What the price depends on
It’s priced by area, but the total depends a lot on what’s on the balcony now. Breaking out old tiles and screed, repairing the base, correcting the fall and replacing the metal edge flashing all add work. So does the system you choose: under tiles, or as an exposed finish. Labour rates are in the table.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Balcony waterproofing | 80–200 zł/m² |
Indicative prices. Ranges for a typical scope. Fixings included, materials separate. Minimum order 300 zł.
Materials (primer, membrane, tapes, adhesive, tiles, flashing), carrying out and disposing of the old tiles, and carrying materials up are paid separately, as agreed in the handyman’s offer.
Rather hand the job over? More here: grouting and waterproofing in Warsaw.
Which systems are used
Under tiles, the usual choice is a flexible cementitious waterproofing slurry in two coats, with reinforcing tape in the corners and where the floor meets the wall. It works together with a frost-resistant adhesive and outdoor tiles.
Without tiles, liquid polyurethane membranes are used. They form one continuous layer with no joints and can stay as the finish, often with an anti-slip grit. Bitumen under tiles on open balconies is rarely used these days.
Whatever the system, three details decide the result: a fall away from the wall, the joint with the wall and the balcony door threshold, and the slab edge with its flashing and drip. Leaks usually start there, not in the middle.
Safety and shared parts of the building
The work happens at height, right by the slab edge. Nobody leans over the railing, tools and rubble must not fall, and no one should be standing underneath. Primers and some membranes smell of solvent, so an enclosed loggia needs airing.
If the concrete is crumbling, rusty rebar is showing or the slab has cracked, that’s a structural issue rather than a waterproofing one. In blocks of flats the balcony slab is often common property, and the housing community or cooperative decides on it. Ask the building manager before anything gets broken out.
How the job is done
- Inspection: tapping the tiles, checking the fall, the slab edge, the flashing and the threshold.
- Old tiles and screed come off if they’re loose or slope towards the wall.
- The base is repaired and the fall set to run outwards.
- Priming, then tape in the corners, along the wall and around the railing posts.
- Two coats of waterproofing, turned up the wall and under the threshold. Drying time between coats comes from the product data sheet.
- Edge flashing goes on, then the finish: tiles on frost-resistant adhesive or the membrane top coat.
Common mistakes
- New tiles laid straight over old ones with no waterproofing at all.
- No reinforcing tape in the corners or along the wall, so the first hairline crack lets water in.
- Waterproofing not turned up the wall, so water runs under the threshold into the flat.
- Flashing fitted over the tiles, or no drip at all, so water runs down the slab face to the neighbours.
- Railing posts smeared with silicone instead of being sealed properly.
- Work done in the rain or on a wet base, and the membrane peels.
What to prepare
- Photos of the balcony from above, the slab edge, the threshold and, if you can, the underside.
- If it leaks into the flat below, photos of their ceiling help a lot.
- An answer from the building manager or cooperative if the slab or railing needs repair.
- An empty balcony: furniture, plants and boxes are best moved beforehand.
- A decision on the finish: tiles or exposed membrane. Tiles should be frost-resistant with a non-slip surface.
Frequently asked questions
Can a balcony be waterproofed over the old tiles?
Some systems allow it, provided the tiles are firmly bonded and the fall is right. If they sound hollow when tapped or are coming loose, they come off.
When is the best time to do it?
In dry weather and above freezing; the minimum temperature is on the product data sheet. Late autumn and rainy spells are risky, because the material has to dry.
Do I have to tile after waterproofing?
No. A polyurethane membrane can stay as the finish. A cementitious slurry meant to go under tiles is never left exposed.
Who is responsible for a balcony in a block of flats?
It depends on the building’s documents. The slab and railing are often common parts, while the balcony floor finish is usually the flat owner’s. Check with the building manager.
How to order
Describe the balcony in the app: its size, what’s on it now and where the leaks show, and add photos. Tradespeople near you will send offers with their own price and timing. Compare them by reviews and pick one; only that person sees your address.
You pay the handyman directly and they issue the invoice. They stand behind their own work and will fix it if water gets through the layer they laid. The condition of the concrete slab, hidden cracks and other people’s old layers are not on them.
Waterproof balconies and terraces? With a tradesperson profile you will get jobs from your own town. You work for yourself and pick your own business form.
Order in the app
Describe the job, add photos and the address. Tradespeople send their own prices and dates, and you pick one of the offers.
Open the app