Floating houses in Amsterdam. Floating pontoon house cottage on the water Floating houses

We all remember the well-known advertisement from TELE2: “The land here is very expensive! But water is cheap! ”The heroes of the video say, equipping a chic restaurant on the water near a busy beach. Indeed, the idea of building real estate, or after all “movable property”, on the water is far from new and captures the attention of an increasing number of people.

A house on the water is a very real prospect for ordinary housing, while filled with romanticism, freedom and a beautiful view from the window. But is it really all that positive? Just in this "Dream House" today and will help you figure it out.

Living on the water - advantages and disadvantages

Well, who did not dream in childhood to build a raft and, like Tom Sawyer and Huckelbury Finn, go down the river? And if it is also accompanied by home comfort and city communications, then such a watercraft really becomes a dream home. In addition, in our country, million-plus cities do not please residents with pleasant prices for land plots; rather, their cost is beyond good and evil for ordinary fellow citizens. But a house on the water, if it is equipped with engines, is, according to the laws of our country, just a watercraft. And water resources belong to the state and, subject to certain standards, it is quite possible to use it free of charge. And why not a way out of the situation, how to make a house on the water, placing it at least in the center of the city, even on an abandoned pond? You do not have to pay for rent or purchase of land, the main thing is that the water house has a ship's ticket confirming your right to property.

The downside: real estate is what stands on the ground, so registration for permanent residence is not possible. But there are other difficulties as well. First of all, it is the repair and maintenance of such houses. No less important are communications - there are options from rude and simple to quite civilized. However, all issues are solvable, and if you are inspired by the opened horizons, then it is worth considering in more detail what houses on the water exist.

What are the types of houses on the water

If we systematize all those structures that fall under the definition of "home on the water", we get several types of watercraft suitable for permanent residence:

House on pontoons. This is one of the most inexpensive options available. Pontoons, combined into a single platform, carry the residential building itself. They are not subject to corrosion, well kept afloat. On this basis, it is possible to build housing on an individual project.

Barges converted to living space. It is quite possible to convert old barges into living space, or even order a brand new barge from the factory for this purpose. This type of housing has already proven itself well in both the old and the new world, but our compatriots are still cautious about such prospects. Therefore, in the next photo: a house on a barge in Stockholm.

House on the water on a barge, Stockholm

Houseboat Specialized Homes. This is the name of a company whose main specialization is the construction of houses on the water. These houses are a compromise between a private yacht and a country house, designed to move within some inland body of water. These are two whole floors, completely ready for living and capable of moving at a speed of about 20 km / h.

Landing stages are houses on concrete platforms that allow you to realize almost any ideas of the architect. This is the most expensive of the listed options, landing stages operate autonomously with their own communications, but if necessary, they can be connected to city communications with special permits, as French citizens do.

House on the water on stilts. In some regions with flooded and swampy soil, the local population has long decided how to build a house on the water - to use piles hammered into the ground, on which the building itself is located.

Features of building a house on the water

Houses on the water are not only romantic, but, unfortunately, a lot of difficulties with the most familiar things. They are built, as already mentioned, on a reinforced concrete or steel pontoon, and it is best to operate such structures in the interior, where the waves do not rise above one meter, and the hurricane of the sea wind does not hit the walls.

In regions where winter is almost nine months of the year, most of the year will have to be stuck in the ice. Although well-made water houses are not afraid of frost and ice, they are still far from the tropics.

Arrangement of houses on the water with the necessary communications

Houses on the water can be equipped with autonomous utilities, such as special drinking water tanks, fuel supplies, an electric generator and solar panels, or be able to connect to urban amenities. Heating of floating housing is possible with the help of convectors, a cast-iron or steel fireplace stove. Do not forget about fire safety equipment - they must be in order.

A separate word about sewerage. The ideal option would be an advanced and modern purification system, when using it, purified water can be drained directly into the reservoir.

How to make a house on the water

Life on the water in Russian reality

So, you are a resident of Russia and want to live in a house on the water. Well, it is cheaper in some respects and this solution has a number of advantages. As already mentioned, from the point of view of the legislation of the Russian Federation, such a house is nothing more than a ship, not self-propelled though, but still a ship. But provided that it is not more than twenty meters and is not designed for more than twelve people. But why would you want more, right? And this “vessel”, which is still a house, needs to be registered with the GIMS and regularly undergo a technical inspection, which in the conditions of our Russian reality is a long-established mechanism. When registering, you need to present a registration certificate, a contract of sale, a passport, a TIN and a receipt for payment of state duty in an amount proportional to the size of your boat, that is, at home. Well, you need to pay transport tax, not without it.

Theoretically, you can stand anywhere as long as you don't interfere with the movement of ships. In practice, a house on the water will quickly be of interest to law enforcement agencies and administration, and you will have to learn by heart the basics of river and sea law, while talking to unwanted visitors. An alternative is to conclude an agreement on the lease of water space for a couple of decades (FZ No. 74).

Having done all this, you can dive from the threshold of your house, fish from the window and brazenly not pay property taxes. And if you just want to feel how it is to live on the water, then get on a plane and fly to Bermuda or the Maldives, to Thailand ... There have long been practicing hotel houses, bungalows on the water, moreover, with stunning picturesque landscapes.

"Never do what others can do better or at least as good as you.".

(John D. Rockefeller)

Where can I put a houseboat or cottage?

In accordance with the Water Code of the Russian Federation, surface water bodies that are state or municipal property are public water bodies, that is, public water bodies. Every citizen has the right to have access to public water facilities and use them free of charge for personal and domestic needs. and every citizen has the right to use (without the use of motor vehicles) the coastal strip of public water bodies for movement and stay near them, including for recreational and sport fishing and mooring of floating facilities.
Thus, a private houseboat (cottage, bathhouse) can be moored at any water body (reservoir) and practically anywhere, if the reservoir does not belong to the IWW (inland waterways). On inland waterways, the parking of small vessels (as well as any other vessels and floating objects) is regulated by the rules of navigation and established navigational signs. In accordance with Article 3 of the Code of Inland Water Transport of the Russian Federation (KVVT), the list of inland waterways is approved by the Government of the Russian Federation. The current List of inland waterways was approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 19, 2002 N 1800-r.

How is a houseboat or dacha registered, how difficult is it?

All floating structures are subject to survey, classification and registration or accounting.
Small boats (length does not exceed 20m) for personal (non-commercial) use are subject to survey, classification and registration with the issuance of a ship's ticket and entry into the register of the GIMS of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation in accordance with the Government Decree, the current Rules and Administrative Regulations.
Small boats for commercial use are inspected and classified by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping or the Russian River Register and entered into the register by sea port captains and water basin administrations. In accordance with the explanations of the Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation V.A. Olersky (letter No. OV-28/1947 dated February 25, 2013), the division of responsibility in classifying and surveying small commercial vessels between RS or RRR is determined depending on the distance of the areas of use of vessels from places of refuge or the coast:
- inland waterways - RRR;
- sea areas (with a distance from places of refuge or coast up to 12 miles inclusive) - at the choice of the shipowner RS or RRR.
Floating objects on GDP are inspected and classified by the River Register. Accounting (not registration) of floating objects on the GDP is carried out by the Administration of water basins in the manner prescribed by the Rules.
Inspection and accounting of floating objects in water areas not related to IWW Government Decree is still assigned to GIMS.

What is the difference between a non-self-propelled small vessel and a floating object?

From a legal point of view, all small vessels (including non-self-propelled ones) are real estate objects and are subject to state registration in the relevant register, and floating objects are not ships, do not belong to real estate objects and are not subject to registration, but to accounting. Accounting for floating objects is carried out only for the purpose of summarizing information about floating objects in the interests of ensuring the safety of navigation on inland waterways and is not associated with the existence of ownership and other rights to floating objects.
The delimitation of floating structures into ships or floating objects is determined not by their design features, but solely by the purposes of use.
For example: A cruise ship is a ship, but the same ship used as a floating hotel is a floating object. A non-self-propelled floating platform carrying cargo is a vessel (barge), and a floating facility (pontoon) installed permanently near the shore for cargo storage.
The Code of Inland Water Transport of the Russian Federation gives a list of floating structures related to the purpose of their use as floating objects (but the action of the KVVP according to Article 1, Clause 2 applies exclusively to inland waterways).

Who determines the purpose of using a floating facility?

In accordance with the current legislation, the purposes of using a floating structure are determined by its owner in a declarative (declarative) manner.
Example: If the owner declares his floating cottage operated on the GDP as a small non-self-propelled vessel for fishing and recreation, it is subject to survey, classification and registration by the GIMS division, and if he calls it a houseboat, then its classification and survey (as a floating object) is carried out by the River Register , and accounting - Administration of the water basin. Similarly, if the owner declares a platform made of reinforced concrete modules as a towed cargo-passenger platform, it is classified, surveyed and registered in the register as a non-self-propelled platform vessel, and if it is declared as a berth, it is classified, surveyed and subject to registration (and not registration) as a floating an object.

Is it possible to "register" in a houseboat?

In theory, this is possible if this vessel is registered in the prescribed manner, because in accordance with paragraph 2 of article 15 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, residential premises are recognized isolated premises, which is real estate and suitable for permanent residence of citizens. Thus, if a floating structure meets the requirements for residential premises set out in Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated January 28, 2006 No. 47, then it can be recognized as residential premises, because. there is no requirement in the legislation that the dwelling must be on the ground.
In practice, there are precedents when they were "registered" on small boats registered by the GIMS. But on a floating object (even if you called it a "floating house"), you won't be able to "register" - floating objects do not apply to real estate by the current legislation :)

Are there any legal restrictions or benefits when purchasing a houseboat or summer house (for example, tax) or vice versa?

The owner of a non-self-propelled floating dacha (bathhouse, house) registered as a vessel pays, in accordance with Article 361 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, only an insignificant annual transport tax (practically, as for an ordinary rowing boat). Owners of floating facilities do not pay transport tax.

How difficult is it to tow a houseboat (dacha) on concrete pontoons?

It all depends on the size of the houseboat (dacha), the water area (reservoir) and the tugboat used.
The houseboat (dacha) shown in the photo with a displacement of about 50 tons on a reinforced concrete pontoon in calm water was repeatedly towed across the lake at distances of several hundred meters by an ordinary rowing boat with two rowers and one pair of oars :)

In the summer, such a vessel can be easily towed by a boat for parking near a beautiful coast, and for the winter, if desired, overtaken to the marina of the yacht club - for the winter, ships in the clubs are lifted out of the water, the berths are freed and you can almost always agree on an inexpensive (almost free) parking lot :)

What prompted the creation of floating houses and summer cottages so unusual in our country?

Our company began to develop this direction due to the fact that we could not find a Russian contractor to realize our own dream - to have modern houseboats for year-round operation :)

Who buys houseboats and houseboats?

Those who like to live and relax by the water and on the water, but do not have the desire (or opportunity) to spend all their free time on the care and maintenance of the land. And a few flower beds or even a small greenhouse will fit perfectly on the deck - houseboats are often called "floating gardens" in Holland :)

Is it possible to obtain a loan for the purchase and insurance of a houseboat or summer house?

Houses on the water are classified, surveyed and registered in the GIMS with the issuance of a ship's ticket, as a small "non-self-propelled vessel-platform". If it is necessary to obtain a loan, it can be pledged with the registration of the pledge in the registering authority (GIMS EMERCOM of the Russian Federation), which provides the bank with even more guarantees than the pledge of a vehicle (with a comparable loan amount), and many insurance companies have special insurance programs small boats from various kinds of risks.

If I rent out my floating dacha registered in the GIMS as a small boat, will I have to re-register it in the River Register?

If you continue to use the floating cottage yourself for personal purposes, and rent it out only when you do not need it, then re-registration is not required.

What is the difference between a houseboat and a houseboat?

In our terminology:
A floating house is designed for long-term (and possibly even permanent) residence and, as a rule, has a much larger area (sometimes consists of several modules), and is better insulated to save energy (heat loss is significantly less than established by the current building codes for individual houses).
A floating dacha (like an ordinary dacha) is intended, albeit for year-round, but short-term (periodic) residence. Accordingly, the floating cottage has a slightly smaller area (usually up to 25-30 sq.m) and a lower degree of insulation, but it also costs significantly less.

Why is a houseboat or dacha more expensive than "normal" ones?

The significant cost of a house, cottage or bath on the water is the cost of a floating base - a concrete pontoon (floating platform). If we add the cost of the foundation and land (the first line at the water's edge) to the cost of an "ordinary" house (cottage or bathhouse) - at least 1-2 acres of land plus the cost of water supply and sanitation (sewage), landscaping the land and arranging a large comfortable terrace, then a houseboat or cottage is much cheaper. Yes, and it’s almost impossible to buy only 1-2 acres of land near the water itself :)

Are there any features of the operation of floating houses and summer cottages? Does the prospective buyer need sailing skills?

A floating house (dacha) is no different from any other small boats. To move a non-self-propelled vessel, the future buyer does not need navigation skills - a tugboat is used. But if you plan to travel on water with outboard motors, you need to obtain a license (as with any boat, motor boat or jet ski). No registration or license required, only for boats up to 200kg and with outboard motors up to 8kW/10HP. (it is advisable to only install a cargo propeller if such a boat is used for towing).
Thus, on "calm water" in a closed reservoir in calm weather, you can tow a houseboat or a summer house by a boat even with a small outboard motor without obtaining a boatmaster's certificate :)

How does such a floating structure behave in strong winds or waves? How dangerous is ice?

Taking into account the fact that a floating house (dacha) on a concrete pontoon weighs several tens of tons and is held in place by "dead" anchors or piercing piles, waves and wind do not have a dangerous effect on it. All our houseboats and dachas on concrete pontoons endure the freezing of the reservoir without restrictions on the thickness of the ice.

Does the company provide warranties for its products?

Yes, we give a guarantee on all designs of our own production.

What is the service life of your houseboats and cottages?

The service life of reinforced concrete pontoons is many decades. Now you can find for sale concrete pontoons built in the 60s in good condition and not undergoing a major overhaul of the hull!

Is the floating base of the house (cottage) one solid reinforced concrete pontoon?

No, the floating base (pontoon, platform, platform) consists of several reinforced concrete buoyancy modules. The number and size of buoyancy modules depends on the selected project. Using a modular approach allows you to assemble a site (platform) of any required size.

How to transport the house to another closed body of water?

All our houseboats and dachas have a prefabricated structure - if desired, you can always remove the modular superstructure, disassemble the floating platform (pontoon) into modules and transport it to a new location by road.

What size pontoon is needed for the construction of a houseboat (cottages, baths)?

For a small floating dacha or bath, two buoyancy modules 2.4 * 6m are quite enough. For a more spacious and comfortable dacha, you will need four 2.4 * 6m buoyancy modules - you can assemble a 4.8 * 12m or 6 * 9.6m floating platform from them, and for a “full-fledged” houseboat, six or even seven buoyancy modules are already required - platform 4.8*18m (6*14.4m) or 6*16.8m.

Is it possible to put a modular house of our local manufacturer on your pontoons (a cheaper analogue of "DublDom")?

On our pontoons (floating platforms) you can install any frame / modular houses, incl. houses from the company "DublDom" and their numerous analogues.

Which floating platform is better for building a houseboat "narrow long" or "square"?

With the same number of buoyancy modules, the platform weight and deck area will be the same, but they will "behave" significantly differently.
Narrow Platform:
- easier to tow
- protrudes less from the coast (essentially on rivers and canals)
- less resistance to the flow on the river (which means an easier anchor system) and less chance of separation during ice drift
- it is possible to make large "view" windows on the water in all residential premises
- if there is a second floor, the pitching is stronger.
Square platform:
- you can make large "view" windows on different sides
- less swaying when agitated
- more comfortable on the second floor (if available), because less swing amplitude.

What is the maximum size of a reinforced concrete houseboat pontoon you recommend?

In our opinion, a platform with a size of 9 * 19.4m (which is an area of 175 sq.m) is more than enough for any wildest desires, while remaining within the framework of a small vessel :)
Although in the vast majority of cases, a platform 6 * 17m is quite enough (out of 7 buoyancy modules 6m long).

Is it possible to make a houseboat by taking the entire pontoon area with it?

Yes, you can. The main thing is to control the weight of the superstructure and not go beyond the calculated one.

What is the disadvantage of the second floor in a houseboat?

- Staircase "eats" usable area
- The higher the walls, the greater their windage and the higher the center of gravity of the structure, which means more pitching in wind and waves.

Is a steel pontoon always bad?

No not always. It all depends on its use: if a floating structure during the season needs to be repeatedly lifted out of the water and transported by road to another body of water, then a steel pontoon has a clear advantage (due to its lower weight), because. at the same time, it is not a problem to carry out its examination and painting of the hull. But you shouldn’t build a warm winter house on such a pontoon - it will be very problematic to lift it out of the water along with the house for mandatory periodic examination and painting, and the center of gravity of the house on a concrete pontoon is much lower, and stability is much higher.

How much humidity is in a houseboat and does it harm its structures?

If we take for comparison the indicator of the level of humidity in a houseboat or a houseboat, then it is similar to a site 20-50 meters from the water, and often even significantly lower (because it is well ventilated)! Thus, you should not be afraid that the microclimate of your cottage will deteriorate due to the location on the water, and with the help of environmentally friendly materials and modern ventilation systems, we will create the microclimate to which you are accustomed.

I didn't like the photo posted on the site...

We don't like everything either. But the houses in the photographs were built for specific Customers, and the Customer is always right :)
We try to satisfy any "whims" of the Customers, if this does not affect the safe operation of the houseboat and its service life.

I am offered to buy cheap used steel pontoon. Can you install your modular home on it?

Send drawings of the pontoon - we will look.
However, you should take into account that buying any steel pontoon for the construction of a floating house or summer house is not the best idea:
1. In shipbuilding, a welder is the most scarce and very highly paid profession. All welders are subject to mandatory certification (attestation) by the sea or river register, because The safety of the vessel depends on the quality of the seams. Are you sure that the pontoon was welded by a certified specialist?
2. A steel pontoon requires regular inspection (including the inside) and regular painting (especially a used one), which means you will have to periodically call a heavy-duty crane and lift the houseboat out of the water. As a result, the costs will be more, and the service life will be shorter :(
3. Most steel pontoons are not designed to operate in winter (ice) conditions (especially under load).

I have seen a lot of photos of sunken houseboats on the Internet....

Yes, this happens if there are no (or broken) airtight bulkheads, and the ship's hull has a traditional U shape. ALL of our reinforced concrete hulls are U-shaped and FULLY filled inside with special foam - it's not cheap, but the safety and reliability are worth it! Even if such a hull is damaged (and it is very, very difficult to do this), the ship will not only not lose buoyancy, but will not even get the slightest heel!

I want a big houseboat (cottage) with utility rooms (bath + guest house), but how not to go beyond the requirements (length no more than 20m) established for registration in the GIMS?

Everything is very simple - you can design a house from several small boats and put them side by side!
This option also has a number of advantages:
1. The "flotilla" can be completed gradually, as needed and as funds are available.
2. Significantly greater liquidity - you can sell not only the entire "flotilla" at once, but also its individual parts.

Which pontoons for floating cottages are better - plastic or concrete?

Both of them have their pros and cons. Fiberglass pontoons have less weight and draft (30-40 cm) - this allows you to approach the shore even in shallow water, and when installing outboard motors (preferably two), you can independently travel around the reservoir. However, at a comparable price, their carrying capacity is less than that of concrete ones, which means that the superstructures mounted on them must be much lighter and stiffer. Only seasonal (summer) floating dachas are built on such pontoons. Concrete pontoons are heavier and have a large draft (up to 50-60 cm), but are much more stable and allow building energy-efficient warm (even two-story) houses and summer cottages for permanent (year-round) living.

Why are imported self-propelled floating cottages bad?

They are not bad, they are simply not designed for year-round operation in our climatic conditions:
- require a mandatory rise from the water to the winter parking lot

They have insufficient insulation (the thickness of the insulation of the residential superstructure does not exceed 40, maximum 75 mm).

Why are there very few houseboats and dachas in Russia?

Much is determined by "national" characteristics. For example, in Finland there are many rivers and lakes, a lot of free land along the banks, a small population and liberal legislation that allows construction right on the coast. As a result, floating houses and dachas are practically absent and only floating saunas, which are loved by Finns, are widespread. In neighboring Sweden, the situation is significantly different - there is much less free land along the banks, and environmental legislation very seriously restricts any construction in the coastal strip. As a result, there are already significantly more houseboats and dachas than in Finland. In the countries of Central Europe, there is even less free land along the coast for summer cottages and, as a result, a significantly larger number of floating houses. Floating houses and dachas are consistently in great demand and it is very, very difficult to buy a modern houseboat for "acceptable" money.

Why are there practically no self-propelled floating dachas in Russia?

1. Probably for the same reason that we generally have very, very few boats and boats - there is no necessary infrastructure (we practically do not have specially equipped boat parking lots with car parking and shore power supply). In Finland, with a population of 5.5 million, there is one boat for every 5-6 inhabitants. Not all families have their own boat, but many, on the contrary, have several. The most commonly given figure is 800,000 (about a third of them are rowing), but it is very approximate - only motor boats and boats with a length of at least 5.5 meters and with an engine of more than 20 hp are subject to registration. Rowing and non-motorized boats and pontoons are not registered in Finland and are difficult to account for.
2. Abroad, there are very few "private" self-propelled floating dachas - almost all self-propelled dachas are "commercial" and are used for leasing (usually short-term), because “traveling” in a limited water area gets boring very quickly, and traditional yachts are better suited for long-distance travel. In most European countries, there are no problems with renting a self-propelled houseboat, because. for motors less than 20hp a boatmaster's license is not required and such a motor is quite enough for a leisurely movement through a closed reservoir of a summer floating summer house (and in many European countries the legislation is even more liberal - with a motor power of up to 25 kW, a certificate of the driver of a small boat is not required if the water vehicle goes to daylight hours with good visibility up to 5 nautical miles offshore at sea and up to 9 kilometers offshore in inland waters). We need a boatmaster's license if the engine power is more than 10 hp. - such a motor is insufficient for comfortable operation of a floating cottage and does not provide safe navigation in strong winds even in a shallow closed reservoir (at least 2-3 times more is required).

I want to buy reinforced concrete pontoons from you and make a floating cottage myself exclusively for seasonal (from spring to autumn) operation. What do you advise???

Best the enemy of the good! Everything has long been invented before us :)
If we are talking exclusively about a seasonal (summer) floating dacha or bathhouse, then to save money, you can make a superstructure from a thin profiled beam 70 mm thick, chamber dried and insulated 100-150 mm floor / ceiling.
It is absolutely impossible to use a thicker beam, because. no matter what the sellers say, it will not be dry, but only “dried” and will definitely shrink and crack (drying a beam thicker than 70-75mm is very, very unprofitable for manufacturers - a properly dried beam with a thickness of more than 75mm turns out to be significantly more expensive than a glued one of the same thickness, but it will significantly inferior in quality).
Such a floating house can be operated in spring-autumn and even in winter with slight frosts (if there is a fireplace stove with a good power reserve). Such a residential superstructure can be easily assembled in a few days from ready-made house kits.
Later (if desired), it can always be additionally insulated for short-term winter operation of a dacha with soft fiberboard 50 mm thick (in terms of thermal insulation, 25 mm soft fiberboard is equal to 90 mm wood) and sheathed with a tongue-and-groove board (lining, beam simulator, etc.). An example is Europeans, they mass-produce floating country houses and baths from a 70mm beam.

I want to build a floating dacha for year-round arrivals on weekends! What do you advise???

In this case, the best option is a frame floating cottage (wall insulation - from 100mm, floor / ceiling - from 150mm).

PS: If you did not find the answer to your question, please see the sections

Despite the incomprehensible legal status, a new format of residential real estate is becoming popular in Russia - houseboats.

Photo: Depositphotos/S_Razvodovskij

Floating houses have always been very popular in Europe. In Russia, this is a relatively new phenomenon, but the demand for such houses outstrips supply by several times.

In Europe, there are much more houses on the water than in Russia: in countries such as Germany or the Netherlands, river plots are much cheaper than land, so many people prefer to settle on the water. A similar format of residential real estate is also popular in France, where for permanent residence on the water it is necessary to buy a special permit from the city hall, which gives the right to equip and lay communications to boat houses.

(Photo: Robert Harding/Globallookpress)

(Photo: Lisa S. Engelbrecht / Globallookpress)

“In our country, the supply market for housing on water is rather narrow,” says Mikhail Bykov, commercial director of the Dom na Voda company. “Few Russians imagine what a “floating house” is due to the lack of a competent advertising policy. they do not know where and how this type of housing is presented.

However, there is a demand for "water" housing in Russia, says Oksana Diveeva, director of the urban real estate sales department at Blackwood. According to her, demand exceeds supply several times.

What is floating housing

The cheapest option is house on pontoons. The pontoons are combined with each other into a single floating platform. This platform also holds the building located on the site on the water. Despite the rather impressive weight, the design has good stability and has the properties of a vessel that keeps well afloat. In addition, the pontoon is not subject to corrosion and its service life is several hundred years. According to experts, this type of housing has a huge potential: pontoons provide for the possibility of building a house according to an individual project.

barges, equipped for housing, are much less common. An old barge can be converted into housing. But it's easier to order a barge at the shipyard. Such houses are distributed mainly in Europe and the USA. In Russia, the prospects for the use of barges remain vague.

houseboat combines the functions of a yacht and a country house. It is intended for movement on inland waters. This is a whole two-story "house on the water", completely ready for living. The houseboat can be equipped with one or two engines, petrol or diesel, outboard or stationary. This houseboat travels at a maximum speed of 20 km/h.

landing stage- quite an expensive type of real estate. This technology provides for the construction on concrete structures. The main advantage of such houses on the water is that they provide freedom for the implementation of any architectural ideas. There are practically no limits for the imagination of designers and architects. On a solid concrete landing stage, it is possible to build quite large houses several floors high.

Landing stages can either work autonomously, having their own generator, their own water supply, ventilation and sewerage system. However, they can also be connected to local networks, to the central communications of the city, if necessary, they can swim autonomously (for example, when moving to another parking place). However, it is quite difficult to repair such a floating object. “The landing stage needs to be periodically raised to the slipway and the skin should be examined for leaks. This is quite expensive if it is not possible to carry out these works using slipways, but diving to identify and eliminate leaks does not give a complete picture of the quality of the repair work being performed,” says Mikhail Bykov.

“Any of these types of houseboats can be equipped with the necessary infrastructure to live in it all year round. For example, you can put a marine-type toilet with a manual release or put a 100-liter tank. to the place of pumping," advises the commercial director of the Mikizha company (creates houses on the water) Dmitry Sobinyakov.

How much do houses on the water cost

"The safety of a landing stage depends on the materials and technologies used in its construction, engineering infrastructure systems, but most importantly - on a properly built foundation. You need to buy landing stages after a technical audit," warns Oksana Diveeva.

The cost of such a project depends on the size, quality of construction and engineering equipment. "The estimated cost of building a houseboat starts from 2 million rubles, and in some cases the price goes up to 3 million dollars," says an expert from the Blackwood company.

It is impossible to register in a "floating house", but it can be registered with the State Inspectorate for Small Vessels as a floating craft. This requires lights and life-saving equipment on board. Registration problems may arise if the size of the house exceeds 20 m in length. With such a size, it is already necessary to apply to the River Register.

Vera Kozubova

Half of the territory of the Netherlands lies below sea level, so numerous dams and dams protect Amsterdam from flooding. Even the name of the city comes from two words: Amstel and ladies. Amstel is the name of the river on which the city is located, and dam means "dam" in translation. For hundreds of years, the Dutch have been reclaiming land from the sea. Building on scarce land becomes very costly - swampy soils require a large number of piles to be driven.

In today's post, I will talk about an alternative type of housing - houses on the water. These structures are made of lightweight but durable wood and aluminum. The houses are located on a special floating platform, so that they can be easily moved from place to place using a boat. The invention is intended to solve the problem of lack of land for housing construction in the country. Dutch architects intend to create a whole city on the water in 50 years. If now about 200 houseboats are being built in the Netherlands per year, then according to experts, by 2025 this number will increase 100 times - up to 20,000 houseboats. At this rate, the Dutch, apparently, will again have to flood the land reclaimed from the water with such difficulty.

A little background about houseboats in Amsterdam.

In Holland, water houses appeared quite a long time ago, and spread in the last century. After the Second World War, housing was sorely lacking. At this time, the Dutch fleet was being modernized, and people deprived of "land" housing began to settle in old decommissioned ships that were laid up. Now there are about 10 thousand water houses in the country, of which about 2.5 thousand are moored in Amsterdam and the surrounding area.

Previously, houseboats were considered very inconvenient, and retired skippers bought them because it was a cheap way to settle in the center of Amsterdam. An old barge is, as a rule, two, maximum three, rooms, a tiny kitchen, a toilet and a shower in which you have to stand at attention. Plus poor ventilation and high humidity. In Amsterdam, you can still find old barges from the 19th century, which still serve their intended purpose quite well.

Over time, such houses have become fashionable, and today it is very prestigious to have such houses. Barge houses located in the center cost a lot of money, since there is no more space on the canals. The average price for a residential barge is about 500 thousand euros. Another 1,000 euros a year is spent on repairs. Added to this are the mooring fee, water tax, and mandatory dispatch to remove rust from the hull every 5 years.

In addition, there are many other legal restrictions for "boat people". A mortgage loan for the purchase of houseboats is issued by only one Dutch bank - ING. The mooring license is nominal and when selling a residential boat, the authorities have the right not to rewrite the license for a new owner. The distance between the boats must be at least 2 meters, and they must be at least 7 meters from the bridge. At the same time, the appearance of boats cannot be changed without the permission of local authorities.

Places for houses on the water in the center have long ended, and now in Amsterdam, one of the few places where you can moor your house is the district of Ijburg, which began to cost in 1996. Many opposed the construction, arguing that it would disturb the natural balance of Lake Ijmeer. Local authorities had to hold a referendum in 1997, 60 percent of those who voted were against it. But due to the low turnout (only 41 percent), the result was not recognized, and construction continued. Ijburg consists of 3 islands, the area will be fully completed in 2012. 18,000 houses will accommodate residents and employ over 10,000 people. The plan includes houses, schools, shops, sports centers, restaurants, a beach and a cemetery.

After a little area was reclaimed from the water for roads and houses, a lake formed in the new area. On one side of the artificial lake is a floating quarter designed by the architectural firm Marlies Rohmer. There are different houses here, both large ones with a pool and houses for several families.

The floating house consists of a concrete pallet about one and a half meters high, a wooden frame is placed on it, which is lined with bench panels. Concrete boxes are moored to the piers.

These houses have one feature, they can change and move at the request of the owners. For example, you can moor a pantone with a greenhouse or lawn to your house, or expand an existing house by purchasing a module with additional rooms. Houses are assembled as a constructor.

Houses along the coast stand on stilts, and then float on the water. Due to the fact that more than a third of Holland is below sea level, it is very expensive to build houses on land. Floating houses are assembled at shipyards and delivered by water to the place.

Designed by architect Marlies Rohmer (www.rohmer.nl). The houses were designed in 2001, and the block was delivered from the shipyard in 2009. The cost of construction is 1000 euros per square meter. meter.

This is how fully finished houses with decoration float into place.

Usually a houseboat has 3 floors. The house has all the necessary communications.

A new generation of houseboats are currently being tested in the Netherlands. These structures are made of lightweight but durable wood and aluminum. The houses are located on a special floating platform, so that they can be easily moved from place to place using a boat. The invention is intended to solve the problem of lack of land for housing construction in the country. Dutch architects intend to create a whole city on the water in 50 years. If now about 200 houseboats are being built in the Netherlands per year, then according to experts, by 2025 this number will increase 100 times - up to 20,000 houseboats. At this rate, the Dutch, apparently, will again have to flood the land reclaimed from the water with such difficulty.

At the state level, a structure was created to support the construction of experimental housing. In the future, when houseboats gain a foothold in the real estate market, it is planned to build entire floating areas and small towns.

Along the other shore is the only place in Amsterdam where you can put up a house according to your project.

In order to preserve the historical appearance of cities, it is customary to brutally sober the imaginations of architects with bureaucratic requirements, sometimes absurd. The owners of the keys to the new floating villas in the Seeburg district of Amsterdam are no longer happy that they got involved in the construction of the experimental IJburg microdistrict. More than 100 floating houses are planned to be installed in IJburg, but many of these houses cannot reach Amsterdam because they do not comply with strict regulations regarding the depth or height of floating structures.

A floating villa must not be submerged more than one and a half meters into the water. Its height from the water level should not exceed seven and a half meters. To fit their homes to these requirements, villa owners spend tens of thousands of euros, but the ideal result is not achieved.

"Raymond Hasselerharm, owner of another villa: I hired specialists from perhaps the most qualified architectural office in Holland - Waterstudio. They invited their contract builders, attracted serious engineers. As a result, even such an experienced team failed to build a house on the water which would fully meet all the requirements of the city."

"When I look at my new home, then, no matter what, first of all, I admire it and the picturesque view around it. This is a unique house, a house on the water - this is unusual in any case. But if I had known in advance how experimental it would be this project (after all, initially I thought that for Holland it was almost a routine, and that builders, engineers, architects and city authorities had agreed about what, about what, and about water facilities had long been agreed), so, if I knew, that all these agreements are still at the stage of development, I would not go for such a construction. It turned out that I myself chose a martyr's lot for myself. "

Anywhere to walk the dog? No problem! Buy your house a lawn with a tree!

Little space? Anywhere to smoke marijuana? For you, a special module with outdoor furniture and a barbecue;)

More about good architecture and interesting projects.

A house on the water is usually built near the shore. If it is planned to build such an unusual house within the city, then the future homeowner will certainly need to conclude a contract for the lease of the site. After obtaining numerous necessary permits, you can safely deploy the construction of a landing stage. Now we will try to figure out how to build a house on the water, since this is far from an easy task.

The project is a very important moment of construction. It is necessary to correctly perform all preliminary calculations regarding the size and carrying capacity of the structure, since the house must be a safe home for living people and in no case be a hindrance to ships and other floating facilities. In addition to the architect, a specialist from the Department of Shipping should be involved in the development of the project, since it is this Department that strictly controls the construction of the landing stage.

Foundation

The foundation in this case will be a conditional concept. A houseboat is usually installed on a pontoon. A pontoon is a kind of floating platform made of steel, plastic, wood or reinforced concrete. Modular plastic pontoons are often used as a pier or for light construction of small sizes, for example, gazebos.

Network engineering

Before the start of construction, after the development of the project, the necessary urban communication engineering networks, such as sewerage, water pipelines, electricity and others, should be carried out.

If the house under construction is located far from the city power grid, then autonomous energy supply (diesel generator, wind energy, solar energy) may well help out. Installed windmills and solar collectors can eliminate problems with electricity, and the latter will also help solve issues with hot water.

You can provide the landing stage with water from a drilled well located near the house on the shore, then you will have to apply to the Environmental Protection Agency for a special permit. This problem is also perfectly solved with the help of an on-board system for collecting, cleaning and supplying water directly from the reservoir.

With sewerage, things are a little more complicated. In addition to connecting the house to the sewer located on the shore, you can additionally install a cistern for the accumulation and storage of wastewater or connect to the coastal storm sewer system. As an option, it is possible to connect the landing stage to the wastewater treatment and disinfection system, followed by irrigation of the nearby area or discharge into a reservoir. Well-treated wastewater is used for watering plants, and getting into the reservoir, biologically purified and oxygenated water will perfectly contribute to the natural process of post-treatment of the reservoir.

The biological treatment system has one significant drawback - it is an expensive option, but it is environmentally friendly and most economical.

As technical water, you can use water from:

onshore well;
urban system;
reservoir (subject to availability of filters).

To create all the engineering systems of a house on the water, a serious professional approach will be required.

Construction

A fully equipped and safe house on the water can only be built by professional construction companies with a special license.

The house itself, on a ready-made foundation, can be built of wood or a light metal structure (preferably galvanized).

A variety of building materials are used to finish the facade:

fake diamond;
wood;
siding (vinyl, wood, steel).

All building materials must be certified.

If it is planned to build a wooden house, then the wood must be treated with a flame retardant and an antiseptic.

So that the house does not heel from gusts of wind, even at the design stage it is very important to perform calculations to increase the stability of the structure.

After the construction of the landing stage is completed, there will still be a lot of trouble for its design, because the owner of the house actually becomes the shipowner. The lucky owner of the landing stage is waiting for the following additional stages: