Kitchen on the balcony

The balcony has long ceased to be just a depository of skis, sleds, a variety of seasonal items and unused building materials. Currently, there are more and more projects of redeveloping loggias and giving new functions to these areas. After all, having ceased to store any rubbish on the balcony, it is possible to free this lightest and closest to the environment place for something more necessary and pleasant - for example, to arrange a kitchen there.

The positive points of combining these zones include:

• the possibility of creating an additional relaxation zone;
• the possibility of using the additional space formed under the furniture or kitchen set (you can move a refrigerator, stove or table to the loggia);
• Expanded and integrated space allows you to realize the most daring design ideas;
• using special finishing materials, you can achieve improved sound and heat insulation, which means that it will be much more pleasant to stay in a warmed and quiet kitchen;

Significant shortcomings that may override the positive aspects of the repair include:

• the need to spend a huge amount of time to obtain all permits from state institutions;

• rather big cash costs, since besides paying for all kinds of certificates, you will need glazing, warming, laying a “warm” floor, new interior decoration;

• It is important that such large-scale changes take a lot of mental strength and patience.

Before carrying out the deformation of the wall, it is necessary to determine which type it belongs to - bearing wall, non-bearing wall or partition. You can find out from the technical passport of the apartment or by sending a request to the Bureau of Technical Inventory. If for some reason these actions cannot be taken, you can determine the type of structure yourself. To do this, consider the area of ​​the wall without lining.

The width of the bearing wall in the house panel construction can be in the range of from fifteen to fifty five centimeters. If, after measurements, the dimensions were included in this interval, it is necessary to consult with a specialist.

In a brick house, the bearing walls are often about three bricks wide or about forty centimeters. Partitions of such material can be up to twenty, a maximum of twenty-six centimeters.

In a monolithic building, the support function is carried by constructions from twenty one centimeters wide. It is important to remember that if the building is monolithic frame, then there are no supporting walls at all.

Any planning changes must begin with the drafting of the project, which will indicate the actual dimensions of the room (before redevelopment) and the expected after. It is obvious that any changes affecting engineering systems or supporting structures should be carried out strictly after obtaining permission for such interventions from special organizations.

In addition, all the changes should be made to the apartment documentation - its technical passport. To do this, you need to obtain a specialist's opinion that the unification of the premises did not violate the current technical standards and current construction legislation.

To carry out the redevelopment of all the rules will have to go through several stages. First of all, you need to find specialists who can not only draw up a project in accordance with the wishes of the customer, but will also have a license to perform such tasks.

Then it is necessary to approve this project in several city organizations, such as: Bureau of Technical Inventory, Sanitary and Epidemiological Service, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Housing and Operations Office, Technical Supervision Service. BTI specialists must be called home, this operation is paid and is recorded in the receipt.

After receiving an approving verdict in all these instances, you can apply for the final decision to the housing inspection. Only after a positive response from this organization can the repair of the loggia begin.

Absolutely all the changes made by the court are entered into the apartment’s technical passport, this is necessary in order to avoid future problems with inheritance rights, sales, and just fines from supervisory authorities and unnecessary financial expenses. It is important to remember that the judicial authorities will also need the following documents to reach a positive verdict:

• certificate of the absence of any object of architectural or historical value;
• an extract on the quantitative composition of the family living in the apartment;
• written approval of all registered residents;
• a notarized copy of documents confirming the right to housing (this includes a certificate of the owner, the contract of sale, lease);
• a statement of the planned changes with a list of upcoming events, mode, schedule of work and the time of their implementation;
• author's supervision contract concluded with the project company;
• insurance of persons performing repair work during the entire process;
• contract for waste disposal, extracts from the repair and operational management;
• statements about the absence of debts on utility bills, which, by the way, it is recommended to receive at the last moment, since they have a very limited period of validity - only a month;
• certificate from the house book

On average, the general approval of redevelopment takes from one to two months, if it is not intended to affect the supporting structures, the process may take three to four months. Well, if the deformation of the supporting structures is necessary, the coordination can take from four to six months.

After the completion of the redevelopment and finishing of the balcony, it is necessary to once again call the representatives of the housing inspection, who will issue the Act on redevelopment, provided there are no violations, of course. To obtain approval from the commission it is necessary that the following conditions be met:

• full compliance with the work performed in the project;
• author control over the whole process;
• timely re-issuance of permits in the relevant authorities.

You can combine the kitchen area with a balcony in several different ways. Thus, the kitchen space can be increased due to partial deformation of the wall. In this case, the doorway is eliminated, the window and the threshold are dismantled. The remaining part of the wall serves as a bar counter or partition - due to this, separation into functional zones is achieved, visual expansion of the space, but at the same time, the bearing capacity of the wall is not lost.

Permission for such changes to get the easiest.

The second option involves the complete destruction of the walls of the loggia. Thus, a significant expansion of space and an increase in the kitchen area by several square meters is obtained. But this method is possible only on the condition that the supporting structure is not affected.

A third variant of transferring the kitchen to the balcony is also possible - however, for its realization, the room must be large enough, since it is assumed that the working area of ​​the kitchen will be completely transferred there. In this case, in the vacant adjoining room, you can arrange a dining room or living room. The most difficult thing in such a transfer is to place engineering communications..

To free up the space of the room, you can place appliances on the loggia (refrigerator, microwave, oven, coffee machine or dishwasher) - without forgetting to carry out the necessary electrical networks before.

It is important to remember that there are several major limitations when re-planning a balcony that cannot be bypassed, as this can lead to a decrease in the safety of building operation. Thus, when combining a kitchen and a loggia, it is strictly forbidden to demolish or deform the supporting structures. Also, in no case can one affect and change the general house engineering communications: gas, sewer lines. To install an additional sewer pipe is possible only if the apartment is on the first floor, otherwise it must be equipped with a special pump.

In addition, you can not move the heating batteries to the loggia or hang them on the walls combined with the neighboring apartments, and connect the “warm floor” system from the common heating system. To ensure a comfortable temperature on the loggia, you can use a warm floor or electric heating devices.

After the redevelopment project is approved by all government agencies, you can proceed directly to qualitative changes in the interior:

First, you need to take measures to protect the existing furniture from damage - portable interior should be taken out to other rooms, kitchen units can be covered with a special protective film. Then all trash is thrown away, which is often stored on the balcony. After clearing and release of changeable premises a wet general cleaning is carried out.

It is recommended to choose new double-glazed or three-chamber double-glazed windows to ensure the highest possible thermal insulation and soundproofing. By the way, modern three-chamber double-glazed windows are not covered with an ice crust and do not form condensate.

There are even special noise protective translucent structures that are recommended for installation in buildings,located close to major highways or other sources of increased noise.

After making the balcony glazing, you can proceed to the elimination of the existing window and door openings leading to the kitchen.. First of all, the door is removed from the hinges, then the window frame is removed.

Next is the demolition of the wall. If the elimination of the wall is not allowed or is not foreseen in the project, at this stage, the wall is reworked into a countertop or bar counter.

Combining such premises can disrupt the temperature balance of the apartment, so without laying an additional insulation layer can not do. It is recommended to warm not only walls, but also a floor, a ceiling. It is strictly forbidden to take out heating radiators or bends from the general house main to the loggia, so at this stage communications of the “warm floor” are laid.

Such a system is quite easy to install, it is not energy consuming, and no additional permissions are required for its installation. In addition, such a floor ensures a high level of comfort for residents - walking on it barefoot is very nice, besides, you can not worry about small children crawling and playing on the floor.

To ensure good thermal insulation, penoplex, penofol, foamed polystyrene and styrofoam are most often used - innovative materials that do not absorb moisture and do a good job of maintaining a comfortable temperature in the house. Also, you can additionally lay a layer of foiled polyethylene. It is important not to forget to carry out waterproofing of all surfaces prior to insulation, for this purpose there are special film materials.

In addition, it is necessary to conduct a very thorough sealing of all joints and joints (this can be done with foam, and then covered with metal tape), otherwise the resulting draft from such slots will nullify all the thermal insulation works. If the insulating layer is laid from the outside of the balcony, the work must be carried out by specialists who have permission for high-altitude work - industrial climbers.

How to independently insulate the balcony, see more in the video below.

Before work on the laying of communications, it is recommended to check the premises for the absence of through-flow of air,condensate accumulation sites and potential fungus accumulation sites. Then it is treated with antiseptic agents.

All necessary highways need to be extended along the walls. If a sink is installed on the balcony, the sewer pipe is extended to it by the method of successively increasing sections, and one should not forget to create a small slope to ensure the self-draining of liquids. Water pipes are made of metal-plastic. The connection of the electric stove is made using metal-plastic materials. All such connections must be made by specialists to ensure maximum process safety.

After weatherization of the loggia and the laying of engineering highways create a crate of metal profiles on which moisture-proof materials are laid for leveling the surfaces.

For these purposes, most often used drywall, plywood sheets, chipboard and fibreboard from sawdust of small fractions (MDF).

At this stage, you need to check that all the necessary communications have been transferred and connected, the correct design of the hood has been ensured, the ventilation system has been thought out, and tabletops have been installed.It is also worth preparing the walls - to process them with the help of plasterboard blocks, taped wallpaper or to use plastic panel or metal plates.

When all the rough construction work is completed, you can proceed to the finishing stage.

This part of the repair is the most pleasant, because it allows you to roam the imagination and realize the most daring design ideas. Materials are chosen the same as in traditional cuisine. It can be durable and practical ceramic tiles, moisture-proof laminate, plastic panel materials. Electrical appliances and fixtures are selected with a waterproof coating.

Proper design of the space will help to create a cozy homely atmosphere in which family members will happily linger. Experts advise to arrange the furniture on the balcony and in the adjacent room, made in the same style - this will create a feeling of a single large space. If the working kitchen area will be located on the loggia, you can order furniture according to your own measurements, so that it fits perfectly into the dimensions of the room.If there is only a dining area on the balcony, you should give preference to folding furniture.

Curtains on the windows is better to choose from light, translucent fabrics (for balconies that overlook the northern side tulle is perfect), if the windows overlook the brightly lit south side, it is better to prefer Roman or roller blinds or blinds. It is possible to refuse from curtains in general in favor of open glass space, due to which a feeling of merging with the environment will be achieved.

With the help of well-organized lighting can achieve the illusion of increasing space. Built-in lights or LED strip, located around the perimeter of the room, will help to achieve competent zoning of the space, while not breaking it into separate parts.

Partial or complete combination of a kitchen with a balcony allows you to create an original and truly unique design of the resulting room.

If the apartment owners love high-tech style and minimalism, and the kitchen area, even when combined with a balcony, is not big, you should prefer light colors and strict lines - they fit well intoany interior. It will look good glass panels, transparent partitions and reflective floor. An excellent design solution will be to create a common floor for the entire space of the kitchen and balcony, this will allow you to visually combine them.

Professional designers advise not to clutter up the floor in order to free up space, for example, to choose a table with one support, and not four. In addition, it is desirable to give preference to embedded technology.

If the area of ​​the new premises is more than ten square meters, you can use different designs for each functional area and additionally introduce contrasts of textures and colors. You can also mix styles - for example, a combination of classic design and country will look impressive, and romantic lovers of Provence will love the idea of ​​complementing it with floral motifs or live potted plants. High-tech can be very original complemented with cozy ottomans in oriental style.

All these ideas can be used if the kitchen area is more than thirteen meters. But in this case other design solutions are available.The design in industrial style looks spectacular in large spaces: transparent geometric lamps of different shapes, raw brick walls, leather furniture.

Moving the kitchen to the balcony is an extraordinarily time-consuming task, requiring huge financial investments, as well as time and effort that will be needed to obtain all the necessary permits and certificates. Therefore, the desire of people reflecting on this issue to know the opinion of those who have already decided to take this step is fully justified. Fortunately, now it is very easy to find reviews of like-minded people.

Often, such actions are taken because of the small kitchen area and the desire to increase the space. Judging by the majority of responses, this problem is completely solved, and a large family or friends who have come to visit can comfortably accommodate in the renovated room.

Mostly positive reviews prevail. People say that the space has changed for the better, it looks much more advantageous. In addition, you can develop an unusual and interesting design of the new premises, which was not so easy with the standard kitchen layout.The hostesses with pleasure state that it is much more pleasant to cook, standing by the window on the warm floor of the former loggia, also because the natural illumination of the working area increases.

Of the shortcomings associated with such redevelopment, people note the high financial cost of such an event and the need for numerous bureaucratic approvals.