In stark contrast to recent years, it’s been a cracking summer of hot, sunny, unusually rain-free weather, what with the UK experiencing a sweltering heatwave from mid-July onwards.

We all love a bit of sun, and so too do retailers because with a heatwave comes increased consumer demand for ice cream, barbecues, fans and garden furniture. Loft conversion specialists too have witnessed an increase in demand, not necessarily for loft conversions in general, but for loft conversions with balconies.

And that’s why, in light of the number of enquiries we’ve received over the last few months, we thought it would be a good idea to post a blog giving customers the lowdown on everything they need to know about loft conversions with balconies.

Living on a tiny island where it rains a lot, us Brits are renowned for making the most of the sunny weather. With this in mind, it’s understandable that a lot of customers see a balcony as a useful addition to their planned loft conversion, providing a little extra outdoor space to soak up the sun.

Balconies are a great space to chill out on, and for residents in urban areas such as Bristol or Cheltenham for example, a balcony is an even more enticing prospect as the likelihood of land next to your plot coming on the market is usually quite low. Let’s not forget that balconies also add a bit of character to your home, adding value in the process. And given that they are not very common in British properties, they’re likely to be a great selling point.

Below are the various types of balcony construction that are common in loft conversions:

Juliet Balcony

Deriving its namesake from Will Shakespeare’s famous scene in Romeo and Juliet, the French balcony, or balconett, as it is otherwise known, is distinguished by in-swinging French doors protected by exterior (usually wrought iron) bars. There is no protrusion away from the property and are sometimes considered as a permitted development. Common in the Med, a Juliet balcony will help you to recreate a little piece of Italy/Spain/Greece [delete as appropriate] in the West!

True Balcony

Whereas the Juliet balcony allows you to open up your loft space and catch a little air and light, with a true balcony you can create a space big enough for a bistro set, planters and the like. This is a proper balcony!

Roof Terrace

Self-explanatory really, a roof terrace utilises the flat part of a roof by giving a much larger surface area than a typical balcony. These can be really special spaces for entertaining and will definitely give a loft conversion that added wow-factor.

Mezzanine Balcony

Unlike the aforementioned structures, a mezzanine balcony or mezzanine level is internal to the property. Typically built in larger lofts or as part of barn conversions, mezzanines are stunning, high-spec additions to the home.

Of course, the viability of a loft conversion with a balcony needs to be considered in relation to planning regulations and structural considerations. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that loft conversions with balconies are becoming much more common, not least due to recent innovations by Velux.

As market leaders in the loft window space, Velux have a range of products that have made creating all types of balconies, from the modest to the grand, much, much easier.

One of these products is the Cabrio Skylight solution it. Essentially a large Velux window that opens up in such a way as to allow you to poke your head out safely, they can be installed in a variety of ways according to your design needs. In addition, Velux have developed the window Terrace System which is intended to create more substantial balconies and can again be adapted to a variety of designs. To take a closer look at them click here.

If you’d like to explore the possibility of installing a balcony with your loft conversion further, please do get in touch, we’re more than happy to help!