Some homeowners often only realize after the house has been built or bought that a balcony would have been nice. But that's not a problem, because it can be retrofitted.
Oh, how nice it is when you can already enjoy the sun outdoors at breakfast in the morning or spend mild summer evenings comfortably together with friends on the balcony. Of course, if you own a house, you can usually look forward to your own garden. But a balcony is something else. Here you can enjoy the fresh air without being directly seen. And that even in the rain, as long as the balcony is covered. But what if the house is already standing, but there is no balcony? Then that's no problem at all. After all, you can also add a balcony later and even increase the value of your property.
In this article, we would like to show you which variants are available for retrofitting balconies, what you should consider when adding a balcony and what costs you have to reckon with.
Determine location/size of balcony
First of all, of course, you need to determine the location and size of the balcony. If you have several options to choose from, then use the following criteria to decide where the balcony should be retrofitted:
- Would you like to be able to enjoy the morning, midday or evening sun?
- Where do you have the best view from?
- Where is the quietest place?
The orientation of the balcony should be carefully considered. Because not everyone wants to sit on the balcony in the blazing sun. According to www.meinfoto.de are:
- South-facing balconies especially for sun worshipers
- East-facing balconies perfect as a breakfast spot
- West balconies for sunset lovers
- North balconies as a shady retreat
perfectly suited. Once you have clarified where the balcony should go, the only question left is how big it should be. Should it just be a small balcony to relax on or rather a large one for the whole family, on which you can place a complete seating group?
What kind of balcony for theIs there a retrofit?
Once you have clarified the position and size of the balcony, you must now decide on a suitable balcony variant. You can choose from the following variants:
❍ Imagine balcony:
Probably the easiest way to add a balcony later is the front balcony. As the name suggests, with this variant the balcony is simply "placed next to the house". This works so easily because the front balcony stands independently on four supports and is therefore self-supporting. Only a few anchoring points on the facade are therefore required to attach the balcony. The cultivation effort is therefore very low and the costs for the balcony are not that high either.
❍ Extension balcony:
In contrast to front balconies, extension balconies only stand on two supports in front of the facade. They are stabilized by a concrete foundation. In addition, the floor supports of the balcony are attached to the ceiling with fastening anchors. This is also the reason why no further supports are needed there. This balcony model is therefore ideal for retrofitting or for redesigning or renovating a balcony. In addition, the add-on balcony is also one of the inexpensive balcony models.
❍ Cantilever balcony (also called cantilever balcony):
If the balcony is to be located above a driveway, footpath, parking lot or similar, where supports with foundations are not possible or are in the way, then a cantilever balcony is exactly the right choice. Because this is simply "hung" on the facade with the help of wall brackets. But don't worry: if the masonry is stable and intact, the supports that are attached to the house wall can easily carry the entire weight of the balcony.
❍ Alcove balcony:
Does your house have an alcove or do you want to add some living space to a corner of your house? Then this is also an ideal way to set up a small balcony or to add one later. Because niches in particular create a cozy atmosphere. Here you can choose between a projection balcony, an extension balcony or a self-supporting balcony. The only difference to the models mentioned above: niche balconies are usually custom-made - so they are also a bit more expensive.
How to make the transition from house to balcony?
Once the choice for a balcony has been made, you still have to think about how you want to design the transition from the house to the balcony. It all depends hereon how big the balcony to be built should be and whether you would like to take the opportunity to flood your living space with more light. Basically you can choose between
- simple revolving doors/window doors (can be opened and closed like windows)
- Sliding doors (door is pushed to the side)
- Parallel sliding tilt doors (can be tilted and slid sideways)
- Folding glass wall (glass panels are folded together)
If you want to make the transition from the living room to the balcony barrier-free, you are well advised to use a lift and slide door. Because lift and slide doors allow a very wide passage. In addition, the wings run in a rail in the floor at the top and bottom. There is therefore no elevation, which makes the passage completely barrier-free. Another plus point: there are now even models that are powered by an electric motor (seen on oknoplast.de). This is the perfect solution for people with physical disabilities or older people to get onto the balcony without much effort.
What are the costs?
If you have decided to have a balcony added later, you usually have to reckon with costs of 10,000 to 15,000 euros. The pure material price for projection and extension balconies is usually only around 3,000 to 4,000 euros (for cantilever balconies 5,000 to 6,000 euros), but there are also the costs for:
- Railing ➜ approx. 100 - 400 euros per running meter
- Balcony door ➜ approx. 600 - 1000 euros
- Balcony and railing installation ➜ approx. 3,000 - 4,000 euros
- Inserting the balcony door ➜ approx. 300 euros
- Building permit ➜ approx. 400 euros
How expensive the entire project to add a balcony will ultimately be depends on the type of balcony, door, railing, etc. you choose. You can get a precise overview of how the costs for the subsequent extension of a balcony are made up at Kostencheck.de.
Our savings tip:
If you want to make your dream of your own balcony come true, it doesn't have to be unnecessarily expensive. If you opt for an imaginary balcony with a simple railing and a revolving door to access the balcony, you can save a lot of money and still get a wonderful balcony. After all, every balcony can be made cozy - whether cheap or expensive.
Does the subsequent extension require a permit?
In a nutshell: Yes. forbuilding a balcony is required. After all, you want to significantly change the appearance of the house. In addition, the requirements for statics and stability when adding a balcony later are very high. You must therefore submit a building application to the building authority, which contains the following information:
- Size and position of the balcony
- Distances to neighbors
- Balcony Floor Plans, Elevations and Location Plan
If you hire a professional balcony builder, you will usually kill two birds with one stone. Because he can not only present you with the best balcony solution for your house/apartment and then build it, he also knows exactly what you have to consider for your project to be approved.