Balconies in residential buildings that are not renovated in time pose a serious risk and lead to higher costs

Balconies in residential buildings that are not renovated in time pose a serious risk and lead to higher costs

Unmaintained balconies not only detract from the aesthetic appeal of residential buildings, but can also lead to serious accidents in the long term. In particular, old or damaged balconies pose a danger to the occupants of the building and to passers-by on the street if the necessary repairs are not carried out in time. “Civinity Namai specialists point out that residents often take a passive approach to even a clearly visible problem.

Saving money can cost more

In Vilnius Old Town, Civinity Namai manages almost 700 apartment blocks, of which around 400 have balconies – more than half of these balconies are in need of minor repairs today. At least a quarter of all balconies in the Old Town of the capital are assessed as being in poor condition. These balconies are temporarily covered with netting to protect residents, street passers-by and material assets.

According to Martynas Naujokas, Director of Civinity Namai Vilnius, renovating balconies in the Old Town faces various challenges. The high-rise buildings are home to businesses, so renovating balconies disrupts commercial premises. Vilnius Old Town is also full of apartment blocks protected by cultural heritage and listed in the Register of Cultural Property, with balconies featuring distinctive architectural elements. In such cases, additional permits or studies are required and only a small number of contractors are able to carry out design and contracting work in such buildings.

Mr Naujokas encourages residents not to postpone solving the problem, as as it progresses, repairs may cost even more.

“The longer one delays renovating old balconies or fixing balconies that are already unsafe, the higher the costs will be in the end. We therefore recommend that residents cooperate with their apartment building administrator and take advantage of the ongoing part-financing programme, which provides 50% support for balcony renovation works in apartment buildings in Vilnius Old Town,” says Naujokas.

The problem is also relevant for residents of small apartment blocks

Around 50% of the balconies of apartment blocks in Kaunas maintained by Civinity Namai are today in need of minor repairs; 10% are in poor condition, and an alarming 2% are on the verge of emergency.

According to Rokas Drąsutavičius, Director of Civinity namai Kaunas, much of the problem is related to small apartment blocks, which usually have less than 10 apartments. It is in these compact communities that the need for urgent repairs to balconies arises. “According to Civinity, there are currently 6 balconies in this type of apartment blocks that are on the verge of falling into disrepair and need immediate attention. Last year alone, 33 balconies underwent much needed renovation.

Residents responsible for renovation

Residents themselves are responsible for maintaining the balconies of apartment buildings, but as Drąsutavičius notes, their condition is often overlooked, even when renovation is clearly needed.

“On average, residents can expect to invest around €3,000 in careful balcony repairs. However, we notice that residents are hesitant to take the initiative to tackle this problem. There are often cases of avoidance, where they postpone repairs until the situation becomes critical,” says the Director, adding that the most common reason for disagreements on this issue is that all residents, including those without balconies, are legally obliged to contribute to these repairs. – This creates a situation where collective responsibility clashes with personal preferences and it is very difficult to find common ground.

Damage to balconies during self-repair

In Klaipėda, minor (aesthetic) repairs could be carried out on 80-90% of the balconies of residential apartment buildings managed by Civinity. According to Artūras Kavaliauskas, Director of Civinity Namai Klaipėda, about 220 houses in the region have balconies in poor condition – simple repairs would be enough to fix these balconies. There are currently no balconies in a state of disrepair, i.e. not allowed to be used, but about 15 individual balconies are in a particularly poor condition and in need of major repairs.

“There are cases where apartment dwellers install various floor coverings on their balconies and mechanically damage existing waterproofing layers. Balconies damaged in this way usually require a full-scale repair, which involves the dismantling and reinstallation of the structural layers of the entire balcony plane. We also notice that residents tend to manage their balconies individually by glazing them – these works require a building permit, but residents rarely have one,” Kavaliauskas points out.