Do Balconies Count As Square Footage
When you are looking for homes around your city or trying to add things to your own home, you may find that calculating its true size is difficult. Balconies can make floorplans, measurements, and the total square footage a nightmare to calculate for those of us who have very little experience.
Balconies are not included in the square footage of any building; square footage only measures the livable interior spaces. Balconies, terraces, patios, garages, and basements are also excluded from the total square footage measurement of your house or any house you are looking at.
You will need to consider several things when measuring the total size of your house; square footage can be one of the most telling measurements. We always recommend that you understand how homes are measured so you can make the right decisions for your future.
Should A Balcony Be Included In Square Footage?
The accepted definition of square footage in every housing area that can be lived in covers everything from the kitchen, the bathrooms, living rooms, and so forth. Because balconies do not have windows or walls surrounding them, they are unlivable in the traditional sense.
The size of your balcony should be listed as a separate number and will be considered at a different price when calculating the value of a house. Further, many homes that are on farms or are large houses will have balconies that are full decks on their own, creating massive outdoor space to live in.
If you spend the extra to enclose the entire balcony with a roof, windows, and even small walls, it will no longer be a balcony. Instead, it becomes an outdoor living space that is considered part of the overall square footage, which is often why sellers may try to enclose their balconies right before selling.
Are Balconies Indoor Or Outdoor?
All balconies are considered outdoor structures to a home or apartment, defined by a space attached to a higher floor of your home that can be accessed from that floor. Only a railing or low wall surrounds the space, with no windows or full walls enclosing the space.
Once the balcony has windows or walls, it becomes a terrace or a new room in your house. Further, when you are enclosing a balcony space with windows or walls, you will need to have it inspected, where the area will be defined, with each state and country having different definitions.
Many times, once a balcony has been closed up and made into a completely new area, it will no longer be considered or classed as one. However, it should be noted that terraces or outdoor decks are still not considered part of the square footage of your house.
Why Are Balconies Not Part Of Square Footage?
Balconies are not included in your house’s total square footage because the livable total square footage calculates your house’s value. Each area of your house adds a different level of value to your house, with balconies, terraces, and decks having lower overall value.
This is true for every area of the house as well, like the garage and basement being valued as a whole instead of being valued for their total size. This is why you may see the total square footage of a house, but the garage is only mentioned as being one, two, or three ports, telling you how many cars can park.
Each of these will affect the overall value of a house, and balconies should never be valued at the same price as a bedroom or living room. We recommend that you ensure that the house you are looking at has not been made more valuable by having it incorrectly valued.
How To Make Balconies Part Of Square Footage?
Normal balconies can never be included in the square footage of your house and will need to be closed to be made a permanent part of the house. Usually, this is only when the balcony has been converted into a full room, allowing people to sleep or live in the area where the balcony was.
However, it should be noted that if the balcony is closed off, you only use it as a storage room or a place to access the utilities. If the area that the balcony was in cannot be lived in, then it most likely will not be considered part of the house’s actual square footage.
It is important to remember this when you are deciding to add a balcony to your own home or when you are busy looking around at other houses. Many people mistakenly pay more for rent or the total price of their apartment when the included balcony is counted as a part of the square footage.
Does A Balcony Count As Outside?
Balconies are always counted as outside as they are always open in at least one way, with many city balconies having walls but not full roofs. Further, most apartment buildings will have small balconies that allow some fresh air to come into the room but will not be large enough for much more.
When looking at homes around you, it is often worth noting all the types of balconies there are and how each of them is counted as the outside. Many high-rise apartments have balconies completely blocked off from the wind but no roof to protect them from the sun or rain.
We have seen many apartments that have balconies as well, while only having small spaces that are barely large enough to fit a person on them. Further, some balconies should have balconies and have the flat area outside apartments but are completely closed off from being accessed.
What Unit Of Measurement Does Include The Balcony?
Now that you know the balcony you have added to your house or that the square footage of your new house does not include the balcony, you need to know what does. Many people have mistakenly assumed that there will be a separate measurement for the balcony.
The total floor area of your house will usually include the space that the balcony takes up, showing you what the total structure of the house or apartment uses. The floor area is the total area where there is the floor; it doesn’t matter whether or not it is used for the car, the beds, or the balcony.
Some listing sites will specifically tell you how large the balcony is and even how much floor area the garage has. However, to keep details vague and get people to come to a look at any location, the information listed online is kept to a minimum to entice more people to visit.
Conclusion
The balcony you use to look over the city as it sleeps or where you are having fun with friends over the weekend is not included in the total square footage. Instead, only livable areas are included in the square footage of your house, apartment, or farmhouse.
Sometimes this is “overlooked’ but real estate agents so if you are in any doubt you can ask, and if they have included it in the square footage you might be able to negotiate a discount!
Remember, if you can’t stand there during a hurricane, it’s not part of the square footage!
References
- Does A House’s Square Footage Include The Square Footage Of A Balcony? Why? – Quora
- Are Balconies Included In Square Footage? – Luxury Viewer
- Square Footage Includes Your Balcony/Terrace? | Urbantoronto
- Are Balconies Included In Square Footage? – Small Balcony Design
- Areas To Include When Calculating Square Footage | Howstuffworks
- Measuring Condo Square Footage: True Legal Size | Don Urquhart
- Are Balconies Included In Square Footage Apartment –
