The Veranda and Balcony are two very different spaces of a building that are sometimes easily interchanged. But not everyone knows that these two terms are distinct, even if some people use one term to mean the other.
As a rule of thumb, the verandah is an open-air gallery with a roof attached to the outside of the building. It is usually on the Ground Floor. Meanwhile, the Balcony is an outdoor extension of the building enclosed by a wall, railings, and balustrade. The balcony usually has no roof and is at the upper floor of the building.
A veranda is a large porch that is an open-roofed walkway/standing area which is attached to the front or side of a house or building. It is used for entertaining guests or can be a gallery. It can run along one side of the house, or two. But it can also wrap all sides, depending on the design of the residence. It has railings and a roof. Most Bungalows have a verandah and some Filipino Indigenous houses such as the house of a Bagobo Tagabawa, “Bale”.
A balcony, on the other hand, is a platform that projects from the upper floor building. It is a walkway or a standing area that is elevated and is attached to the front or the sides of a building. It can also be attached to an interior wall in some cases. It is enclosed by column supports, brackets and balustrades. These spaces are not usually for entertainment purposes as they are small.
However, the balcony was used for speeches and important announcements because they are elevated.
Long story short, the verandah is the roofed porch outside the ground floor, while the balcony is more elevated.
References:
“Balcony”. https://www.britannica.com/technology/balcony
Olham, Charlene. “Do you know the difference between a veranda and a lanai?”.
https://www.stlmag.com/design/outdoors/outdoor-living-defined/
“Difference Between Verandah and Balcony”. https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-verandah-and-balcony/
https://www.canva.com/design/DAEBxUuVi1E/3iViGxtbJizf2v7G-8mbBg/edit