Guides
Balconies in the living area: 25 or 50 per cent?
Few numbers in a listing get quietly rounded upwards as often as the balcony. The reason is simple: a twelve square metre balcony is tempting, and the difference between a quarter and full counting is nine square metres of living area.
That is why the balcony is the most common flashpoint in area disputes. The rule itself is unambiguous; practice gets sloppy because the derivation is missing and nobody can tell which factor was used.
The rule and its exception
Under the German living-area regulation, balconies, loggias, roof gardens and terraces normally count at one quarter. Up to one half is permitted — but as an exception for outdoor space of particular quality, not as a default.
What counts as particular quality is not defined in centimetres. In practice, position, orientation, weather protection, year-round usability and specification are weighed up. If you use the higher factor, keep that reasoning in writing.
- Standard case: 25 per cent of the balcony area
- At most 50 per cent, and only with a justification
- Applies equally to loggias, roof gardens and terraces
- State the factor used in the listing
What counts as balcony area
You measure the balcony's footprint, that is the usable area inside the balustrade. An overhanging canopy does not enlarge it, and the balustrade itself is not included.
For loggias recessed into the building the boundary is easier, because walls define the area. For roof terraces, take only the genuinely usable, walkable area rather than the whole roof surface.
Document instead of arguing
Show the outdoor space as its own area on the plan, not as part of the living space. The editor keeps the factor per room and reports raw area, factor and weighted area separately, so the derivation sits in the drawing itself.
Add one sentence to the listing: balcony area of so many square metres, counted at 25 per cent. That single sentence prevents more renegotiation than any amount of small print.
Frequently asked questions
May I count a balcony at 50 per cent?
The regulation permits up to 50 per cent but treats 25 as the standard case. The higher figure presupposes outdoor space of particular quality that you should be able to justify.
Does the same rule apply to terraces?
Yes. Balconies, loggias, roof gardens and terraces are treated under the same provision: normally a quarter, at most a half.
How do I measure balcony area correctly?
As the footprint inside the balustrade, that is the genuinely usable area. Canopies and balustrade construction are excluded; on a roof terrace, only the walkable part counts.