Window sill height 25 or 50 - height of fall protection

Hello everyone,

we are currently unsure about the parapet height we want to design our windows with on the upper floor.

[*]We had initially planned floor-to-ceiling windows.
[*]For structural reasons, this was then not possible and we need at least a shell parapet height of 25.
[*]For aesthetic reasons, we then considered a parapet height of 50 (nicer living feeling inside, child can sit down).
[*]However, it was now said that the windowsill is interpreted as a "step," and therefore the French balcony must be 90cm from the top edge of the windowsill.

That is the story/base in short. Now we are reconsidering and wavering between parapet height 25 and parapet height 50.

From our point of view, the parapet height 25 speaks for a more harmonious height for fall protection and more light in the room.
For the parapet height 50, we think the room inside might feel a bit cozier and the windowsill can also be used more as a windowsill, for example to place toys there or for children to sit down sometimes. Furthermore, with parapet height 50, the distance to the ground floor windows is somewhat larger, so a potential later pergola/awning might not seem so cramped.

However, we are very uncertain how a 90cm fall protection on a parapet height 50 window would appear; we have never seen anything like that in a show house or similar. Then the fall protection would end about 128cm above the finished floor, which feels quite high. With parapet height 25, it would only be 103cm, which feels quite comfortable (similar to parapet height on stairs, etc.).

The central question:
Does anyone here perhaps have parapet height 50 windows with fall protection and can report how that feels in terms of room atmosphere? Or maybe even a photo?
Would you rather recommend parapet height 25 or 50 here? Are we overlooking something?

A few brief additional infos:
- It concerns a total of 4 windows (2 windows in children’s rooms) and 2 windows in the bedroom.
- One window in the bedroom (towards the extension) cannot be lowered to parapet height 25 but must remain at parapet height 50 (because of the roof parapet).
- Windows are planned inside in white plastic, outside DB 703 aluminum.
- Windowsill Nero Assoluto 3cm thick, not flush with plaster planned
- Fall protection made of glass in the window reveal directly at the window (Warema VisioNeo)

Link to the planning thread (for info and completeness only):

The pictures of the facade are just to better imagine the exterior view, but the fall protection is drawn with incorrect (too low) measurements.

Many thanks in advance and best regards
Sam

Floor plan:


View parapet height 25


View parapet height 50

What does your parapet height refer to? Top edge of the floor slab or top edge of the finished floor?

Sorry, I forgot that, of course it's important. The specification refers to the shell construction. Floor structure is 15cm. That means Brüstungshöhe 25 => 10cm above finished floor Brüstungshöhe 50 => 35cm above finished floor

We are very unsure how a 90cm fall protection would work with a window sill height of 50cm, we have never seen something like that in a show house or similar. Then the fall protection would end about 128cm above the finished floor, which feels quite high. With a sill height of 25cm it would only be 103cm, which feels quite comfortable (similar to sill height at stairs, etc.).

How do you come to that conclusion? In my opinion, the fall protection must reach 90 cm in height above the finished floor. Your exterior drawings also show that the fall protection always ends at one line and is correspondingly lower on the outside with a higher sill height.

In any case, I would rather choose the 50 cm sill height, maybe even add a row of bricks because then the finished sill height is closer to actual sitting height. And 15 cm finished sill height looks neither one thing nor the other.

However, it was now said that the windowsill is interpreted as a "step," and therefore the French balcony must measure 90 cm from the top edge of the windowsill.

To my knowledge, this information is unfortunately correct. Furthermore, I fear you will not get approval for the "parapets" as drawn: with the crossbars, they are practically "ladders" :-(

How do you come to that? In my opinion, the fall protection must reach a height of 90 cm above the finished floor level. Your exterior drawings also show that the fall protection always ends at one line and is correspondingly lower on the outside with a higher parapet height.

That was a note from the window manufacturer with whom we are also planning the fall protection. We then spoke with our general contractor, who said that alternatively it might be possible with a lockable window handle or tilt/turn protection and referred to the TÜV inspector for approval, with whom this should be coordinated in advance. However, the TÜV inspector said that alternative safety measures such as the lockable window handle or tilt/turn protection are not sufficient and a reduction is not possible. As drawn, it would therefore not be accepted by TÜV.

Furthermore, I fear you will not get the "parapets" approved as drawn: with the horizontal bars, they are practically "ladders" :-(

That’s correct. We have not planned it as drawn either, but rather a fall protection made of glass.