Roof light or not?

3 years ago

Hi, We are adding a 3 x 4m extension to our house.

The current french doors on the right will be removed to create an open plan kitchen/diner and the current french doors leading into the lounge will be replaced with internal doors.

We intend to put new french doors leading onto the garden and a 1200 x 1500m window on the left hand side. Our dilemma is do we need a roof light towards the rear of the extension ?

Sally

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Comments (4)

Richard L
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Thought - Any natural light coming through the doors on the right, and those to the living room will be reduced when you put the roof in - you'll need to compensate somehow or the back of the kitchen could be very gloomy.

Living room may be less of an issue if its more a snug and has other windows?

Possibly hang some tarps or dust sheets up now and live with it for 24 hours to get a feel for the light reduction.
Sally Davies
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you Richard
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Done several of these over the years. Typically clients go with a large rectangular lantern light with openable lights for ventilation. I've also done flat rooflights (not opening). Rooflights get hot in the summer and cold in the winter. They will also fog up with condensation if no way of ventilating. So get opening rooflights. Try two Velux CVP flat roof windows with winding gear so they can open or if you have bigger budget try the equivalent from Glazing Vision or perhaps a lantern with opening lights. Glazing vision is a nicer product, never had any complaints and helpful to work with. Based on what I can interpret from the plan you could have large roof opening 6x3m (based on plan dims) (You mention 4.5x4.2m?. either way leave about 1m 0.9m from the edge to the rooflight). May need to install steel beams or double/triple trimmers bolted together (based on weight of rooflight, roof and span of opening) If you are in a specialist planning area Conservation or Dark Sky policy, then you will need to check with planners to do either! and may have to apply for a minor material amendment. Your builder/engineer will know what these are and the calcs for them. Alternatively try 2 or 3 smaller square of rectangular shaped rooflights with trimmed openings. Make sure your builder understands how to do a timber insulated builders kerb to comply with Building Regs and properly lapped and weather sealed at junctions. You will need to check with the Building control officer if you need a SAP calculation, for the extra window openings. This may require you to have some improvements elsewhere within the build. Based on your doors you probably already have had to get involved with one. Also check for fire resisting requirements and resist impact from falling for maintenance. The BCO will know and so will the rooflight manufactures. Should be a very nice light and airy space. Regarding your sliding doors go for bi-fold sliding ( bottom bearing not top hung) if you can along with one leaf being useable as a normal door (fire exit and general use), and go for the level access threshold. Lower the door frame into the wall so it is level with the floor and raise the external surface (decking or hard surface) up to the threshold with a nice channel drain between or narrow slot drain (Gatic or ACO). External surface needs to fall away from the building shallow fall if possible. Will look very pimp. Clients always like this look and more friendly/traversable with kids and elderly. Make sure the doors have a proper weather sealed threshold some do not, and your insurance wont cover this for leak from wind driven rain. What are you doing with the garden? assuming you have one. You may want floor uplighters in Indian sandstone paviours, with a hottub on or sunken timber deck or a meandering path to a sun terrace or pergola, always popular features with clients. Duncan Green.
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Daisy England
3 years ago
Yes from me. I’m basing that on my own kitchen. We have a kitchen diner all the way across the back of our house and on to that a full length garden room. The garden room has polycarbonate roofing so a clear roof but it still darkens up the natural light in the kitchen. Not too bad in the summer months but spring, autumn and winter sometimes I end up having lights on during the day when working in the kitchen. More light as opposed to less is better in my opinion.
Sally Davies
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you Daisy.

Roof light or not?

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