neighbours and rules

We began the destruction of the balcony immediately after moving in..



And then thought, after we read the blocks rules, we should let them know that we are going to make a lot of noise redoing the balcony. Better to inform them than risk making enemies of the neighbours. So we filled out a form and gave it to the office of the directors, who asked for details of everything. So we drew a little picture and told them exactly where we were going to drill holes etc. And then we waited. And waited.. for 2 weeks. Whereupon we were told that we could go ahead, as long as it wasn't going to change the appearance of the flat from the outside. Well being as we are 9 floors up there are few people who can look in the windows. Besides we aren't changing it massively. So this is what we lived with while we waited for the permission.



So best to read rules before considering any work in the building, and much as we enjoy living in a building site, sometimes its better to ask about building permissions before you take things apart... just in case.

the balcony

Is it a balcony? Is it a sun room? Is it both? I haven't quite decided as yet. But it will be something lovely, soon... We are in the middle of transforming it, as of now it is half done. We we first moved in the room had peeling wallpaper in a dark brick pattern, and two different colour carpets, a raised floor with an even higher raised step for a seating area, it has pale blue roller blinds and an exposed pipe. So this is what it looked like.

On stepping into the room, note the large step and not so nice carpeting. That step has to go, there is something extremely unnerving about standing on a balcony, 9 floors up, with most of your body above the window ledge height. Especially if you don't much like heights...



And the carpeting, well its old, its dirty, it comes complete with its very own dead fly collection. Jealous anyone? So then the floor must be leveled, maybe place some tiles down? Or wood flooring? Because it is now an internal room, I reckon it could look lovely with a nice wood floor.. And some new panel sides, because they are warped from the weather, and while we are at that we might as well box in that pipe, and cover up the brick work, and then paint the wood trims and window sills all the same colour, because several shades of wood stain doesn't quite work for me in this room..