Do you want to get more natural light into your home or extension? Ask a VELUX daylight expert – ANSWERS BACK

[JustineBMumsnet]

Answers are now back and this thread is now closed for questions. If you'd like to read Grant's responses you can view them here.

Building a kitchen/ dining room extension or adding another bedroom can be a great way to get more space in your home without making a big move. But it’s easy to overlook the importance of getting enough daylight into your design. VELUX would like to help by answering your questions on how to design your space with daylight.

Before and after images of VELUX windows in a single story extension can be found within this OP.

VELUX daylight expert Grant Sneddon says: “Whatever the project, it’s absolutely crucial to ask a professional for help as early as possible. Not only will they steer your project from start to finish, and work within your budget to help you get the space you want, but they’ll also come up with ideas that you might not have considered. One of those considerations, is the importance of natural daylight and ventilation in your home. Building an extension with roof windows or retrofitting windows into existing extensions will allow more daylight to penetrate deeper into the space and make it look and feel bigger and brighter.”

Whether you have a single-story extension already that you’d like to get more natural light into or you’re planning on building a single-story extension in your home, ask Grant your questions about getting more light into your design below. We’ll be selecting 10 questions and post a link to the responses as soon as possible.

All who post their questions below (regardless of whether their question is selected) will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £150 John Lewis voucher.

Thanks, and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

what sort of glazing would be helpful to avoid overheating in a small space with many windows?

do you do any velux with photovoltaic glass? we are south facing and it would be great to use them to generate power too. thanks

I'm tempted to get them in our downstairs bathroom. Is that possible or are they not suitable for bathrooms?

What about condensation? We get it terribly in the autumn/winter with ordinary double glazed windows, would it not be a problem with those in the roof?

Do they leak in heavy rain/wind - I have heard that they do?

We are thinking of fitting a velux window in the roof to bring light into our stair well. Could a competent diy-er fit a velux window or do you need to use a professional installer?

What is the easiest way to clean roof velux windows? They're so high up I can't reach them!!!!
Thanks.

How do you open them without a ladder?

The house we bought has 2 manual velux windows in the kitchen extension. How easy would it be to swap or upgrade them for the electric ones? I'm sick of using the pole several times a day but don't want to rip up the kitchen just yet

My kitchen is in the middle of my house, it’s a two story semi detached, how can I get natural light into my kitchen and how much would it cost?

Can we put a velum window into a grade 2 listed building or do we need consent or planning permission

How do you clean velux windows that are too high up to reach by hand - for example in the roof of our two story house?

We have an existing single story extension with a flat room ceiling. The room is quite cold and dark and I'd like to add a window in for increased light and heat. Would we have to remove the whole ceiling? Or could you box off half the ceiling and then have the velum windows on one side

I love light and want to flood my house with it, but how can I have roof windows that let in plenty of light but aren't too noisy when it rains?

I live in a listed building, we have an existing single story lean to extension and I would love to get natural light in as its very dark. A few houses in our neighbourhood have put heritage style rooflights in. Do you make any classic style velux suitable for listed buildings/conservation areas? I would be nervous about spoiling my cute cottage with something too modern. Thanks

Hi, I'd like to know if it's possible to get broken Velux windows and blinds repaired and if so, how. We have a wooden framed one in our extension but the bar/handle has started to come away - so we can't open/close it in case it falls off completely.
Same problem as PP, it's impossible to get a Velux fitter to install/replace a Velux - they are all builders and are only interested if it's part of a build (we are SW). No one wants a small job. Velux are missing a trick here.

if you have a flat roof and old extension would this require a whole new roof fitted.
is their a point in getting them fitted if you have four huge elm trees that blocks light at the bottom of your garden.will it make much of a difference?
how do you clean them?

How can I clean the velux windows in our loft (extended bedroom)? I can't get to the tops.

We have a large conservatory which gets ridiculously hot in the summer. Would it be feasible to replace a couple of the existing roof panels with Velux windows so we could vent the heat and create some air circulation?

How easy is it to change a single back door into double french doors for more light in a rear kitchen, or is it better/easier/cheaper to add another window?

Do they have to be professionally cleaned or can you do it yourself, if so how? Is there a standard guarantee period and is there a 'lifespan' on the windows?

Our lounge is at the back of our house and is east facing which means it gets dark very early. There is also a conservatory on the back which actually makes the room darker and not lighter. We are a bungalow. Any suggestions?

We have Velux windows in our kids' bedrooms, but I'm always worried they (or more likely one of their friends) will climb out through them. What's the best way to make them secure?

We are trying to get more light into our living room which has windows at the front but isn't open plan to the wall of the kitchen blocks the light during a lot of the day. Think we may have to knock through perhaps.