Questions to ask your installer

In this age of endless swathes of information available online, it is easy to get lost down more than one rabbit hole when trying to get answers to even the simplest questions. What about when it comes to getting more light into your home? You've just read an article espousing the benefits of natural light and the widespread epidemic of Vitamin D Deficiency. What next? You can't put any more windows in your home... Glass houses are great for tomatoes but not so good for humans.

Tubular skylights, roof windows and even covered (transparent roof) outdoor areas seem to be the logical next step but where do you start? If you are part way through planning (or even building) a new home, then a talk with your builder is certainly the first place to begin. Getting the conversation started here will quickly eliminate a lot of questions that you don't really need to be asking and will save a lot of time (and money) in the process. Start with the sinple questions: where and how big. From there you can start asking yourself why and then of course - how much?

If the building is already in progress or completed then the biggest question will be around the structural layout and integrity of the structure. In terms of cost, as soon as an engineer gets involved then costs can escalate quickly so be sure to talk to your builder about where structural elements are and size your window accordingly.

It is always good to have an idea of how much light you want to let in based on the area below and also the differences in sun angle between summer and winter. You don't want an oven in summer when trying to get a warm cozy mid winter spot in your living room corner. Talking to an installer like us or a window specialist will help determine size and positioning. Talking to a glazing expert can also help with these questions as specifying different types of glass can help block light and heat, there are also some very good blind options available now as well.

This article in no way attempts to present every question that could be asked when it comes to roof windows but is hopefully a helpful start. At the end of the day, the more relevant questions you can ask of the experts you have access to, the better the solutions they will be able to offer you. and, don't forget, if you don't ask, you don't get...