-6 m, width 120-180 cm - installed along the wall, leaning on the side walls of the foundation. They simultaneously serve as the floor of the future balcony.

Erection of the walls of the extension

You can use brick or aerated concrete as a material for building walls with your own hands. The side walls are laid out to the full height of the extension, and the front part - to the level of the windowsill. Laying is carried out in one row.

The balcony project on the first floor can be large-scale

Roof

The installation of a wooden frame and lathing is carried out, on which a layer of hydro and vapor barrier is installed, and then the roofing material is laid. When assembling the roof with your own hands, it is advisable to maintain a slight slope from the wall so that the water can drain calmly.

Opening preparation

The old window block and window sill are dismantled, and an opening of the corresponding width is made in the wall - for the future door.

Important: When dismantling part of the wall with your own hands, do not damage the heating system, which is usually located under the windows in an apartment building. If the radiator is in place of the future opening, it should be moved in advance.

The window unit must fit snugly into the opening; large gaps are unacceptable. All junction points are carefully filled with polyurethane foam. Then new window sills and drainage systems are installed.

It is better to use two-chamber or three-chamber double-glazed windows. For cold balconies, aluminum sliding structures are suitable.

In some types of houses, balconies on the first floors are not provided. However, you have every chance of getting this extra space. You can attach a balcony with your own hands. It can be suspended, on struts, or supported on piles. In this article, we will describe the construction of balconies on the first floor: suspended and piled.

Do-it-yourself balcony installation may seem like an impossible undertaking. This is not true. Homemade balconies are, of course, troublesome: you will have to physically work and tinker with papers.

First, you will have to draw a sketch, and then draw up a draft of the balcony on the first floor, then coordinate it with the authorities responsible for these issues. For the extension on the second floor, the design is done in the same way. The work itself will not take very long.

Do-it-yourself hanging balcony extension

Before starting the extension, we take the project of the future balcony and go to order the balcony glazing and the inner window block. Until the company delivers the frames with double-glazed windows, we do not start work.

Installation of struts and base frame

The construction of the balcony will be held on welded struts. You can make them with your own hands from a 50x50mm metal corner. One of the sides of the braces should protrude 50mm up and down, these will be additional places for fastening. The distance between the struts should be about 100 cm, based on this, we consider the required amount. We carry out installation to the wall using anchors.

Extension of the balcony on the first floor: installation diagram of the braces

Now we make a strapping, we use the same metal corner for it. Do not forget to make jumpers across the resulting rectangle. The side that adjoins the wall is additionally fixed to it with anchors.

Do-it-yourself hinged balcony on the first floor: how to attach a strapping to the struts

Installation of the floor and glazing frame of the extension

We organize the floor. Due to the fact that the bearing capacity of the resulting base of the extension is limited, pouring a slab of solid concrete will not work. You have two options:

First. We attach metal sheets under the base frame. We fill in expanded clay with a layer of 3 cm.Now we take a reinforcing mesh from a bar (5mm) and put it on the frame. We tie the mesh to the jumpers with wire, weld it to the strapping.

We lay a damper tape around the perimeter of the strapping and fill everything with a liquid cement-sand mortar so that the reinforcing mesh is covered by 2 cm and leave to freeze. After the screed dries well, we carry out waterproofing and sealing of the base.

Making balconies with your own hands: flooring

Second. We put any sheet metal into the base frame, lay a layer of waterproofing on it, and then boards. We fasten everything with self-tapping screws. Next, we attach the logs to the floor, lay a layer of insulation between them, close it with a vapor barrier and lay the subfloor. We pass with a waterproofing, and then a sealing agent, the joints of metal sheets on the underside of the slab.

We cook the frame for the glazing of the balcony separately, on the ground, then install it on the base of the extension. We fasten the side posts of the frame with anchors to the wall. We do the same with the upper lintel adjacent to the wall. This will reduce the load on the base of the extension. Do not forget that the weight of the balcony insulation and finishing materials will still fall on it.

Suspended balcony on the first floor: how to make a parapet on an extension

Important: you must be very careful with the collection of papers and work permits. The unauthorized extension of the balcony, if you fail to legalize it "retroactively", can threaten you with a large fine. In addition, you will be required to demolish the extension.

Balcony on stilts with your own hands

It is more difficult to obtain a permit for the construction of a balcony of this type, because it involves excavation in the immediate vicinity of the foundation of an apartment building. Less problems will arise if you make such an extension on the 1st floor. For a similar structure on the 2nd floor, it is more difficult to collect paper.

However, despite all these difficulties, this type of construction has several advantages. Most importantly, the bearing capacity of the base of this extension is significantly higher than that of a suspended balcony. You will not be constrained in choosing double-glazed windows for balcony glazing and insulation materials.

Installation of support piles and installation of the extension frame.

We need four 10cm steel piles. When calculating the length, we take into account that the supports of the extension will be buried in the ground by 50-60 cm. Pits for piles are made either by hand or with the assistance of special equipment. We expose the supports in the pits, checking with the level, we fix them perpendicular to the ground. Pour the solution and cover the fresh concrete with pieces of cellophane.

Loggias with their own hands: making supports for the base plate of the extension

After the concrete hardens, it will be necessary to make the strapping of the extension supports. The back of it is made of a channel, which will need to be attached to the wall. We mark the installation site, drill holes for the anchor in the wall and in the channel bar, fasten it. Now we tie the piles with a metal corner by welding, fasten them with a channel. From metal strips we make jumpers across the extension support. The distance should be approximately 70-80cm.

How to make a balcony with your own hands: tying the supports of the extension

Pouring the extension base plate

We collect the board from the boards and attach it to the lower side of the frame. These boards will then have to be dismantled, so we just prop up the shield with bricks stacked in a column. Now laying the reinforcing mesh. We tie it with a wire from a bar with a cross section of 5 mm. We weld the mesh to the strapping, we tie it to the jumpers with wire.

Drawing of a balcony, completion: installing a formwork shield and reinforcing mesh with your own hands

Now you can pour the cement-sand mixture. The installation of the frame for installing the balcony glazing can be started immediately after the base plate of the extension has hardened. The frame can be with or without extension - the construction of the extension allows both options. Even brickwork can act as a parapet. And do not forget to waterproof the slab before installing the insulation.

Important: the position of the reinforcing mesh in the thickness of the slab. The net should not lie on the bottom of the frame. In order to raise it, you need to install special plastic supports. The height of the props should be 4.5-5cm. The concrete is poured so that the reinforcement is closed by 2.5-3 cm.

Do-it-yourself balcony construction from scratch

A little about roofing for balconies

There are two types of roofs for balconies: dependent and independent. The dependent roof rests on the balcony frame, which means it gives it additional load. Independent - mounted on the wall of the house on the basis of struts, there is no pressure on the frame of the extension.

For a balcony resting on piles, there is no difference in the form of a roof; it can withstand a very heavy load. But for a hinged balcony, it is better to use an independent structure and lightweight roofing material.

Balcony with your own hands: a photo of the superstructure of two types of roof

Balcony with your own hands: a video on how you can make an independent roof.

The balcony is a very comfortable place for storage and relaxation. This is an additional place for work, plants, gym. If a balcony is not provided, and you live on the first two floors, then you can do it.
But the most difficult part, perhaps, is the preparation of documents.

If this is not done, they may completely demolish your building or be fined. After all, building without permission is illegal.
Be sure to provide the following papers:

apartment layout
ownership
resolution from housing and communal services
consent from tenants, adjacent apartments
project of the future extension
permission from utilities and architects

The easiest way is to contact notaries, they will quickly collect all the necessary documents, not forgetting about the little things.

The extension will help not only make life easier, but also increase the value of the apartment for sale. After all, many first of all pay attention to the presence of a balcony.

How to create a project

Without a project, you will not succeed in any construction. First of all, draw a sketch of the future extension. It is already possible to calculate materials on it. It is important to enter the design so as not to disfigure the appearance of the building and to take into account all the needs. It is better if you contact an architect or builder, since mistakes in such a matter can be quite expensive, both in terms of materials and time. But now there are excellent programs that give an idea of \ u200b \ u200bthe construction in full. The appearance, strength of the selected materials, well-chosen dimensions are important.

Balcony options

Balcony mounting methods:

The most suitable option for multi-storey buildings is a cantilever slab.
In cottages, cantilever beams are most often purchased.
Brackets are good for heavy loads.
Attached balconies are typical for ground floors where the building is simply attached to the house.

If you decide to start building a balcony yourself, then it is best to use extensions or brackets.

Construction creation:

making a frame (you need to make a base of metal corners in the form of an isosceles triangle; this structure is attached to the wall with anchor bolts; a metal frame is welded onto the triangles)
the parapet is strengthened
the window is dismantled, a doorway is formed
a metal sheet is placed on the floor to protect against fire and burglary
carry out flooring and insulation
the balcony is often sheathed with sheets of corrugated board
the balcony is insulated and glazed

There are ready-made and made frames of balconies, it is enough to weld them to the wall. Be sure to decorate the balcony with aesthetic decorative elements.

You can make a foundation under an attached balcony, this can really expand the area (the structure is safer than suspended).

To begin with, the foundation itself is being erected. A pit is dug under it, into which blocks for the foundation will then be installed. The depth of the pit is best calculated by a professional; it is important to calculate the level of soil freezing. The depth of the foundation itself should not exceed this parameter. The height of the foundation and the future balcony must match. From a decorative point of view, you need to combine a balcony and a building.

Then brickwork is erected, which will be the main walls of the extension. Try to do this as tightly as possible to the facade. The extension must comply with the waterproofing standards. Better to do double waterproofing. It is important to protect the extension from groundwater and high levels of humidity. The roof usually coincides with the slab of the upper floor, or it is made independent.
The entire structure must be insulated and glazed. It is very fashionable now to use panoramic glazing, cold and warm glazing is suitable for such a balcony; for additional comfort, you can install radiators or electric heaters.
Do not forget to put the balcony in order externally. Think over the design and additional elements.

Window-balcony

This is a new design trend, quite attractive and simple. There are several provisions in this design. For example, an ordinary-looking window can be easily converted into a small balcony with handrails. Well suited for a country house. It can be used as an emergency exit.

But, unfortunately, this Danish development has not yet taken root in our country.

Photo: babyblog.ru, yaplakal.com