Dormers - cost vs benefit

[SuperJohnG]

We are now homing in on our final design. 

 

We have pushed the roof up so it is  1-3/4 storey and have a number of dormers (8-in total!) see below. 

 

The house is about 50m^2 bigger than I had hoped (which i underestimated, and now want this size) hence I am in a bid now to simplify construction where possible but retain the size ( not because i want it to be big, but because it is the right size). The dromers look not bad, and I like the idea, but i know they add significant complexity and hence cost. Would it be better if these were simplified to Velux style that cross the wall/roof threshold? (picture below) is it a cheaper option?  

 

 

 

 

[AliG]

As well as cost and complication, the big issue with dormers like that is that you need lots of downpipes for the gutters.

 

As drawn you would need a downpipe in front of the garage door or across the front of the house, I made this mistake on my last house but we managed to put it inside the garage. You would actually need multiple downpipes on the elevations.

 

The Velux windows would not fix this, unless you put gutters in front of them which is not ideal. You could move some of the Veluxes up to just be in the roof.

 

Edit:

 

I could see better with the new floorplan you uploaded.

 

I do think dormers look nicer than the Velux windows.

 

I would lose the one on the stair window as it is not necessary with the window on the half landing.

 

I would consider making the master en suite window just a Velux in the roof.

 

The problem is the two Veluxes at the front of the master bedroom. I am not sure hot to fix that without damaging the look of the house. You could try a double sized one instead of two separate ones, or making the one opposite the en suite a Velux in the roof, but these may not look right.

 

 

Edited February 18, 2020 by AliG

[Mr Punter]

Perhaps look at reducing the number of dormers and increase their size.  The one that cuts through the floor zone looks a bit odd.  Could you add windows to the gable ends?

[Thedreamer]

A dormer is often described as building a mini house on your roof.

 

I prefer a velux window, went for large top hung ones in the bedrooms.

 

- They are cheaper than dormers

- Quicker to install and are a single unit.

- In our roof in the roof design because they are on a angle  I can stand out and feel the fresh air on my face.

- When the house gets batted by the recent storms, the double glazed dormers in current house seem to get the full force of the wind on the pane, but a velux on a angle does not seem to take this hit as badly.

 

I've lived in two properties with dormer windows, double glazed and both times we have had to put tea towels when we get hit with the storms. They are out at the moment.

 

People often mention about the hail or rain on a velux window, but where we are, you hear the wind on the slates so your gonna hear noise regardless. I would also say that in our room where are children sleep they have never been woken by hail on the velux.

 

[SuperJohnG]

1 hour ago, AliG said:

As well as cost and complication, the big issue with dormers like that is that you need lots of downpipes for the gutters.

 

As drawn you would need a downpipe in front of the garage door or across the front of the house, I made this mistake on my last house but we managed to put it inside the garage. You would actually need multiple downpipes on the elevations.

 

Edit:

 

I do think dormers look nicer than the Velux windows.

 

I would lose the one on the stair window as it is not necessary with the window on the half landing.

 

I would consider making the master en suite window just a Velux in the roof.

 

The problem is the two Veluxes at the front of the master bedroom. I am not sure hot to fix that without damaging the look of the house. You could try a double sized one instead of two separate ones, or making the one opposite the en suite a Velux in the roof, but these may not look right.

 

 

 

@AliG The downpipes were breaking my heart - but at the rear so I was living with it. 

 

1 hour ago, Mr Punter said:

 The one that cuts through the floor zone looks a bit odd.  Could you add windows to the gable ends?

@Mr Punter I was actually waiting on a update to include those. See below...you and @AliG have got it right, the stairwell one needs to go. 

 

1 hour ago, Thedreamer said:

A dormer is often described as building a mini house on your roof.

 

I prefer a velux window, went for large top hung ones in the bedrooms.

 

- They are cheaper than dormers

- Quicker to install and are a single unit.

- In our roof in the roof design because they are on a angle  I can stand out and feel the fresh air on my face.

- When the house gets batted by the recent storms, the double glazed dormers in current house seem to get the full force of the wind on the pane, but a velux on a angle does not seem to take this hit as badly.

 

I've lived in two properties with dormer windows, double glazed and both times we have had to put tea towels when we get hit with the storms. They are out at the moment.

 

People often mention about the hail or rain on a velux window, but where we are, you hear the wind on the slates so your gonna hear noise regardless. I would also say that in our room where are children sleep they have never been woken by hail on the velux.

 

thanks @Thedreamer great help. 

 

 

Reassuringly since posting this some changes were already underway to simplify, which you guys had picked up on. see below:

 

 

 

 

 

As a cost saving measure (compared with dormers) I can keep them like this at the rear. or make them skylights only which furtehr simplifies the roof and wall constructions and gets rids of lots of downpipes.

 

On the front elevation I am toying with getting rid of the right hand dormer above garage and changing to skylight (albeit may mess with balance) and I am adding a large skylight above vestibule at front door to provide light from second floor landing. 

I have included a floor plan to make it easier to understand.  Thanks again to all. 

 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2020 by SuperJohnG
added north elevation

[ProDave]

I know I post this on most "dormer" threads when people ask for ideas so apologies if you have seen it before.

 

I dislike dormers for all the reasons already given. So I instead specified "gable ends"  which could be done the the size and scale required for your dormers:

 

 

[Temp]

We have three small dormers in bathrooms. In our case they help with the headroom allowing a WC under the window. 

 

Only issue is that our windows are triangular so curtains are a bit harder. 

[PeterW]

I prefer proper dormers and not ones that sit on the outer walls as they are a nightmare to build the cheeks for and not get cracks where the roof and walls touch. 
 

If you push them up the roof plane slightly then you get a clean gutter line.