reflex rooflights and grp[fibreglass] roofs?

[teta]

Has anyone had any experience of these companies/roofs?.The price of the rooflights is attractive and the company that installs the rooflights also does grp system roofing.I want to price up the cost compared to lead which is very expensive at the moment.Can anyone comment on this?

Bump.Surely someone must have some feedback!.

Hi - if 'Reflex rooflights' is the same as the Reflex glass company...then we've got nothing but praise. We use reflex glass a lot on our jobs - even got the glass in our own place. Really don't know about grp roofs though. We fit all the stuff ourselves...so wouldn't know about other companies.

Thank-you JJ.Reflex were really helpful when i spoke to them yesterday and recommended rooflight sizes.Have you had any experience of the triple-glazed units? and would you recommend the climate control opening and closing?.Also what size rooflight would you recommend for approx 5 by 3 m. room?.Sorry for all the questions!.[Its going to be a solid walled room with french doors so more of a sun room rather than a conservatory, and is going to be used as a dining area all year round, so i am very concerned about insulation and heat loss]

Hi - I'll pass this onto DP later...he's the one who goes out and does the work If it's more a sun room rather than a conservatory then you'll experience much less of a heat loss/insulation issue.

Two quick questions before I ask him because I know he'll ask me!

1. how are you planning to heat it?

2. which direction is it facing - and if South - how long will the sun come directly into the room (any overhanging trees etc?)

Let me know and I'll get back to you

This is really kind of you JJ.I think we are going to use water underflooring heating as long as the cost of installing isn't too bad.The french doors are south facing and the long brick wall is west facing.We have very tall overhanging pine trees on one side and our house is built into a mini cliff of slate so there is very little light from windows and hence the right rooflight is very important.We are thinking of going with a lantern shape [ie.square sides initially and tapering up to a point]to catch as much light as possible.Plus our house is built in 1904 and this would be more in keeping with the style of our house.We get sun in the afternoon from about lunchtime onwards.My architect is recommending a 1800 by 2450 rooflight which is not a standard size[but is the same width as the french doors].The closest standard size is 3 by 1.5 at reflex.This is a long post so thank-you for reading it!

Hi - DP is back!

He's not used triple glazing and thinks that climate control opening and closing is probably not worth the money.

The lantern shape sounds good especially as in keeping with the style. TO be honest as for size the one your architect has drawn is probably the best by way of design although if it's a huge cost difference then the standard size would clearly work fine. As for opening vents - on a lantern that size you can probably get away with just the one if the opening is reasonably big. HTH!

BTW - it sounds lovely...a mini cliff of slate with pine trees...do you live in a picture book?

I wish!.We live up a hill and have a very thin layer of soil with rock underneath.So next doors garden is several feet higher than ours hence the rock face.But we do have a picture-book view of hills and a valley but no back garden ![because of the rock].
Many thanks for the feedback i will go and price up the special size rooflight now.Do you install electronic roofvents or do you use the pole.I never even thought about the no.of vents needed!.Which company do you order your french windows from?.I keep on coming up with wickes when i do an internet search.The only other company i can think of is howdens.

We live on a hill too...and I know exactly what you mean about the neighbour's garden being several feet higher! The size of our retaining wall for a simple fence is bonkers!

We tend to make bespoke...so we work with architects plans or do own designs and work with struc engineers etc. We go through a company in Yorkshire that makes all our stuff to order but that's simply because off-the-peg often doesn't fit the sizes we want. I'll ask DP about electronic or pole openings.

As for Howdens Vs Wickes...well, when it comes to kitchens DP prefers Wicks for quality although I know a lot of people rave about Howdens. DOn't know how that transpates into anything else they make though. I'll ask him if he knows of where to order French Windows from that he likes.

Me again. These guys (Dempsey Dyer) are good. They don't supply direct but they more than likely have an installer in your area and would give you the number. If you get a good builder to do your build then it's worth chatting to them about who they use and go through them...that's what we do with our clients.

As for opening the vents...go for the pole!

I will....go for the pole!,Thanks for the tip.The french doors look really good on that website.The only other ones i have seen that i like are the marston and lang. website.I would have loved reclaimed edwardian doors but they won't be double-glazed and will probably be leaded so the light coming in would not be brilliant.I have priced up the architect specified rooflight which appears to be no more expensive than the standard size which is good ,so all i need to cost is the roof and doors.I think i will have done all the work by the time the builder starts![i must be a closet control freak].I've decided i hate howdens [boring] .Why do builders always try to push me towards a howdens kitchen?.I quite like wickes[at least honest pricing] and i like sauvignon blanc at the weekend!.After a week spent with my 4 dc's [and dh working abroard] i need it!.