{"id":109028,"date":"2019-07-16T07:28:12","date_gmt":"2019-07-16T00:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/how-you-can-install-a-mezzanine-floor-in-your-house\/"},"modified":"2019-07-16T08:03:29","modified_gmt":"2019-07-16T01:03:29","slug":"how-you-can-install-a-mezzanine-floor-in-your-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/how-you-can-install-a-mezzanine-floor-in-your-house\/","title":{"rendered":"How you can install a mezzanine floor in your house"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nWhile mezzanine floors can easily double up the space capabilities of your home, they aren\u2019t allowed by the authorities for a host of reasons. But this is how you can still install them without getting into trouble.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u00a0
\nThere\u2019s only so much space to be found in your home before all your furniture, cabinets, and other essentials overwhelm your house.\u00a0
\nFortunately, one effective way you can curb with space limitation is by installing a mezzanine floor between the void spaces of your ceiling and floor.
\nBut before you go hacking down your partitions just to accommodate one, you\u2019ll need to adhere to the guidelines and\u00a0seek approval from the relevant authorities beforehand.\u00a0
\nHere\u2019s what you need to know:\u00a0
\n\u00a0
\nWhat is a mezzanine floor?
\nImage source
\nA mezzanine floor is basically the middle floor between two structures, usually\u00a0between the ceiling and ground floor of a building.\u00a0Unlike a traditional floor, a mezzanine floor is much smaller, being 25% or less than the size of a floor. It\u2019s also usually constructed for a specific purpose, for instance, as an additional living room.\u00a0
\nMezzanines are commonly installed in offices, warehouses, showrooms, factories, and galleries\u00a0to utilise the massive gap between the ceiling and floor, and are converted into\u00a0additional, useful spaces.
\nImage source
\nBecause of the functional benefits that they bring, mezzanines are becoming increasingly popular in residential homes too, particularly among\u00a0small\u00a0homeowners who want more room and flexibility in their pint-sized homes. Most of the time, they are utilised as additional bedrooms, home offices, study areas, or as an extension of living spaces.\u00a0
\nHowever, mezzanines are considered\u00a0illegal in Singapore. Here\u2019s why:
\n\u00a0
\nWhy aren\u2019t mezzanines allowed?
\nImage source
\nThe Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) determines and manages what can be developed on a piece of land, and this includes the Gross Floor Area (GFA) of a property.
\nAccording to the Urban Redevelopment Authority, the Gross Floor Area is defined as \u201call covered floor areas of a building, except otherwise exempted, and uncovered areas for commercial uses are deemed the gross floor area of the building for purposes of plot ratio control and development charge.\u201d
\nFurthermore, the\u00a0URA also considers\u00a0mezzanines illegal because they are \u201cbuilding features that give rise to additional floor space and intensity of development.\u201d\u00a0
\nIn other words, mezzanines are prohibited because they alter the\u00a0purpose, plot ratio, and floor space\u00a0of a property.\u00a0
\nImage source
\nAnother reason why mezzanine floors aren\u2019t allowed is that they increase the structural weight of a building. Remember that most buildings aren\u2019t designed to handle additional load capacity, so the extra weight might cause the structure to collapse, which could harm the occupants in the building. This safety concern is also the same reason why the\u00a0Housing Development Board won\u2019t permit mezzanines in HDB flats.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0
\nDespite the strict regulations on mezzanine floors, you might notice that some residential homes still have mezzanine floors installed. Why is this so?
\nThe short answer is that some of them are installed without permission from the relevant authorities. Of course, we don\u2019t advocate it (because you\u2019ll face heavy penalties in addition to harming others).
\nBut here\u2019s the deal:\u00a0there are cases where mezzanines are approved; below are the steps you need to do.
\n\u00a0
\nHow you can have a permit to install a mezzanine floor
\nImage source
\nAs mentioned, mezzanine installations are few and far between, but it\u2019s not impossible. However, there are procedures to be done beforehand (unless if you live in a landed home, then you have it easier).
\nObviously, the first step is to check the floor plan of your home to determine whether it\u2019s high enough to accommodate a mezzanine floor.\u00a0Homes with mezzanines installed usually have lofty ceilings.\u00a0
\nNext, check with the developer or building management whether it is allowed.\u00a0Be clear to them\u00a0you plan to install a mezzanine floor and allow them to explain the procedures and requirements needed to install a mezzanine floor.\u00a0
\nThen, you should also get approvals from both the URA and\u00a0Building and Construction Authority\u00a0(BCA) to ensure that the mezzanine floor is legal and the design meets the required safety standards. Getting perfect compliance from them is the\u00a0most important aspect, regardless of what carpenters, interior designers, or renovation contractors might try to tell you.\u00a0
\nLastly, you must also submit to the\u00a0Fire Safety and Shelter Bureau\u00a0(SCDF-FSSB) to comply with the fire code and to ensure that safety mechanisms like sprinklers are properly installed.
\n\u00a0
\nWhat happens if you don\u2019t get approval
\nIf you\u2019re caught installing a mezzanine floor in your HDB flat illegally, you\u2019ll get slap with a hefty fine of\u00a0up to $5,000.\u00a0On top of that, you\u2019ll also need to pay to remove the mezzanine floor and restore the flat back to its original structure. BCA and URA will also impose heavy penalties for unapproved installations.
\nNeed more tips to help with your home buying\/selling\/renting process? Our\u00a0handy guides\u00a0will help.\u00a0Or find your dream home\u00a0in our listings.\u00a0
\n\u00a0
\nVictor Kang, Digital Content Specialist at PropertyGuru, wrote this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email\u00a0victorkang@propertyguru.com.sg
\n
\nSource : proppertyguru.com.sg\/Property Market
\nRead more…How you can install a mezzanine floor in your house<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While mezzanine floors can easily double up the space capabilities of your home, they aren\u2019t...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":109029,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-109028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-property-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/94580-st-20151010-nzchic10ztwp-1744948.jpg?fit=610%2C457&ssl=1","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p75ss1-smw","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":31052,"url":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/all-set-up-and-ready-to-go\/","url_meta":{"origin":109028,"position":0},"title":"All set up and ready to 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