A balcony can easily become badly damaged in a catastrophic event such as a major storm, fire, or another natural disaster. In some cases, a damaged balcony may be so badly beyond repair that it needs complete replacement. In this case, your costs are more or less the same as if you were building a new balcony from scratch.
The overall cost of a replacement balcony will depend on several factors, including the balcony’s materials, size, and the resultant amount of labor required. The type of balcony will also determine the cost to a large degree and whether the balcony is self-supported or not in terms of structure.
Numerous considerations go into building a balcony, and there are several factors to consider in terms of the overall cost. Many aspects will determine the overall cost of building a balcony, so you will need to consult with a professional in most situations to get a good estimate of the total cost.
How Much Does It Cost To Replace A Balcony?
However your balcony became damaged, whether from a storm or simply old age, replacing it is not a cheap or easy endeavor. Perhaps you will opt for a different type of balcony for your new installation, constructed from different materials.
The need to build a new balcony may also be an opportunity to create a new design, possibly incorporating a larger balcony than you had previously. Naturally, the size of the balcony will be a major determining factor in its overall cost. So, too, will the materials from which the balcony is made.
While the prices of the materials will differ, balconies made from different materials also have different amounts of labor associated with each of them.
Larger balconies naturally require more materials to build. Larger balconies also require more labor to construct. Because labor and materials are the two biggest costs associated with building a balcony, the overall cost will increase exponentially as soon as the price of either of these elements increases.
Replacing your balcony can cost anywhere from $1200 to $6250.
- A small balcony will cost around $4000,
- while a medium-sized balcony will set you back about $7000.
- On the other hand, a large balcony will cost approximately $9000.
As discussed previously, the cost of the materials will make a significant difference to the cost of your balcony. For example, if you had a balcony deck, you could rebuild it using wood, fiberglass, or composite decking.
While the materials for wooden decking can cost between $10 and $75 per square meter, fiberglass decking materials will cost between $15 and $50 per square meter. On the other hand, composite decking will come in at around the same price as fiberglass decking.
Before adding labor costs, a wooden balcony made with pressure-treated wood will cost between $4800 and $6500. A composite balcony of similar size will cost approximately $5200.
- For labor on a 140-square-foot balcony, you will need to add an extra $1500 to $2000 onto the total cost of materials.
- On average, a replacement balcony of around 8’ by 10’ – that is, a second-story deck – will cost between $3000 and $6400.
- For a larger balcony with dimensions of 14’ by 20’, you can expect to pay between $10,000 and $22,000.
Suppose you were to install a “true balcony” that is supported entirely by the house’s structure and contains no external support beams. In that case, you can expect to pay a significantly higher price.
Balcony Types
As mentioned previously, the type of balcony you choose will significantly impact its overall cost. Different types of balconies have vastly different price tags associated with them. It’s important to remember that a “true” balcony is generally constructed at the same time as the rest of the house.
It’s far easier to build a balcony into the house’s structure during the initial construction phase than trying to add a balcony at a later stage. This is because a true cantilever balcony requires the house’s support and is usually an extension of the upper story’s floor slab.
As a result, incorporating this type of balcony will require massive intervention within the building structure. Whatever the depth of the balcony, it will require internal supports at around three times that distance. This means, for example, that a 6-foot wide balcony will require supports that extend around 18 feet back into the house’s structure.
Labor is intensive for this type of invention, as are the materials required. Parts of the house may not be livable during the construction of this type of balcony, and the overall cost will be significant. You can expect to pay between $20,000 and $70,000 for this balcony type. However, if it is a replacement, the existing supports may still be in place.
As a result of the prohibitive construction cost of retrofitting a cantilevered balcony, most clients opt for either a Stack balcony or a Juliet balcony.
Juliet Balconies
A Juliet Balcony cannot necessarily be called a “true” balcony as there is no real external floor surface to walk on. A Juliet balcony does not require any additional structure to build, as there is no need to install flooring or supports. This makes the Juliet balcony an extremely affordable balcony option.
A Juliet Balcony will cost between $250 and $1200, depending on the size and the materials.
Stacked Balconies
This balcony type will cost significantly more than a Juliet Balcony but far less than a cantilevered balcony. A stacked balcony is supported by structural columns so that the house’s structure is not required for the balcony to remain standing.
In addition, no demolition of any parts of the house is required to construct a stacked balcony.
We have a selection of balcony construction and common questions linked below with loads more information.
- How far can you cantilever a balcony
- Types of balcony support brackets
- what is the average balcony size
- how to support a balcony without posts
- can you have a balcony pully system
- What is the standard height of balcony railings
- Does balcony glass need to be laminated
- how much does it cost to replace a balcony
- how much weight can a balcony hold
- How to build a floating balcony
Conclusion
The type of balcony you opt to build as a replacement for your old balcony will directly determine its overall cost.
The same goes for the size of the balcony and the materials from which it is constructed. Remember that bigger balconies require more materials and require more labor. As a result, costs increase exponentially.