What rooflight to maximise light?

[NickK]

Hi,

 

Although self-build will always be a dream, we need to make the current place work for us as much as possible and spend as little as possible :-). Plan is to get rid of old leaky conservatory and put up rectangular 4.5 x 2.3 extension in its place. Huge supporting column between conservatory and kitchen will need to stay to make it affordable.

 

With that in mind, what roof type and window would be best solution to bring in as much light as possible. The garden is west facing so my gut tells me pent roof with velux style windows so we can control solar gain in summer with either internal or external blinds.

 

Floor plan and picture from when we moved in hopefully attached.

 

Thanks

[Radian]

Not sure about pent roof. Do you mean with the highest side adjacent to the garage? Is it your garage?

I think I'd go with a flat roof (warm buildup) and plain rectangular skylight. Any reason you're not using the full footprint of the old conservatory (3m)?

[NickK]

Hi. Highest point would be on the back of the house (see pic).

Garage is ours yes. Not using the whole footprint if just for simplicity and therefore cost reasons. There is less than meter between conservatory and garage which I want to keep for access to the garden. 
 

Idea is to have a smile single glazed door and then largish window that would double us as bench seat for dining table.

[Radian]

OK, sounds good. Still recommend you use a warm roof build-up which will make up for some of the losses from the glazing. Also simpler to construct and insulate. Velux or equivalent would work but do you even need opening roof windows? There doesn't seem to be much in the way of fixed glazing for sloping roofs but I don't understand why. Would have thought it would be a popular, cheaper alternative.

[ProDave]

For maximum light I suggest a normal ridge roof with big windows, not unlike my sun room perhaps?

 

[saveasteading]

2 hours ago, NickK said:

velux style windows

You get a huge amount of light through skylights. so you wont need a lot of area.

There are plenty of fixed units available. you might want 2 x small ones to spread the light.

[NickK]

39 minutes ago, ProDave said:

For maximum light I suggest a normal ridge roof with big windows, not unlike my sun room perhaps?

 

We did consider this option but being semi detached we want to get all rain water going to towards the garage and down the drain.