To velux or not to velux? (photo included)

[Spaghettiismessy]

I’d really appreciate some velux advice.

I’m having my polycarbonate conservatory roof replaced with a solid roof. It’s a lean-to conservatory which joins the kitchen. The conservatory sides are solid brick. I’ll only have the double doors and two windows at the end for daylight - pic included.

Sales rep from roofing company thinks there will be only 10% less light with proper roof and I shouldn’t have velux windows as they add costs, need cleaning, prone to leaking and also may let in too much heat/light in the summer - which is a big prob with the conservatory at the moment and something I really want to avoid.

So should I go for velux or not?

I’ll try to add some more pics…

Does the kitchen have any other natural light?
What direction does the conservatory face?

How light/dark is your kitchen atm?

I've got a dwarf wall, full glass conservatory off my kitchen, and the kitchen definitely feels dark - it isn't but feels it in comparison to the light in the conservatory.

I’m afraid he is lying when he tells you 10% less light. If you think about it, how can that be true? Previously you had filtered sky, now you are going to have a roof. ( I would be inclined to look closely at anything else he’s told you, it doesn’t sound that reliable.)

when I had a fully glazed conservatory put into an existing room, I thought it cut down the light in the room by about 15%. When we moved here, the previous owners had done what you are doing, but there are 3/4 height windows on three sides. I considered having a roof light installed when we had to redo the roof, the only reason I didn’t was because I would have had to re wire the ceiling lights which was the tipping point.

Proper Velux windows don’t leak , and they are well insulated. I’ve had them in lots of houses and I’ve never had a leak. You can now get them with an external shutter which can be closed in extremes of weather.

I would definitely install them in your situation. I’d also see about a different supplier , this one sounds a bit dodgy.

Which way does your conservatory face, OP? I have a kitchen/diner with a southwest facing wall of glass with doors so in hot weather it can get very warm. The veluxes are pretty much essential to let the heat out (hot air rises). It is also better for security as I can have them open and the doors closed if I am elsewhere in the house.

Never had a leak in over 10 years and have 5 veluxes in the house.

Yes, they need cleaning but you can do that from inside. You can also specify self cleaning glass and blinds.

I would definitely have veluxes if you can afford them.

Sales rep also thinks that brickwork above the kitchen entrance will block the light path from the velux to the kitchen and it’ll end up pooling on the floor outside the kitchen.

Eventually door, windows and lower wall between kitchen and conservatory will be knocked out so more light will travel through anyway but upper wall area which would block light from velux needs to stay.

photo 1 = lights on
photo 2&3 = 8am, lights off
photo 4 = around 5pm sometime last week

Hi to anyone who recognises my kitchen 👋😆

One end of my L shaped kitchen is similar to what you are proposing. It is quite dark. I have plans to extend right across and plan on putting velux windows in the roof for this reason.

Conservatory is east facing so there’s too much light everywhere in the morning but it’s quite dark in the kitchen at the end of the day as the sun is at the other side of the house.

There is also light coming through from the front door but that will be changed eventually so don’t want to rely on that.

I would definitely put in a roof light, and have done in kitchen extowith loads of windows and big bifolds.
The roof light was covered for a while when loft work was being done - it made a noticeable difference to the amount of light in the 'inside' area of the kitchen.

It's not velux, doesn't open - in the summer we have lots of windows and doors to open.

Have added some photos ⬆️

Sales rep also thinks that brickwork above the kitchen entrance will block the light path from the velux to the kitchen and it’ll end up pooling on the floor outside the kitchen.

It’s light, not water! I am beginning to suspect that your sales rep is thinking about his profit margin, not what’s best for you. There’s more work installing veluxes and he can fit in fewer jobs overall. Perhaps they aren’t very good at roofing and don’t have the skills to do it well? This is ringing alarm bells, I would be getting a second opinion from a different company.

Your kitchen is waaay too dark already from your photos, it’ll be like a coal mine without the veluxes.

Looking at that photo, I would definitely have a velux. I'd also be tempted to punch a window into one of the walls (or both, if the conservatory doesn't join into a neighbouring property to the side). I can't bear dark spaces though.

I would also go for all the options that whatever specifies above to make cleaning easier and control any extra heat.

Faces the same way as mine then, I don't feel my kitchen is "too" dark as the conservatory lets light in regardless of the sun being on it - but doesn't get as hot as it would facing south. But the kitchen is definitely darker.

What about covering the current roof with a big tarp, and seeing how you feel about it?

Definitely put the velux in.

You could take out the door and side windows ( and the bit of wall below them ) between the kitchen and conservatory and replace with full height clear glass. This would let a lot more light in and look quite smart.

We had our conservatory roof replaced with Metrotiles (light weight roof tiles). These are recommended as conservatory footings aren't always substantial enough to take the weight of a tiled roof. Our conservatory is off the lounge and we were concerned about how dark it would make it, so had two velux installed. I'm glad we did as it's nice to still let in some light and we open them right up in the summer. They've never leaked!

I think you need to be insisting on as much light as possible. When we had ours built, it took a few quotes to find a co that wanted to make it look as good as possible. Some companies wanted to build what was quick and convenient for them .

Definitely add the velux. We have had ours for 9 years, never leaked. It is on our kitchen extension and the back half of the kitchen does tend to be dark due to the extension.

Cleaning wise, long handled soft brush from either the garden on some ladders or from the room above the kitchen.

He’s right about the wall above the door blocking some of the light into the kitchen from the velux , I had the dilemma when knocking through with 2 velux in a small extension, I ended up knocking out the brickwork above some sliding doors and a window to let more light in.

It was a huge amount of extra work steels/ lintels. But was definitely worth it in the end

If you do buy a Velux go for the whole package of remote control blinds and tilt and turn with rain sensor. Try to get the wall switches, not the hand held remote control. It will make a huge difference.

Chasingsquirrels great idea about the tarp , I have a huge one in the shed somewhere idea 💡

twicebittenthriceshy yours look fab.

Are they v noisy when it rains? My current polycarbonate roof is ridiculous.

I think you need a second opinion.

I thought so too 🤣, let us know what you think!

I've no idea about the noise of velux, but my conservatory has a full glass roof and I don't notice the rain on it in the way people say they do with polycarbonate.

You definitely need roof windows …. And I’d definitely get a second opinion.

No, not bad when it rains. I have four in my kitchen and whilst you can hear the rain, it’s not deafening. I worked in a building with a big glass atrium and you couldn’t hear yourself think when it rained so I do know what you mean about the conservatory at the moment.