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There are not many ways to increase the area of apartments. The most accessible is the combination of a balcony or loggia with a room or kitchen. Let not a very large area join, but in small apartments it is like a godsend.
What documents are needed to combine a balcony / loggia
The balcony can be combined in two ways: simply by removing the window block without demolishing the window sill part of the wall and the threshold, and by removing it. If you choose to only remove the window/doors, no permission is required. Upon completion of the work, you take the plan of the apartment in the BTI, make the changes made
If it became necessary to remove the window sill part of the wall, then such a change is called redevelopment and requires a number of permits for its implementation. And keep in mind that in recent years in the capital it is allowed to remove the window sill block only if glass sliding doors are installed. Also note that radiators are not allowed to be taken out to the balcony or loggia. It will be necessary to separately organize the heating of the balcony, as well as determine a new place for the radiator, which was previously on the window sill.
Required Documents and Actions
In any case, you will need to:
- Take the BTI registration certificate for the apartment.
- With a technical passport, contact a design organization that has a certificate for the right to provide such services to draw up a redevelopment project. The second option is to order a redevelopment project in an organization that developed a standard project for your house (for residents of the capital, this is a more reliable option).
- Having taken the received project, documents confirming ownership rights, a completed application for redevelopment, contact the Housing Inspectorate.
After receiving a permit permit, work can begin. Upon completion of the repair, you will need to invite a representative of the Housing Inspectorate to receive the Certificate of completion of redevelopment work. With this document, you apply again to the BTI to obtain a new registration certificate.
Please note that when choosing the second option, only the part that was under the window is subject to demolition. It is strictly impossible to demolish the remaining side walls, the threshold without additional approval, as well as to cut down the window beam. They may also require strengthening measures. All work will be spelled out in the redevelopment project and must be carried out scrupulously.
If you need to remove the walls and beams, please specify this with the design organization when submitting documents. They are considering whether such an option is possible. If yes, they issue measures to restore the bearing capacity and a list of works.
Order of work
The main attention when working on attaching a balcony to a kitchen or room should be given to insulation. It will be necessary to insulate all parts of the structure except for the inner wall. Use the most effective materials at the same time, otherwise it will be very cold in the whole room in winter. Also, when installing the glazing, it will be necessary to pay special attention to the junction of the frames with the wall – to lay with a vapor barrier material. It will block the access of warm air from the room, preventing the formation of condensate.
Preparatory work
First you need to destroy everything to the ground, then … to build everything anew. In general, the order of preparatory work is as follows:
- Dismantling of the old glazing and finishing materials on the balcony / loggia (we leave the window block into the room in place for the time being). A metal fence remains on the balcony, on the loggia – a thin standard partition, if any. If there is no partition on the loggia, only the metal frame remains. It is necessary for the safety of work.
Dismantling of old glazing and finishing materials - Leveling the floor at the wall installation site. After dismantling the old finishing materials, the balcony slab along the edge is very uneven. Since a wall will have to be installed along the edge of the slab, the base must be even. The pits are concreted with an ordinary solution of the M300 brand.
If the edge of the balcony slab is uneven, it is concreted - Building a wall to a given height. To date, aerated concrete is considered the best option for building a wall on a balcony. The thickness of the blocks used is 100 mm (read about the laying of partitions from the gas block here). It is warm, easy to style, weighs little.
If the standard decoration of a balcony or loggia was removed, in parallel with the construction of the wall, it must be sheathed from the outside with the selected finishing material. Usually siding. Why wooden bars are attached outside, siding is attached to them.
Finishing the balcony outside should be carried out at this stage. Then you will need to call the promalps, and their services are not cheap at all. In the meantime, there is no glazing, you can get insurance and do everything from the balcony.
Glazing and insulation
Gradually, the concrete platform sticking out on the wall takes on a different look. Now you can believe that not only birds can be here. We carry out glazing in parallel with insulation. And it is better not to save on a heater. Otherwise, the room will be very cold, and the heating bills will be high.
- Installation of window blocks. For glazing it is necessary to use double-glazed windows. Their area will be large and single-chamber will not be able to provide the proper degree of thermal insulation. The profile for windows must also be taken with a large number of cameras – at least five. Although the profile has a smaller area, heat flows through it a lot.
Windows are usually installed by the campaign - Removal of the window block, if necessary – destruction of the window sill wall, measures to strengthen the walls and window beams.
Dismantling the window block - Laying of electrical wiring, installation of mounting boxes for sockets, switches, output of wires for the installation of lamps. To increase safety, wires can be laid in a special non-flammable corrugated hose.
Electrical wiring - Insulation of the floor, ceiling walls. The most common type of insulation is between wooden battens. For insulation, either extruded polystyrene foam or mineral wool mats are used. Expanded polystyrene is used more often, since with the same degree of thermal insulation it has a smaller thickness and is not afraid of getting wet (condensate). For Central Russia, the thickness of expanded polystyrene should be 70-100 mm. The insulation is laid in two layers with overlapping seams. They are fixed with special plastic dowels-umbrellas or glued to mounting foam.
Warming of all cold surfaces - A layer of metallized insulation (such as penofol). It additionally retains heat.
Penofol laying - Underfloor heating (if provided).
- Sheathing with finishing materials. It can be plywood or plasterboard, followed by puttying and wallpapering or painting.
In fact, the unification of the balcony can be considered complete after laying the penofol. Next, finishing work begins, and they strongly depend on whether a balcony / loggia or a kitchen is attached to the room, as well as on the design of these premises.
Kitchen combined with a balcony: ideas + design photos
Combining a balcony and a kitchen allows you to make this room more comfortable: a fairly solid area is added, unloading the “main” room.
But not everything can be taken out from the kitchen to the balcony. It is allowed to put there:
- Electrical appliances and household appliances. You can put a refrigerator, electric oven, electric stove, microwave, in general, any equipment powered by electricity. It is important not to forget to make a sufficient number of outlets.
Can carry any electrical equipment - Furniture. You can take out cabinets, a table with chairs and make a dining area on the balcony.
Can take out the dining area - Do not take out gas appliances and washing. They must remain in the “main territory”.
Several photo examples of the possible design and use of the window sill, which was inherited from the former window.
Combining a balcony and a room: options for using the area
Even a small area of a few square meters provides a lot of opportunities for its use. The final choice depends on what is more priority for you. So, what can be done on the attached loggia (balcony):
- Workplace or mini-office. Often you have to take work home, but nowhere to retire? Make a workplace on the attached balcony.
- Sleeping area. In a small apartment it is difficult to find a place to relax. Order a sofa / mattress according to the size of your loggia.
Sleeping place on the balcony - Recreation area. Put comfortable chairs, flowers.
Make a recreation area on the attached balcony - Place cabinets, but make them compact and beautiful.
Cabinets on the balcony – habitual use
Arch design
How harmoniously the attached loggia will look depends largely on how to decorate the passage. In some cases and styles, the rectangle looks good. Then all you need is to beat him correctly. And from a lack of planning, it turns into an ornament.
In the bedroom with an attached balcony there is an arc exit – to close everything with a translucent tulle from wall to wall. Rigid lines soften, harmony is restored.
Sometimes a simple rectangle doesn’t fit categorically. Then the corners should be rounded, adding smoothness.
Another option to give meaning to the rest of the window sill wall is to make shelves above it.
If the arch is made rounded on only one side, it will fit better into modern design, with appropriate design it will be suitable for minimalism and hi-tech.
