what do you class as "semi private"

[thompsonsom]

If you had a "semi private roof terrace" what would you expect the internal wall height to be?

Would you consider a 1 metre wall high enough to give a semi private feel?


janice

 

[Georgina]

If you had a "semi private roof terrace" what would you expect the internal wall height to be?

Would you consider a 1 metre wall high enough to give a semi private feel?


janice

Having sat on many roof terraces in Egypt, the main thing is if the wall is high to give you privacy then you cannot see anything when you are sitting down except a concrete wall and no view. You have to be standing to enjoy the view.

 

[thompsonsom]

Hi Georgina

I know what you are saying but having paid extra money for a roof terrace and the wall only being 3ft high it seems the roof may as well have been kept totally open if all we wanted to do was to sit & look at the desert or another apartment block should one be eventually built nearby, its not as though we are directly on the sea. I want to be able to sunbathe and eat a meal without being watched by all around me or feel like I need to make conversation with my neighbours.


Janice

 

[gordies]

when I sit down my eye level is above 3 feet (1metre). This does not, in my opinion, constitute semi-private.

Semi-private is defined in the dictionary :- having some degree of privacy but not fully private.

A 1m high wall does not even come close to this description.

A 1m high wall can be jumped over quite easily whereas a 1.2m (4 feet) high wall offers considerably more protection and more privacy whilst not seriously encroaching on the amount of sun received.

 

[nubianqueen]

hi all i had not realised that in purchasing a roof terrace for several thousands of pounds that when i went to see the apartment that in fact i only perhaps reached to my waist! and i am a sweet short women! i have spoken to the developer about this and whether they do something about this or not (and this i realise seems to be a common problem) i will have to do something myself, of course i dont want to loose a wonderful view, but i will have to extend by folliage or some sort of wood trellis, so at least i can have some sort of privacy, any other ideas would be appreciated.

thanks


nubianqueen

 

[Georgina]

On my roof terrace the wall is low so I enjoy the view when sitting down. I also have half of the roof terrace with Tamr Henna shading. In the summer I spend all my time under the shade and still get a tan. You really need this shade in the summer. In the winter the wind is usually strong and cold so you need shelter from this wind which 99% of the time comes from the north. Maybe you could put Tamr Henna at the sides but then if others have purchased sections of your roof terrace you would block their view?

(Tamr Henna is the woven thin branches used everywhere in El Gouna for sunshades and windbreaks but also the reason fireworks are banned here!)

 

[dave99]

Low level wall

On my roof terrace the wall is low so I enjoy the view when sitting down. I also have half of the roof terrace with Tamr Henna shading. In the summer I spend all my time under the shade and still get a tan. You really need this shade in the summer. In the winter the wind is usually strong and cold so you need shelter from this wind which 99% of the time comes from the north. Maybe you could put Tamr Henna at the sides but then if others have purchased sections of your roof terrace you would block their view?

(Tamr Henna is the woven thin branches used everywhere in El Gouna for sunshades and windbreaks but also the reason fireworks are banned here!)

Hi

Your roof spce looks great

- the wall looks less than 1 metre high - any idea how high it is.

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[Georgina]

Hi

Your roof spce looks great

- the wall looks less than 1 metre high - any idea how high it is.

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Just measured it and it is 71cm. Don't think it would pass any health and safety laws because it would be easy to topple over down two storeys. It is only mine that is like this because the original owner had lots of changes made to the apartment during construction. I love it because of the view sitting down. The wall on my balcony from my lounge is double but I can't see anything when sitting except through the little triangles.

 

[thompsonsom]

hi

Your roof terrace does look very nice and if we had a roof terrace as private as yours and what looks from your picture like no immediate neighbours,we would be happy with the low wall, we don't, however, we share the roof split into sections of at least 8 other "semi private areas" and our wall will not protect from sun or wind unless you were laying down.

janice

 

[nubianqueen]

shokran georgina for your mail about the roof terraces, i had wondered what the shading was called because that is what i will use, i want to create a space almost like a bedouin tent and was looking at how i would protect myself and others from the sun, so i am glad that you were able to tell me the name! you roof terrace looks lovely, but as the previous forum member said i also will be sharing the roof, luckily for me, i am not in the middle but near the end of the building bar one!

nubianqueen

 

[Georgina]

Yes my roof terrace is private and so is everyone else's around me but I never see anyone use theirs. Even with the beautiful view we have. I am the only one on their roof. If there is no shade then it is too hot in the summer. In the winter too windy. But the chances of anyone else using it the same time as you must be very limited? Are you going to be living there full time? If so then the Bedouin tent idea is good. Based on what I see from my panoramic view in El Gouna I wouldn't be worrying about privacy but enjoy the open space.

 

[nubianqueen]

roof terraces and the wonderful scenery !

shokran georgina for your mail and i have taken many thoughts from that, until i see the final finish of the roof then i will know what space i have to play with, no i will not be living there full time but certainly from time to time and renting out possibily to just friends and colleagues. the credit crunch is making me wonder whether its worthwhile looking at the rental market however, anyway it will be my second home so i am not sure i want to rent it out and possibily it not being treated with care. we shall see inshalla, but where do people go if they dont use their roof terraces at least sometimes. the bedouin tent has always been what i want to do and inshalla i shall. thank you for your tips.


nubianqueen

 

[Georgina]

but where do people go if they dont use their roof terraces at least sometimes. the bedouin tent has always been what i want to do and inshalla i shall. thank you for your tips.


nubianqueen

A lot of people here are working so I guess if they have been out and about all day they are not interested in spending anymore time in the sun or wind. Others go to the beach. Roof terraces can be quite bright and glarey in the full sun not to mention hot hence the need for a pergola. However, this time of year the sun is very low so the shade from a pergola would probably hit your neighbours section and not yours In the summer it is directly overhead. I also have a blind because in the late afternoon in the summer the shade is not underneath so I can pull a blind down to offer shade from the side otherwise it is too hot. If it is windy I have to pin the bottom of the blind down with the chairs.

I also had brought out from England some blue fairy lights which are solar powered. I have these all around my pergola and they come on automatically when it gets dark and stay on most of the night. They look really pretty.

If someone is renting one of the apartments, how will they know that the roof terrace is private?

 

[nubianqueen]

hi georgina shokran once again for tips on roof terraces there is nothing quite llike someone who lives there has a roof terrace and understand how it all works! not sure what your question is, so before I can answer could you expand on it.

shokran

nubianqueen

 

[Georgina]

not sure what your question is, so before I can answer could you expand on it.

shokran

nubianqueen

From what I understand the roof of the building has been sold into sections for private use? So someone that rents an apartment belonging to someone who doesn't own a roof section, how will they know they cannot use the roof or is there also a section anyone can use?

The question comes from me owning a private sunlounger and umbrella on the beach with, despite a private sign on and being padlocked to the windbreak, the tourists are always trying to use it.

 

[nubianqueen]

hi georgina thank you for your questions and i hear you about what it means to have a private section of a roof and the example of your sun lounger! i will raise this question with sigma about the roof in terms of others, i do know that i have a private staircase to get up to the roof and that although the roof is segmented off and in some cases its not easy to get to other parts of the roof (staircase perhaps?) as there are walls being put up but not completely that i will have to think of a way to secure my roof space! i have some ideas but but will really need to re-look at the space when its complete.

shokran

nubianqueen

 

[thompsonsom]

we have raised this query with our developer but he seems to think that if you put up a private sign and chain your furniture, people will respect this. We disagree as we know from experience that people on holiday in an hotel or renting an apartment that they may never go to again will not respect anything as their sole intention is to have a good holiday regardless!
There is a section of the roof terrace that is communal but wether this will be sufficient to fulfil the need of all will remain to be seen.

Janice

 

[nubianqueen]

hi thompsonsom

thank you for replying to the discussion about private roof gardens, can i ask what development you are talking about?? also this is why i think i will raise the walls somehow and get the carpenter to put in a door? not happy about doing this, but i cant imagine that when i spend money that will be difficult for me to find to make the roof space nice, i have no intention of having it destroyed. and i also hear what you say about renting out apartments, makes me want to do this less and less. good to hear all these thoughts and makes me think.

thank you

nubianqueen

 

[thompsonsom]

hi nubianqueen

We have bought in red sea residencia, we have the roof terrace overlooking the back of the building with 1 person to the side and and 1 to the front of us. the problems will arise if we want to make ours more private if the other 2 parties object.

Janice

 

[dave99]

Roof layout - revised

hi nubianqueen

We have bought in red sea residencia, we have the roof terrace overlooking the back of the building with 1 person to the side and and 1 to the front of us. the problems will arise if we want to make ours more private if the other 2 parties object.

Janice

Hi Janice

The roof layout is a littel different from the original design

Your space now has one side next to another owner, and the other side is part of the extended communal space (now about 40% larger).
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