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Counterexample. We love our little balcony. We have some plants, a bench, and a hummingbird feeder. We take our coffee out there for 'cocktail hour' at 7, and sit, talk, watch the world go by a few floors down, and enjoy each other's company.
If you're not using your balcony, you really should.
Maybe in order to give each resident the same chance to jump?
/s
Rapunzel.
I use mine to play Civ
plants and barbecues
I occasionaly hear about people having their freezer out on the balcony. It makes sense for colder countries, as the temperature difference would be lower than if it were inside. But on the other hand, I'm pretty sure most freezers are not built to endure weather.
Except BBQs are often against fire code so they're not allowed 😭
certain ones can sometimes be allowed, go figure. fire is different depending on what's producing it!
I find them too windy and noisy half the time. They are also wet half the time, either from condensation or recent rain.
Mines handy for being able to clean the outside of the windows
That's funny. I see all the skyscrapers around here with balconies and I get jealous, but I never thought about the fact that I almost never see people on those balconies until I read your question.
People want the option to use their balcony. Then they realize it's usually not so pleasant being exposed like that to the sun, wind, temp.
Agreed! They're always filthy/dusty and annoying to clean.
And even though no one gives a shit enough to stare, it's hard not to feel... watched.
... or just 'exposed'. to neighbors, passers-by, and the pervert in the corner office across the street.
There's definitely a guy in the building across from me that stares. I don't think he's a creep -- he's probably just bored and looking around -- but his face is pressed up against the window so he stands out. I've made eye contact a few times, ugh.
Joke's on them! I'll stare into their telescope and out-perv them any day of the week...
Heh, I walk around naked with the blinds open because where I live, people would need binoculars to see me and if they choose to, their resulting suffering is their own fault. One advantage of being unattractive...
I was annoyed at this local news investigation about a high rise neighbor complaining about another walking around naked with the blinds open. They had footage blured out but when you saw them talk with the "irate" neighbor you could tell they must of had to have put the camera right up to the window. Its like wtf you see the guy because your pressing you face against your glass to get a look. No way you see him if you casually hanging in your place.
You add tiny, mini, useless balconies so that you can check off another tick box on a zillow or trulia search, justify an increased rental cost.
Then you make the balconies as small as possible, as featureless as possible, and throw a whole bunch of rules into your rental agreement that prevent you from actually using them for basically any reason: Can't smoke on the balcony, can't dry clothes on it, can't cook on it, can't display any thing like a flag or banner on the balcony because of some made up aesthetic code, etc.
I've lived in a lot of different apartments of differing quality and location, and while I'm not saying that modern apartment residential balconies are entirely a scam, they very often are.
Can’t smoke on the balcony,
Because that smoke goes into other people's apartments. People who may not also be smokers or may have asthma or other medical conditions in which 2nd hand smoke is bad. not actually a building choice... most states now bar smoking inside or near a multi-unit residential building.
can’t dry clothes on it,
19 states have some form of "right to dry" legislation, most of which would protect drying on patio space.
can’t cook on it,
usually a matter of firecode. where I am, it's illegal to have wood burning fire pits or charcoal grills, but gas grills are fine. Also, turkey friers.
These rules are because people are stupid and have caused apartment fires numerous times with these things. can you use charcoal safely? sure. Also, another reason smoking is generally illegal. there's always that one smoker that forgets to clear out the ashtray every so often and that catches fire. (or they put a tissue in it or something, and that's not at all fire retardant.)
can’t display any thing like a flag or banner on the balcony because of some made up aesthetic code, etc.
not actually legal. if there's a residential building code that bans political speech (banners, flags, etc) then that's a first amendment violation. The apartment can (maybe) ban things in their contract agreement, but that's not a building code. that's a contract agreement, and as long as it's not exactly graphic, it probably falls into the "unenforceable" category.
interesting that charcoal is banned but gas is fine. I've never had the grease accumulated on the bottom of the grill catch fire on a charcoal grill, but with a gas grill...
19 states have some form of “right to dry” legislation, most of which would protect drying on patio space.
Two points which I would like to interject here:
OP (of either the post or comment above) may not be in the United States, and
Even if they are, there are 50 states and 1 capital district. That means those 19 states only make up roughly a third of the United States. Odds are they are not in one of them.
Fair enough.
though, my understanding is that the opposition to clotheslines is a mostly US thing. Especially in places where the weather is warm year-round. (specifically its the HOA's because HOA's are the devil.)
edit: also, there's no state here that forbids the practice. (there may be cities that do, but I imagine those are in places like... florida. Government small enough to fit in your backyard.)
though, my understanding is that the opposition to clotheslines is a mostly US thing. Especially in places where the weather is warm year-round.
That's fair. I'm not personally knowledgeable about said rules; I just thought I'd point out those couple things.
(specifically its the HOA’s because HOA’s are the devil.)
Agreed. I would say they need to go fuck themselves with a cactus, but really now. What did the cactus ever do to deserve that?
I use mine! Actually I made sure to.look for an apartment with a balcony since I have pets
I don't sit on my balcony despite the table and chairs I have out there, but I have lots of plants that soften the view and spark joy. It's also a place the firefighters could pluck me from.
Me too. I have an outstanding rocking chair out there for reading. We also have a tiny table between two chairs, perfect for drinks.
Edit: I just set a reminder for tomorrow morning to go out before it gets warm.
I wanted a balcony but the real estate agent politely implied that I couldn't afford one in the area where I was looking for housing. With that said, I can see myself using it for just an hour or two a week while the weather is nice. I like the idea of sitting out on the balcony but I expect that in practice it would be noisy out there and boring on my own.
In some places that is a strategy to satisfy zoning requirements. The builder has to provide a minimum amount of outdoor area per dwelling unit. They could create a large ground-level courtyard, or they can create a bunch of tiny balconies that sum up to the same total area. The ~~ladder~~ latter strategy allows a larger building to exist on the same lot.
Edit: Stupid voice-to-text always gets me.
A different design other than a basic box would allow them to make a large outdoor area at basically any level they want, not necessarily the ground, but that's of course more expensive as well.
so like, even if it were a box...
They don't really have to encase each floor. most buildings are concrete, and they could just as easily seal that floor off and leave the observation platform open. But the reality is that it gets pretty windy up that high, and most people won't want to be out there for very long at all. And not at all if it's at all inclement.
not to mention... jumpers.
I think people value private outdoor space differently than public outdoor space. I don't actually have a balcony but I think I would usually prefer a private space to a public one, even if the public one was much nicer.
It helps a lot if the balcony is somewhat enclosed. The balconies that are just iron fences with no privacy at all are basically useless.
I approve of the ladder strategy. Work those legs!
What a Thrill...
Maybe a way to make use of all those unused balconies. I’m on board.
God damn, son! I'm only on the 63rd floor! How big is this ladder???
