Probably the first thing we pay attention to when assessing the quality and comfort of an apartment is the size of its living space.

Many Muscovites living in standard apartment buildings have small bedrooms. Despite the fact that, without any exaggeration, this room is of utmost importance in the life of every person. After all, our health, mood and performance depend on how we rest.

In living rooms and living rooms we meet with loved ones and friends, here communication takes place between all family members. However, small and cluttered living rooms, like cramped bedrooms, make a depressing impression. They put pressure on us, depriving us of a sense of comfort and peace.

Of course, you can take advice from interior designers who will help you choose furniture and decorate your living spaces in such a way that they visually seem a little larger.

To visually enlarge a room, they have various means in their arsenal:

• Interior decoration in pastel and white colors.
• Using regular wallpaper to make a room larger.
• Pasting photo wallpaper to increase the space of the room.
• Enlarging the room with mirrors.
• Placement of large chandeliers and floor lamps in bedrooms and living rooms.
• Tall curtains on the windows.
• Installation of furniture that is easy to move apart/retract.
• Replacing heavy and bulky cabinets with miniature shelves.
• Decorating walls with large-format paintings, etc.

Let’s say right away that all these methods for visually enlarging a room are good as additional methods. But, in general, they do not solve the problem, because the area of ​​​​the room still does not change .

The only reliable way out of the situation can only be the redevelopment of the residential area.

In this article we will look at how you can actually increase the living room in an apartment.

Enlargement of the living room due to the corridor

It is rightfully considered the simplest and most painless redevelopment option available for most standard apartments. For this reason, it is the most common way to enlarge a room.

In the photo: enlarging the room (2) due to the corridor (7) in a three-ruble panel house of the P55 series

It is implemented by dismantling the curtain wall and installing a new partition between the room and the corridor. Thus, part of the corridor space becomes residential.

Expansion of the living area by the area of ​​built-in furniture

In some high-rise buildings in Moscow, the starting layout of apartments includes built-in wardrobes that can be disassembled and the free space added to the living space. Such redevelopment to increase rooms is also quite common.

In the photo: enlarging the room (1) by dismantling the built-in wardrobes (1a and 2a) in the brick house I-511

Enlarging the room due to the “wet zones” of the apartment

Enlarging a room at the expense of a bathroom, toilet or kitchen is prohibited by law, since in this case your living space ends up under the bathroom, toilet and kitchen of your neighbors above, and this is unacceptable.

But increasing the room by adding a bathroom, bathroom or kitchen is possible in apartments on the top floors of the house, provided that an electric stove is installed in the kitchen area.

In this case, you can not only expand the living space, but also move the kitchen to the non-residential space of the apartment, arranging a kitchen niche, and arrange additional living space in the vacant space.

If the apartment is not on the top floor, then when a kitchen niche is formed, the area remaining from the kitchen is documented as a dressing room, and can be used as a living space at the request of the owners.

For reference: Often, when remodeling by completely or partially dismantling partitions, they combine a room with a kitchen according to the studio principle. The area of ​​the living space remains the same, but visually the room becomes freer.

However, such a redevelopment has several nuances: only the non-load-bearing wall between the rooms can be completely dismantled, and the space can be left open only if an electric stove is installed in the kitchen.

When using gas equipment within the kitchen area, such combination is impossible. In such a situation, only redevelopment with the construction of an opening and the installation of a sliding partition or door with a tight rebate in this place will be permissible.

In the photo: combining a gasified kitchen (7) with a room (1) in a three-room apartment in a house of series II-29, after dismantling the partition, a door with a tight rebate was installed

Enlarging the room with a balcony

It will not be possible to approve a redevelopment to enlarge the room by adding a loggia or balcony, since this is considered a prohibited event by law.

Meanwhile, the common practice is to combine these premises with each other. But such redevelopment has its own peculiarity. The fact is that such a unification is impossible in its “pure” form.

Technically, the connection of a loggia/balcony to a living space is carried out by dismantling the window and door unit and cutting off the window sill part of the wall. But to approve such a redevelopment, you must install glass doors in place of the remote section of the wall, otherwise your actions will be regarded as illegal.

Despite the fact that the area of ​​the room will remain unchanged, visually it will look more spacious and bright.

In the photo: combining room (2) with a loggia (6) in a two-room apartment in a monolithic brick new building

To carry out redevelopment to enlarge the room, you will need design documentation, which we can develop for you. Preliminary consultation can be obtained from our employees by phone. The design process will begin immediately after the conclusion of the contract.

Relatively little time passes from the moment you move into a house until the need arises to increase the usable area of ​​​​the house, be it as a result of expanding the family, the decision to work from home, or a simple desire to live in a larger and brighter room. And since moving to another house is not always possible, as an option, we can offer ways to solve the problem of additional space, especially since this does not require removing the roof or making large-scale reconstructions. For example, it will be enough to install an extra window or organize a balcony in the corner of the room.

Porch

Basically, all the transformations concern the backyard of the house. We propose to increase the space by organizing a porch. A cramped corridor, hung with clothes and littered with shoes, can be taken outside the house, onto the porch. In addition to the fact that you will receive additional meters, you will provide yourself with additional security measures by organizing additional entrance doors, and save heat in the main room.

If there is a beautiful garden near the house, then it is unlikely that it will be possible to increase the area of ​​the house at its expense. But if space allows, at the expense of which it would not be a shame to make an extension, then, having received permission from the relevant organizations, you can, for example, expand the kitchen, dining room or living room.

If the house has sufficient ceiling height, then you can install a dormer window. This minor renovation will provide an additional light source and design element. Thus, the window in the small bathroom of this Gregorian-era mansion plays the role of an additional light source and ceiling height regulator.

Large dormer window

If a small dormer window is not enough, then you can install a full-fledged dormer window in the roof of the house. The larger the window, the more space is required for the bedroom itself, the adjacent bathroom and storage space, as well as for the stairs.

Balcony

Instead of a roof window facing the courtyard, you can arrange a balcony with a beautiful view of the city. This is both a source of light and additional space. The designers of this room went even further and used folding glass doors and glass railings so as not to spoil the view from the window.

The backyard is most often used in reconstructions for various purposes, including to expand the space. Depending on the size of the extension, you can do it yourself or with the help of qualified builders, but you must obtain permission from the authorities. Thanks to the large garden, you can install glass walls to expand the kitchen or dining room. The owners of this home took advantage of both a side extension and a rear yard remodel. This is a great example of how nice modern ideas look against the backdrop of a very traditional home.

Two storey extension

If your budget allows, you can add a two-story structure. This is less of a cost associated with moving to another home. Moreover, you can first make an extension on the ground floor, and later, if you need to expand, for example, a bedroom or if you need to organize space for a home office, you can do an extension on the second floor. If you make a two-story extension in the backyard, you can create an additional terrace on the roof of the second floor. This will also provide additional meters.

Dismantling of ceilings

In most cases, in houses on the top floor there is a small room with low sloping ceilings, since it is located under the roof itself. You can dismantle the ceiling and expand the room due to the height of the ceiling. If you install a dormer window, there will also be an additional source of daylight in the kitchen or dining room.

Small cellar

Organizing a small cellar in the kitchen will allow you to expand the space for little money and with little effort. Such reconstruction does not require special permits; consultations with specialists may be needed.

Roof terrace

If it is not possible to expand the usable area due to the backyard or garden, you can consider using the roof. If you can get permission, the house will be amazing with stunning views.

Mezzanine

If the room has very high ceilings, you can organize a mezzanine. Thus limiting the room to a height of at least 2 m, it will be possible to create an additional bedroom, a room for multimedia entertainment, etc. Organizing a half-floor will require the help of specialists, but it is cheaper than adding another full floor. Since this is an internal reconstruction, no permit is required, only the services of professionals to install a safe ceiling.
Unfortunately, in not many houses the owners have the opportunity to install a mezzanine; this is the prerogative of unusual houses, for example, former churches reconstructed into residential premises. However, modern architects have proven that a church produces not only but also

The dynamics of rising real estate prices are forcing the state to direct efforts to provide housing for young and low-income families. In this regard, the country keeps a record of citizens in need of additional living space.

Not every citizen can hope to expand their housing conditions at the expense of the state, but to obtain the status of a beneficiary, one has to work hard.

Legislative consolidation of the program

Types of government support

Today the state offers several options for helping those in need. Each case is considered separately and depends not only on the category of the applicant, but also on the region of application.

Each subject of the Russian Federation is ready to offer special programs and subprograms aimed at improving the living conditions of various social groups. In addition, banking and other commercial organizations can offer their preferential terms to help citizens in need.

Mainly, measures to expand housing space come down to the following actions:

• Providing a mortgage loan at a reduced rate.
• Granting subsidies to pay the down payment on a mortgage loan or to reimburse part of the cost of housing.
• Special programs for purchasing housing on the primary market.
• Allocation of an apartment under a social tenancy agreement.
• Targeted programs for the purchase of housing (teachers, medical workers, military personnel, etc.).
• Allocation of land plots to preferential categories of citizens on special preferential terms or free of charge.

Types of housing programs

One way to get a new home or financial compensation for part of it when purchasing is to become participants in one of the housing programs.

Today, those who are on the waiting list for housing expansion are actively participating in the federal Housing program. Within the framework of this program, there are various branches designed to improve the current housing situation among certain social segments of the population.

Particularly popular are programs to support young families, offering housing certificates or subsidies to spouses under the age of 35.

Thanks to the possibilities of housing programs, citizens use several ways to improve their living conditions:

• Issuance of a certificate for an apartment.
• Issuing a mortgage loan on preferential terms.
• Assistance in purchasing an apartment from local authorities at a reduced cost.
• Subsidy allocation.

Do you need information on this issue? and our lawyers will contact you shortly.

Housing subsidies

The main measure to improve the living conditions of certain social categories is the provision of housing subsidies. By offering subsidies, the state provides financial support in the following areas:

• Purchasing an apartment in an apartment building.
• Purchasing a home (for certain groups of people).

A subsidy is free assistance from the federal authorities or a municipality; it does not take the form of an installment plan or loan. The peculiarity of housing subsidies is the limited period of their use and their intended purpose. Material assistance aimed at expanding housing conditions cannot be used for education or other purposes.

As a rule, the subsidy is allowed to be used within 12 months after receiving the certificate. Assistance is allocated at a time and is provided only once within the framework of one of the programs for expanding living space. In addition to the funds allocated by the state as part of the subsidy, you can use personal or borrowed funds when purchasing a home.

The Housing Code of the Russian Federation mentions the rights of citizens to receive housing subsidies. The form and procedure for providing support is controlled by certain legislation of each region of the Russian Federation, for each group of beneficiaries separately.

Use of maternity capital

After the entry into force in 2007 of a form of state support for young families with 2 or more children called “Maternity Capital,” an increasing number of families are seeking to take advantage of capital as a chance to improve their living conditions.

Maternity capital is a federal monetary certificate for a special purpose, which can only be used once.

It is assumed that the certificate can be used not only to expand living space, since there are several ways to implement maternity capital, including increasing the amount of the mother’s pension.

But most often citizens take advantage of the housing benefits provided by maternity capital:

• Purchase or construction of residential premises. Funds can be transferred directly to the seller, to pay off a mortgage loan, used as a down payment when applying for a mortgage loan, or transferred to the contractor's escrow account.
• Construction, reconstruction of individual housing construction.

You can use maternity capital an unlimited number of times, using the amount guaranteed under the program. The amount of the remaining part of maternity capital can be found out in the Pension Fund or requested on the government services website in your personal account. The amount of maternity capital must be indexed annually. In 2019, the amount of federal maternity capital is 453,026 rubles. The program has been extended until the end of 2022.

Using the certificate to pay off debts or to open an interest-bearing deposit in a bank is prohibited by law. It is also unacceptable to cash out maternity capital. These prohibitions were created to help parents, as they save funds received under the certificate from unreasonable waste.

In addition to the federal certificate, some regions implement their own measures to support families with two or more children - regional family capital. The amounts offered by the regions are, of course, smaller, but nevertheless serve as support for families with children, including in improving their living conditions.

To clarify whether your region provides such a support measure, you need to contact the social protection department at your place of residence.

Who has the right to expand living space?

Only a few categories of citizens can get on the waiting list for improved housing conditions:

• Persons who are not home owners or family members of the owner of the residential premises.
• Citizens who do not live in the apartment under a social tenancy agreement and who are not members of the tenant’s family.
• Residents of houses or apartments in an apartment building that does not meet the requirements established for residential premises.
• Citizens living with several families in a residential building, if the family includes a patient suffering from a severe form of a chronic disease, in which living together with him is impossible.
• Citizens who are owners of residential premises or tenants of housing, the area of ​​which is recognized as below the accounting norm for one family member.

Situations cannot be excluded when the applicant or his family members own several premises or manage them under a social tenancy agreement. Then the degree of need for improvement of living conditions is calculated based on the total total value of available living space.

The procedure for obtaining state support

Before taking any action to obtain support from the state, you should make sure that there is a chance of success:

• Determine whether you belong to a preferential category of citizens.
• Find out the accounting standards for living space per person in the region of residence, and then make calculations for existing housing, comparing the results with the conditions for receiving a subsidy.
• Contact your local social security authorities for further advice.

1. Collect a package of documents and certificates required to obtain the status of a person in need of housing.
2. Submit documents to the commission appointed by the authorized body (in most cities, the function of accepting documents for transfer to the specialized commission is assigned to multifunctional centers).
3. Get the status of a person in need.
4. Register in line for expansion of housing conditions (at the administration, MFC or through electronic government services).

The completeness of the documents provided is checked upon acceptance of the documents. The reliability of information about the applicant is established by a special commission, to which documents are submitted within the prescribed time frame.

If the applicant’s living conditions and social category meet the conditions for receiving a subsidy, then they are required to accept his documents and register him in the queue. In cases where a citizen belongs to several preferential categories, he has the right to use the subsidy only on one of the grounds.

Required documents

To register in the queue as someone in need of housing, the authorities require a package of certificates from applicants, which includes:

• Passport and other identification documents of the applicant and his relatives (including minors).
• Certificates confirming marital status (certificate of marriage or divorce).
• Confirmation of the right to own or dispose of residential premises (certificate from Rosreestr or social tenancy agreement).
• Confirmation of family composition (extract from the house register).
• Documents confirming your relationship to one of the preferential categories.

The list of required documents can be supplemented by regional authorities and vary depending on membership in a particular preferential category.

Queue

There are no specific rules controlling the order of formation of the queue for the expansion of living space. This process is not regulated at the legislative level; local authorities are responsible for it. That is why in most regions of the Russian Federation the queue has not moved for years.

Large families, which are a priority for the state, as well as military personnel who are participants in the savings mortgage system, receive benefits the fastest.

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Last changes

For residents of the capital, starting from 2018, they can increase their living space by purchasing additional meters of housing. This opportunity arose for those residents of Moscow who fell under the first wave of renovation and received new housing from the city.

The cause of stress and psychological discomfort, oddly enough, can even be a cramped, or rather incorrectly planned, apartment. Meanwhile, many of us only dream of spacious housing, although sometimes small efforts are enough to solve the problem - namely, rationally organize the space.

The first thing to start with is to highlight private and public areas. The easiest and cheapest way is to use a screen or fabric; sliding sliding doors are a little more expensive. If the ceilings allow, you can make a bed under the ceiling - “in the attic”. Such solutions are popular for apartments located in attics. However, the most labor-intensive, interesting and effective method will be redevelopment.

Redevelopment - when it is justified

What can you do to organize additional meters:

• combine rooms
• move doorways,
• increase the number of rooms,
• change the purpose of the rooms (from a bathroom to a dressing room, from a storage room to an office),
• add square meters of one room to another,
• combine living space with a loggia and balcony.

Having decided to redevelop, you must clearly understand which actions are prohibited by law and which are not. You cannot touch load-bearing structures and supports, dismantle ventilation systems, electrical wiring, gas joints, or create living rooms with an area of ​​less than 9 square meters. meters without windows. Difficulties may arise when remodeling the kitchen and bathroom: in some cases, the consent of neighbors of adjacent apartments may be required.

Of course, as a result of redevelopment, the overall structure of the house should not suffer. The project drawn up by a professional architect must be agreed upon with the local administration and only after that the work can begin. Typically, application processing takes up to 45 days. Do not forget that if after remodeling the area of ​​the apartment changes, then the new project must undergo state registration.

The most common redevelopment option is combining the kitchen with the bedroom (living room). In fact, the sleeping area does not require a large space at all, 8–10 square meters is enough. Therefore, a spacious kitchen-living room + a small sleeping area will be a more functional solution than two rooms of equal size. It is also worth considering that in such a living room a linear kitchen set looks “lighter”. Professional architects from the Concept group of companies at TC Lanskoy will help you choose the most optimal solutions.

Loggia as a continuation of the apartment

If you have a loggia (or balcony), do not rush to clutter it with bicycles, car tires and other seasonal equipment. Move your workspace here, and the space in the living room will become noticeably wider.

It would be more logical to convert the loggia adjacent to the kitchen into a dining room. A gym or dressing room is a great idea for arranging a balcony, accessed from the bedroom.

You can create a private area, a place of solitude or a reading corner from a loggia (or balcony) connected to the living room. When renovating additional premises, be careful; according to Russian legislation, converting a balcony or loggia into a living space also entails approval from the relevant authorities.

Minimum furniture - maximum space

Of the furniture, you should leave only the most necessary, built-in and transformable. A minimum of heavy objects, draperies, carpets, accumulation of small parts. Remember: the amount of air in the apartment is inversely proportional to the amount of furniture. So before you furnish your apartment, ask yourself the question: do you really need a sofa or would it be better to limit yourself to chairs and a bed, and place all your things in the dressing room, forgetting about bulky closets once and for all.

If you have a pantry, feel free to refuse additional cabinets, which inexorably reduce the usable area. The second bathroom, if you don’t feel the need for it, can be easily converted into a dressing room or laundry room; TC “Lanskoy” in the “Babylon” company will help you with this.

Remove some of the unnecessary interior doors, for example, between the living room, kitchen and hallway - and you will see how the living space will be filled with air and light. Hinged structures are good for spacious apartments, otherwise they will inevitably take up excess space during opening and closing.

Act rationally, according to the principle of “nothing superfluous.” An excellent option for a one-room apartment is a modular system that will allow you to make instant rearrangements and design the furnishings to your liking.

The magic of finishing

You can zone your apartment using visual accents, changing textures, colors, optical illusions and mirrors. If you want to add volume, the main color should be light.

For rooms with low ceilings, use wallpaper with a vertical pattern, place color accents, select contrasting colors, and use small patterns. Decorating the ceiling with longitudinal stripes directed towards a bright wall will help to visually expand the space. Lay laminate and parquet boards in longitudinal strips towards the windows. Narrow rooms will benefit from herringbone or deck floors. The specialists of the Marka Pola company, located in the Lanskoy shopping center, will tell you about the methods of laying parquet boards.

Glossy ceilings will increase the volume of the room, and several lighting scenarios will help achieve an organic combination of functional and decorative lighting.

Use decor in moderation, preferably items of regular geometric shape.

Truly enormous opportunities are provided by mirror surfaces, sometimes doubling the area of ​​rooms. The same effect can be created by sliding wardrobes with sliding mirror surfaces.

Comfortable living in a home is possible only if there is sufficient space, which determines personal space for the full functioning of people. Various situations such as the need to live with elderly parents, additions to the family, or growing children may require expansion of the living space. There are several ways to solve problems associated with a lack of square meters.

A low-income family has the right to apply and benefit from assistance from municipal authorities, the size and form of which is determined individually. If the area of ​​the apartment does not meet certain living standards adopted in a certain region, the family may apply for an increase in living space.

The good financial situation of families allows them to use mortgage loans, taking advantage of loyal loan conditions, or exchange their home with an additional payment.

The way to solve the problem and where to turn largely depends on your living conditions. The owner of a country property has the right to take advantage of several options for expanding living conditions:

• apply construction technologies to the ergonomics of housing layout;
• build an extension to a private house;
• build an additional floor in a country property.

First option provides maximum use of each meter. It is possible to increase the living space by eliminating unnecessary partitions leading to the balcony and reconstructing the walls. Residents of multi-storey buildings add various technical rooms: attics, storage rooms, change rooms, stroller rooms, basements. In order to avoid lawsuits and dissatisfaction from other residents, you will need to initially draw up and submit an application and collect signatures delegating the right to occupy an auxiliary premises for housing needs.

Correctly executed documentation in the BTI will protect you from fines and penalties for unauthorized redevelopment of housing. Living in a suburban property, it is much easier to expand your living space. It is enough just to draw up and certify an application for work with local authorities, certify the project and complete the construction of the living space. The number and size of rooms in the extension are not limited; for high-quality operation it will be necessary to carry out the necessary communications. Using the same materials that were used for the main structure, the extension will look
completely organic.

Increasing the number of storeys in a house is one of the effective ways to expand suburban real estate. It is recommended to calculate the load on the main structure in advance and select the optimal superstructure option. After reviewing the building design, you should determine what preliminary work needs to be done, strengthening the load-bearing walls or foundation. The construction of a second floor, or attic space, will help to qualitatively solve the problem with the missing meters of living space.

Queuing procedure: required status and application

You can obtain the right to expand your living space by obtaining the necessary status to improve your living conditions by taking advantage of municipal support.

The Housing Code provides protection and assistance to citizens in accordance with the adopted law. The articles of the Code clearly define the categories of the population that have grounds for a positive decision to change their living conditions. There are also grounds for refusing to provide social housing under a tenancy agreement.

There is a certain procedure for assigning improving changes to living conditions, or the possible allocation of new living space. After receiving the status of someone in need of housing, you need to submit an application and get on the waiting list. Municipal authorities carefully review all documents for the expansion of living space and issue a final verdict. The applicant has the right to receive a response in an official form; the law requires 30 days for consideration.

If the status is confirmed and there are objective reasons for assistance, the applicant is put on a waiting list, confirming his right to expand his living space. The municipality's capabilities are quite limited, because the number of people in need significantly exceeds the allocated funds. Applicants are forced to wait in line for several years.

The main contenders for housing expansion

Improving housing conditions at the expense of the state is available to certain categories of citizens:

Persons with severe chronic diseases and citizens living in dilapidated houses unsuitable for living can apply for improved housing conditions out of turn. Government policy is keenly aimed at reducing socially disadvantaged categories. Certificates for new housing are provided, the conditions and rules for obtaining mortgage loans are simplified, rental agreements for social housing and subsidies are drawn up. All categories of citizens in need of improvement should know where to go to apply.

Required Documentation

Local municipal housing authorities will determine the objectivity of the reasons for submitting documents that are needed to get on the waiting list, and will perform a regulatory function, highlighting the optimal type of program in each individual case. The application must be supplemented with:

• BTI certificates;
• documents confirming the right to housing;
• living in a country property or suburb will require an excerpt from the house register;
• identification documents;
• medical reports confirming the presence of serious illnesses;
• data from the place of work and study.

Where to go if you want to receive one-time assistance from the state in the form of a subsidy for the purchase of country real estate or an apartment, you can find out in the regional authorities.