help with rooflight layout

7 years ago

Our south facing rear extension 4.2m deep x 7.5m (internal size) wide was going to have 3 flat fixed rooflights in. Builder allowed a budget of £900 for these.

I’m a bit worried about the room getting too hot with all the glass doors at the front (no side windows anywhere) and as the kitchen will be dark wood painted with LVT flooring, the light causing fading.

So I wondered where the best placement for these would be? I can either have 3 smaller ones or 2 or one larger one.

I think we would get more light from the East in the morning on the dining room side then all the room would be in sun during the day and then kitchen end would get the sun late avo as the sun moved to the West. That’s from the front windows.

So are we best having one larger central rooflight in to light up the back lounge area? Or one over the back kitchen units or over the island seating area? Split equally? Pfff, no idea.
Still deciding on the door layout so this is just another thing I have to work out LOL.

Room layout below - ignore the doors as not sure how they will be yet.

Featured Answer

Ribena Drinker

7 years ago

Are they roof lights or are they opening like Velux?

Our new kitchen/diner faces south-south/west.

It has a thinner part which is the "dining room" bit which is 4.25m x 2.75 in which we have a 2.2m wide Panoramic door leading to the patio at the rear of the house.

The other end of the room is 5.75m x 4.3m. We have had a smallish fixed window - 80cm wide x 1m high, put in to work around the kitchen units.

However, we do have to largish Velux windows in the kitchen part of the room and I can absolutely say, having the option to being able to open them is invaluable.

Despite having the Panoramic doors, the stable door which opens onto the garden and the back door of the adjoining boot room open this summer, we were pleased to open the Velux for a through breeze.

Even before we moved the kitchen from one end of the room to the other, we always opened the Velux window, because the flat roof could really warm up in the sun all day.

So I would say, if you're in the slightest bit concerned about the possibility of the room getting too hot, I'd try to go for a couple of opening roof windows if the budget can stand it.

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Comments (10)

Emily
7 years ago
Maybe you should remind us about your window sizes, widths and height. If you went tall then the 4.2 m kitchen and dining bit wouldn’t need any extra light in my opinion. And I’m not sure about the deeper living area but in my last house the kitchen living dining was 7.1m wide with almost 6m of south facing glazing and about 6.8m deep. The kitchen was along the back wall and I did have the kitchen area lights on in the daytime a lot. But that was a kitchen area, not sure if you need extra light for living area as much?? Not suggesting anything just giving you my experience of a modern south facing deep room.
Tani H-S
Original Author
7 years ago
Hi Emily,

No that’s great to hear from someone who has the same room layout as most I’ve come across are north facing so put as much glass in as they can!

We will likely now go for a full run of 2.4m bifolds across the back - so 6m in total.

Yes we don’t need the lounge to be bright as otherwise it will be a pain when the tv is on.

Just wasn’t sure if having a larger one in the middle towards the back so it’s not too dark at the back - or over the breakfast bar (so we get morning sun would be a good idea or not. It’s such a big area that I feel in winter it would benefit from extra rooflights?
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Tani H-S
Original Author
7 years ago
Hi Ribena, I thought Velux were only for sloping roofs though? Yes ours will be flat and had planned only fixed glass panels (triple glazed) but no openers.

If we want opening then just one would likely start at £1400 which is over our budget just for 3 x fixed ones, so it depends if we need any in the kitchen/dining area. If not then we could put one larger opening one towards the centre rear part so the airflow is in the middle of the room - maybe.. LOL.

I will check the pricing out on the manual opening ones (giant pole required) as with only bi-folds at the front and no other windows, we won't have any other ventilation.

Window design aspect to all of this is incredibly boring, isn't it!
PRO
OnePlan
7 years ago
It’s not boring. -it’s what designers like me loooooove to organise !!! (cuppa break over - and back to work !)
Tani H-S
Original Author
7 years ago
To be honest @OnePlan - I enjoy working out other people's room issues - just not my own, ha ha.
Ribena Drinker
7 years ago
Tani - you can get upstands for the Velux windows that give you the angle, we had to have them as our roof wasn't a great enough incline, but I appreciate it does impact the visual of the roofline.

https://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/product/velux-ecx-ck04-0000t-flat-roof-kerb-external-frame-size-55cm-x-98cm.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvrietJWk3QIVTLDtCh01cgjzEAQYASABEgJbc_D_BwE

And we use a giant pole (it's quite fun albeit unsophisticated). It just lives either up the corner or in the boot room.
Tani H-S
Original Author
7 years ago
Ha ha, thank you @Ribena. Could be fun after a few glasses of vino to see who can hook it the fastest
Emily
7 years ago
If you’re old enough many school rooms needed a long wooden pole to open the windows :)
A single opening one may well prove invaluable to release heat in summer Tani
PRO
Glazing Vision
7 years ago
One large rooflight would work perfectly to let light in, i've attached an example of how much light it can let in. However, if you're looking for ventilation, why not look at our visionvents - completely frameless not to obscure letting in light but also can open and allow in air, perfect for a flat roof, as it only requires a pitch of 3°.

https://www.rooflights.com/product/rooflights/flushglaze-fixed-rooflight/

https://www.rooflights.com/product/rooflights/visionvent-chain-actuated-vent-rooflight/

Hope this helps.

help with rooflight layout

Ribena Drinker

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Emily

Tani H-S
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help with rooflight layout

Ribena Drinker

Comments (10)

Emily

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OnePlan

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Ribena Drinker

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Emily

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Tani H-S
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