Would a flat roof lantern put you off?

[Replyingtoyou]

Doing an extension, have the choice of either a flat roof lantern, or a pitched roof with sky lights.

If they were both the same price, which would you choose?

Definitely the pitched roof with flat skylights.

I bought this bungalow in March 2021 and in November 2021 we had 80 mph winds and the wind got under the flat resin roof and it was blown off leaving me open to the elements. (Assessor said it had only been nailed down, not screwed to the joists).

The lantern was creaking and moving in the wind and I was really frightened but thought it was glass and too heavy to be blown out. When I had it removed it was quite thin cheap plastic - this extension was built in 2002. If it had gone I'd have had a huge hole in the ceiling :( I didn't have it replaced, and unfortunately couldn't afford skylights, so now have a dark kitchen.

We’ve done an extension recently and chose a flat roof extension with flat roof skylights in it. As have virtually all the other people I know who’ve extended recently. Flat roofs (rooves?) are much more reliable than before with new materials, nothing like the old felted or bitumen ones.

So a flat roof wouldn’t put me off but I would want to make sure the right materials had been used and the roof has a slight incline for drainage etc.

Done properly flat roofs are fine and much cheaper. Our garage extension has a 30 year old flat roof, which has only needed re doing once.

As a buyer I would prefer a pitched roof. It will last a lot longer than a flat roof.

I can see why people go for the lower cost of a flat roof but it would put some buyers off.

I'd pick a pitched roof over a flat roof with lantern, I'd worry about leaks with the flat roof and I generally prefer the look of the pitched roof.

When you say flat roof do you mean actually flat with no slope? What about drainage and accumulation of leaves, debris etc?

Pitched with sky lights! We have a flat roof with a lantern - it looks good but we've had a few problems with it.

Pitched!

Pitched, definitely, both for aesthetics and less chance of leaks.

We have an ancient flat glass roof window thing in the kitchen of our rented house and it is absolutely terrible. It’s leaking badly, full of mould and condensation and drips water on our heads and on the floor underneath.

I have a flat roof extension with domed skylights. It’s actually rather noisy in the rain.

Sometime in the future we plan to get it re-roofed to a pitched one. It’s just not very in keeping with the main house building.

Pitched with skylights every time, and make sure they are electric/remote controlled.