MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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This sort of thing:
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The back of our house is 3 storeys high with the dining room backing out on the 1st floor. I'd like to build a balcony which looks out over the garden and has steps down to it. Nothing massive, just an area where I can put a small chair set on.
I know I'll need planning permission.
I don't fancy a wood one as it'll need constant upkeep and end up looking shoddy. I've had a look at companies that can make them for me but the cost is crazy.
Could I get a structural engineer to spec me a steel frame for the platform/legs and stairs to be made out of steel?
Any ideas or experience welcome.
you're on the right track from my experience, planning permission (get pre-planning advice first so you don't waste time), structural engineers design for steel frame/stairs (there are specific strength requirements in building control which I don't have to hand but you should be able to find them on your council site) then phone around fabricators...
a balcony which looks out over the garden and has steps down to it. Nothing massive, just an area where I can put a small chair set on.
You're calling that a 'Balcony'. Anyone else would call that a 'Fire Escape' 🙂
Are you saying you would weld up the steel sections yourself? If not you would still have to pay someone to fabricate it for you so you're back into the "companies that can make them for me but the cost is crazy" territory and you would have some guarantee with them on the structure, whereas none from a welder.
I don't think you need planning permission for something that small and TBH it would be a safety enhancement.
No idea if they would be interested in it, but my mate owns this business and can build pretty much anything. And I bet you'd find that their prices will be very competitive - I keep telling him he needs to put his rates up 🙂
TBH it would be a safety enhancement.
Not if it was constructed poorly! I'm fairly sure building control (and probably planning due to the height) would want to speak to you if you just chucked a balcony up.
Overlooking your neighbours will be the issue for planning permission.
Not if it was constructed poorly! I'm fairly sure building control (and probably planning due to the height) would want to speak to you if you just chucked a balcony up.
Overlooking your neighbours will be the issue for planning permission.
It will be constructed properly with the appropriate permissions. I have already spoken to my neighbours who wouldn't have a problem with it and loads of houses along the street have one already so there is a strong precedent set already.
The big priced balconies are normally because firms offer a bespoke service designing/manufacturing/installing them. I don't want a complex one or a designer one and can do a lot of work myself or employ my builder for x days if professional help needed.
My comment was aimed at 100mphplus, not you rob.
maccruiskeen - Member
a balcony which looks out over the garden and has steps down to it. Nothing massive, just an area where I can put a small chair set on.
You're calling that a 'Balcony'. Anyone else would call that a 'Fire Escape'
Exactly this, just as for planning application purposes and taxation, your "office" was in the plans as a "study"
The money is generally in the staircase / balustrading.
Firstly, decide what you want visually, then drop me an email with sizes / heights etc and I can give you a rough idea of what you should be paying.
if you go to a structural engineer with some drawings , you can keep that cost to a minimum .
Are you anywhere near Hereford? I occasionally work for a mate in his engineering works and he is forever turning out balconies and staircases in matal. A quote from him would cost nothing
If you can get it designed and specced then I've used these guys for metal fabrication - don't let the fancy pants website put you off, they've been competitively priced for me. (they're actually an offshoot of an agricultural fabricator)
http://www.outdoordesign.co.uk/
I have designed a few in the past when I designed houses. I now design structural steelwork and if I was doing one now I reckon I would do it all in laser cut parts so anyone could go to a laser cutters and self build it. Drop me an email if you want to discuss it further
Andys red mini at hotmail dot com
Just make sure who ever makes the "structural" part is CE certified . i.e BS EN 1090.
This would refer to the balcony / platform / legs and the staircase. The balustrading is not covered by BS EN 1090
I quite often get smaller workshops to do my balustrading and get the big boys to do the heavy stuff.
Not if it was constructed poorly!
Even if it was constructed poorly, if it allowed you to escape a burning building then it's still a safety enhancement!! We used to have safety systems on our construction sites 30 years ago that are now deemed unsafe in today's climate, they still saved us in emergency evacuations.
A pole vaulting pole by the upper window would too, or a zip wire or a bungey rope!! 😉