Materials for balustrade and terrace on a mid century renovation?
Hello,
We have an odd mid century (late 60s) house which was slightly awkwardly extended in the 70s. At the rear of the house, we have a terrace on top of the room below (on the left in the photo), a mini balcony with steps down to a patio (on the right of the first photo, and in the second photo), and some separate steps leading down to a patio (third photo). Everything is dangerous (we have a 1 and 3 year old) and slippery!
We will be squaring off the terrace, on top of the study below, and using it as an outside seating area. The dining room will open out onto it, so it doesn't need a place to eat. We have great views, but not a lot of privacy as we overlook a public footpath, and our neighbour's faux-old house.
The balcony currently connects to the terrace, and has steps running down to the patio. We'll be removing the steps, and removing the connection with the terrace to make more use of the space (it's ~62cm lower). We imagine we might just pop two chairs on it, either side of the sliding door.
With the steps going down to the patio, we are planning to change the layout of these to make more space on the patio, but not sure how yet as we are planning to drop the patio level due to damp issues.
Here are the existing and proposed plans, in case helpful!
Existing:
Proposed:
Most of the windows, fascia, and guttering will hopefully be dark grey aluminium. (For cost we are retaining the huge wooden windows that open onto the balcony, and the steps down to the patio, as they are functional - perhaps we could paint them dark grey to match in a bit.)
We're happy with the layout, but stuck on how to construct them. We're hoping to figure out something which is safe and low maintenance, but also goes with the mid century style of the house.
The questions we are struggling with are:
...what we should use for the balustrade (glass? glass with metal posts? glass with wooden posts? no glass, just aluminium railing to match the windows? If glass, we could use that film that looks like a mirror on the outside, for privacy?)
...what should we use for the side of the terrace where we want more privacy (we assumed wood, but realised after we change the windows, not much external will be wood)
...what we should do for flooring that's good but economical (some sort of outdoor tiles?)
...what we should construct the frame of the balcony and steps out of (wood or metal? should we make the steps from the same material we use for the floor of the terrace and balcony? would it be best to have spiral steps down to the patio, to save space?)
Thanks hugely in advance of any help - really appreciate it!!
Comments (11)
Isla Cherry
5 months ago
tim_baker921
5 months agoRelated Discussions
Biggest learning from a renovation?
Comments (28)This is what I have learnt and highly recommend: 1) Have a contract with the builder with a time frame specified for the work and a penalty clause. My 4 week renovation has taken 6 months costing me an extra 2k in storage fees (thus I care not for verbal promises for the future, it's what's written down that counts.) 2) Neither add to or subtract from what you have agreed with the builder. If you add to he will want a fortune for the inconvenience, if you subtract, he won't deduct the cost and will find wrangles to avoid refunding. Make an agreement and stick to it. 3) Insist, INSIST on each and every job being listed with a cost. So, if it's £30 to hang doors and a door isn't hung properly you know how much to with hold reasonably until the problem is rectified. This way the law is on your side. 4) Unless you are a DIYer who can accomplish a pro finish - leave it to the pros. Otherwise all your hard work and effort will add nothing to your property and may even reduce it's value. 5) Live in the property first. That way you will learn the best layout for rads, doors and furniture to suit your lifestyle and/or practical living. Get it right the first time and when it comes to selling the agent can confidently talk to potential purchasers about how they could site their furniture, how the space flows, how it has been professionally thought out and planned thus sticking out above the swathe of other properties in the same area which simply have a paint & carpet job done to be sold as re-furbished. 6) Photograph every angle of every room before the builder starts. Then keep a photo record of his work as he goes along. Trust me he will be doing the same in order to claim you told him x when it was y (when it was really x.) 7) Keep each and every receipt of your costs. So, if you have to buy tile trim at £20 each and he cuts one too short so you need to buy another, send him an email stating that you supplied a tile trim, it was cut too short by him, and he can expect another on day X. Then at the end of the job you can send him an email stating that you are happy with everything (hopefully) and will settle in full with the exception of the tile trim which cost you £20 and you have now deducted. Trust me, if you don't and you think you have a good relationship and let these things go as they are small amounts in order to keep a good relationship, he will think nothing of surprising you with a bill for an extra couple of grand for unforeseens (which you don't have to pay btw, as all costs must be agreed beforehand.) Plus small amounts soon add up to hundreds. 8) The builder is not your friend (hopefully) but an employee. Treat him as such. Be polite but not over friendly and expect a professional service. Having used different builders on three seperate occasions they have all been dominant and bolshy with me until they meet my husband. Do not be afraid to hold your ground and when the builder threatens walking off the job simply because you have asked him why a pipe isn't sunk for eg.- tell him that if he does he is in the wrong and you will think nothing of getting another builder in to finish and pursuing him for the cost. Don't be initimidated. I have now three times, and the third time is most definitely the last. I hope this helps. These pointers have come from my bad experiences and are what I will follow on my next project....See MoreMy raised terrace or balcony dilemma. Connecting house to the garden
Comments (42)Hi original poster! I know it’s 7 years since you asked this but would love to know what you did. We are not in a similar position with a similar looking house at the back but even steeper. I know that a full extension and lowering the internal floors would be ideal but we can’t afford that and need a 5-7 year fix. Please let us know what you decided and why ☺️...See MorePOLL: What's the most stressful part of a renovation?
Comments (78)TRADESMEN. It's a miracle when one bothers to quote at all ... as such, I now build walls, can plaster, and drive a digger lol... I tile, fit carpets, fitted the kitchen, all with only half of one of my lower spinal discs left. By the time you get a quote back, its more often a month or more down the line and have already hired a couple of lads on a daily rate doing things how you dictate after weeks of research. I hired a roofer to replace my cast iron guttering with aluminium ones, he put up new soffits and fascias BADLY, ran off to assume weigh in my old gutters and ran off with the money for my new ones - steep learning curve there, and a CCJ is no use getting my money back. I purchased a kitchen, it turned up in bad shape, then commenced over 8 months to get to court for my money back... Hired a tree co to remove a load of trees overhanging the house and clear the boundary... an old man cried about a tree that wasnt his anyway so the tree folk abandoned the job. Thankfully I have a great electrician and a reliable plumbing company, but only call them for either gas or. heavier electrical work.... the husband does to electrics and plumbing but he hates it and we do get it checked. I keep trying to find a good builder though. Everything takes so long and its physically and mentally draining on me.... I would MUCH rather have someone I can trust but no luck yet....See MoreStair renovation ideas needed
Comments (4)Hi Natasha Depends how modern or traditional you want the room to be and in keeping with the rest of the house I would recommend stand off fixings personally as there very minimalistic and if your keeping the staircase open as it is now this would be the best option, you can also fit a fletch plate and clad over it which would hide the fixings under the cladding. See below examples of stand off fixed stair balustrades and fletch plate style. Hope this helps! Thanks BFG...See More
Joanne Colley
5 months agotim_baker921
5 months ago- PRO
Metal Design Luca London
5 months ago Jonathan
5 months agoI think your choice of balcony surround and height depended in part on where you get the best views and where you need the most privacy. I suspect that the biggest windows give you the best views….. but big windows come with privacy issues. Given you intend to excavate a new patio outside the lower level entertainment room (and install a big window/door) you might well be happy to lose the other window and have an elevated terrace to that side. The benefit of an elevated terrace on this side of the house is: it’s safer to have the terrace level with doors out, it helps with privacy during the day as you can add pots and tall greenery to the terrace so that the doors and your home feels more private. You can slightly shelter the windows from sun and wind with the terrace planting, you can add outside lighting at the same height as the principal reception room which gives you extra privacy at night and reduces the need for window treatments. Elevating a terrace is common in timber but can be constructed from steel or concrete but of course there are budget considerations.
Jonathan
5 months agoSince you haven’t started building yet I hope my including an alternative layout is received in the spirit intended. No doubt your architect has additional insight about your lifestyle, plot and budget so all I can comment on is how I look at it. I think it’s difficult to live in a house when the kitchen and living room are on different levels. I look at the pictures of the tall trellis outside the current dining room and think that the money spent on extending this presumably less private side of the house could be better used on a great outside space and changing the stairs so that the hallway doesn’t separate two halves of the house and the principal living spaces connect.
Heather N
5 months ago
Sonia