I ‘own’ a (leasehold) 1950s maisonette first floor flat with a balcony (made out of brick wall) which looks onto the street. It would be an ideal little space to sit out with a cuppa but there’s just no privacy. I’ve tried a couple of things – bamboo fencing that wasn’t high enough and was too difficult to figure out how to attach to the wall. Then a fencing firm persuaded me to put up a 4ft fence panel (attached via fence columns drilled into to the wall) rather than the trellis I was envisioning might work (and asked them to quote for) as they said wind tunnel effect would be too much for the trellis to handle. But fence panel couldn’t handle wind either, and where post detached from wall and the screws were constantly hitting the wall they’ve destroyed the mortar and bits of the wall fell down into front garden (luckily while nobody out there). It has now been made safe but I’m trying to work out how to rebuild and/or redesign. Ideally I’d like it rebuilt higher to offer more privacy – so could ask just a bricklayer. But I think that might look rubbish and I do need to get sign off from local authority (who hold the lease). So alternatively i’d like to work with anyone who had other ideas on how to create a private balcony that looks attractive and won’t damage the brickwork. I’ve put a request on MyBuilder and got no interest but I think it’s because I’m not clear on best tradesperson to approach – is it a landscape gardener who is also a bricklayer and works with balconies? Is it a bricklayer with a creative side? I think I do need that creative side as well as the skilled trade side. Do they exist (and in West Midlands)?

2 comments
  1. Builder.

    It sounds like you might want all the brick knocked down and then a new decorative brick wall built. By artful use of holes and rails you get light and air but still a decent amount of privacy.

    Depending on the construction of the rest of the building a simple brick wall which is then rendered might also look nice

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