Frequently Asked Questions

Brooksby

Brooksby have over three decades experience in the design, fabrication and supply of balconies as well as associated structural and architectural steel products. Our expertise is unrivalled, offering our clients a complete end to end service. From consultancy to design, fabrication to assembly and installation, we work with you across all areas of a project from initial concept through to completion.

Design & Installation

As we design and fabricate all of our balconies in-house, we can create a bespoke product that is tailored to the exact requirements of your project. Whether a bolt-on or slide-on balcony system would be the best solution is dependent on a number of factors, which include:

Our Flight Deck® slide-on balcony system is perfect for more high rise projects, due to the time saving and health and safety advantages it offers.
Smaller storey developments, however, may benefit more from our bolt-on systems as they can be a more cost effective option than slide-on.
Depending on the look and feel you want to achieve with your balcony design, one may be preferred to the other. Bolt-on systems allow for a more ‘industrial’ look, which cannot be achieved with the Flight Deck® slide-on system due to the inclusion of soffits.

Maintenance & Performance

Not only is steel more cost effective than other materials but it is also more resilient and tougher than other metals, such as aluminium. With regards to safety, steel structures offer greater fire resistance, with a higher melting point than other metals (1,370°C for steel compared to 660.3°C for aluminium). On top of performance and safety, sustainability is a key factor also – with 99% of constructional steel in the UK being either reused or recycled.

Regulations & Safety

The London Housing Design Guide was published in 2010 and sets out the requirements for property design within London. The guide lays out a set of standards to ensure a quality standard of living whilst ensuring design excellence across the capital.

Section 4.10 of the guide deals specifically with outdoor space and balconies, and as such sets out the following points in relation to balcony design:

For a 2 person dwelling, there is a minimum outdoor space requirement of 5 square metres
For each additional occupant, an extra 1 square metre is required
A minimum width and depth of 1500mm is required for all balconies (and other private external spaces)
Balconies are required to have solid floors and drain to a downpipe

Building guidelines set out by NHBC discuss the correct disposal of rainwater on balconies, detailing that disposal for a balcony size of 6m2 or less should be considered.