Converting the balcony into a room?

No matter how big a house you buy, there is never enough room for all your needs. Much as we would like to allot individual rooms to all our activities, in a city, with property prices skyrocketing, this is not possible. So what is the next best solution? Use the available space and do something creative with it. We all have it in us to try our hand at Home Improvement.

So if you have an extra balcony, you must consider converting the balcony to a room, probably for a children’s study area, reading room or even throw in a couple of mattresses and turn it into a guest bedroom. This mostly happens in the flats. You can also check a flat for sale in lonavala to own a new flat. There are many ways in which you can use it. But before you go ahead and start planning how you can begin redesigning, there are a few things you need to consider

FSI – Floor Space Index / FAR – Floor Area Ratio

When embarking on any such construction, you have to ensure that the FSI regulations are not violated. The FSI limit and society agreements often have clauses against construction of any enclosures, which could cause structural modification. In the simple words, it is a limitation of construction area on the plot area. Municipal corporation or the local authorities of the respective locations regulates it.

You can calculate the FSI by dividing the Built-Up Area by Plot Area. You can get more details on FSI on this link. There are few things such as balcony, stairs, parking area etc. Which are not included in the FSI calculations. Even a construction of extra single square feet changes the FSI of the project, That is why converting the balcony into a room gets included into FSI calculation. One must consider the FSI before converting the balcony into a room.

Society and Residential Rules

Some states have rules against structural modifications in residential societies. Educate yourself on the rules before you face any litigation charges. Legally a society can order a demolition of any structure, which is not permissible under government and society rules. Regulatory bodies such as the plan sanctioning authority have to be informed. Against any future demolition order their consent has to be sought to make it legal and safe. As mentioned in earlier, the extra construction changes the FSI of the whole project, that’s why society may take an action.

Aesthetics to consider before you convert balcony to extra room

Consider the aesthetics of the building before converting the balcony. You have to make sure that the design does not make your balcony look like an eyesore for others. Societies have been known to object to use of grills, hanging and watering plants to even putting clothes lines in the balcony space. Once you have informed the concerned parties and taken the required permissions for the redesign, you can hire a contractor to start working. It is recommended to check your property documents from an experienced property lawyer. A property lawyer will help you understand the society clauses and your rights to make modifications or structural changes to your home.