Give me your thoughts on window design

[flanagaj]

So our planning application was approved on the design below. 

 

I personally am not sure about the following aspects, and have come up with a redesign below.  The main aim was contemporary 

a) How the windows will satisfy EEW given they are bedroom windows, and how you will be able to open them if you want to during the summer.  Just not sure they are practical.
b) I am also unsure whether I like the vertical aluminium sill section that is under each window.

I am contemplating one of the two options below and I would appreciate feedback.  It's a bit of a spot the difference, eg subtle.  Main change is a fixed lower pane on the upstairs windows to enable top hung casements.

 

 

[Temp]

Remember the opening part must be a minimum height above the floor to meet Building Regs (fall from height). Think it's 800mm but check.

[dpmiller]

getting that glazing bar at the right height can reduce costs too as it can allow a downgrade in the glass above it. Our archtect designed this into our large front windows.

[flanagaj]

6 hours ago, Temp said:

Remember the opening part must be a minimum height above the floor to meet Building Regs (fall from height). Think it's 800mm but check.

Hence the redesign.  I posed the question below to the architect regarding the full panel windows and I got the response in red.  I have no idea what that means.

The currently designed windows will be a problem for BC,  As the bedroom windows will need to be EEW compliant, they'll will currently require opening stays to satisfy the EEW.  I'm not a fan of this and instead would prefer windows that have a fixed lower pane and an opening upper part.  Just want a window a window that meets BC regs.  You have a protected means of escape so not an issue..

[torre]

38 minutes ago, flanagaj said:

You have a protected means of escape so not an issue..

Probably that your bedrooms open directly to the landing and staircase, leading directly to an exit downstairs, and that area is protected by fire doors etc.

 

That's how you'd escape, not through the windows

[flanagaj]

6 minutes ago, torre said:

Probably that your bedrooms open directly to the landing and staircase, leading directly to an exit downstairs, and that area is protected by fire doors etc.

 

That's how you'd escape, not through the windows

Thanks for clarifying.

[Russell griffiths]

7 hours ago, Temp said:

Remember the opening part must be a minimum height above the floor to meet Building Regs (fall from height). Think it's 800mm but check.

Not if it has a restrictor fitted. AFAIA. 

[Mr Punter]

I do prefer to have them as escape windows as it is easy to leave a door open and compromise the stairwell.  Nice to have another option.

[DownSouth]

Design is similar to ours. We don’t notice the cill but ours isn’t as deep. Could you just get them reprofiled? 
 

Having little strips of the cladding looks more fussy to my eye - sharing pic of ours, you can see this where the balcony is. 
 

Also agree with @Mr Punter it’s worth considering having them as escape windows (if costs not impacted too much). 

[flanagaj]

58 minutes ago, DownSouth said:

Design is similar to ours. We don’t notice the cill but ours isn’t as deep. Could you just get them reprofiled? 
 

Having little strips of the cladding looks more fussy to my eye - sharing pic of ours, you can see this where the balcony is. 
 

Also agree with @Mr Punter it’s worth considering having them as escape windows (if costs not impacted too much). 

Your windows are exactly what I am proposing.  We are potentially installing MVHR (depends on cost), but I still like a window that can be opened wide if you want to.  A large single pane glass window will most likely be a top hung which for safety reasons only opens a 100mm or so. 

[JohnMo]

22 minutes ago, flanagaj said:

We are potentially installing MVHR (depends on cost)

Shouldn't that be dependent on airtightness?

[JohnMo]

I like this design, but would replicate the cross bar in the window above the front door and the downstairs windows, but not the door side panels.

[ETC]

14 hours ago, flanagaj said:

Thanks for clarifying.

Rubbish.

[ETC]

14 hours ago, flanagaj said:

Hence the redesign.  I posed the question below to the architect regarding the full panel windows and I got the response in red.  I have no idea what that means.

The currently designed windows will be a problem for BC,  As the bedroom windows will need to be EEW compliant, they'll will currently require opening stays to satisfy the EEW.  I'm not a fan of this and instead would prefer windows that have a fixed lower pane and an opening upper part.  Just want a window a window that meets BC regs.  You have a protected means of escape so not an issue..

Rubbish.

[ETC]

14 hours ago, torre said:

Probably that your bedrooms open directly to the landing and staircase, leading directly to an exit downstairs, and that area is protected by fire doors etc.

 

That's how you'd escape, not through the windows

And more rubbish.

[ETC]

Too much brown.

[ETC]

I think you don’t like the way the cladding interacts with the brick - and I agree. It needs rationalising. Also you’re using too many different materials-it’s becoming too fussy for want of a better word. Plus the garage looks tacked on the end-it’s needs to be more integrated into the overall design. Watch this space!

[flanagaj]

7 minutes ago, ETC said:

I think you don’t like the way the cladding interacts with the brick - and I agree. It needs rationalising. Also you’re using too many different materials-it’s becoming too fussy for want of a better word. Plus the garage looks tacked on the end-it’s needs to be more integrated into the overall design. Watch this space!

This is my redesign and I like the simplicity of it.

 

 

[William Leveret Hare]

Or these 

[torre]

57 minutes ago, ETC said:

And more rubbish.

@ETC a protected stairway is described in approved doc B 2.5.a and may apply to a two storey design such as this as described in section 2.2.b, being an alternative to the escape windows described by 2.2.a

[ETC]

Why on earth would you go to the expense of providing a protected staircase where the simplicity of an EEW exists.

[ETC]

7 hours ago, flanagaj said:

This is my redesign and I like the simplicity of it.

 

 

Then why have you employed an “architect” to design your house and then asked a bunch of strangers to help you re-design the windows. It’s like having a dog and barking yourself.

[flanagaj]

2 hours ago, ETC said:

Then why have you employed an “architect” to design your house and then asked a bunch of strangers to help you re-design the windows. It’s like having a dog and barking yourself.

It's always good to ask, as you never know whether someone may come up with a creative tweak that turns a property from looking ok, to looking amazing.

[torre]

3 hours ago, ETC said:

why have you employed an “architect” to design your house and then asked a bunch of strangers to help you re-design the windows

That's the essence of BuildHub for me - it's because you'll get input from a wide range of professionals and self builders with hands on experience applying similar designs to their own builds who can share that experience to help you avoid pitfalls either around the design, the construction or the likely costs of achieving something similar.

 

Our architect's been great but isn't the single arbiter of design and while the client isn't always right, they will be paying for the end result and living in it.

 

For example, @DownSouth sharing their own real world example of why a thin strip of cladding below the windows may not work well, or your own observation that, of course, EEW are simpler than the protected staircase this architect appeared to be relying on..

 

[LDNRennovation]

You can have a protected escape route instead of escape windows, contact your local building regulations officer to check. Op could post their layout so we know and also what the rooms are so they can have the right sized windows.
 

I think the first design was nicer. I like using the same scale of windows only in different configurations. The only one that looks off is the one over the 4 doors. Where they stuck the planter seems like a cheat to hide a big blank wall. 
 

the garage parapet needs to be higher for the structure. That will help the weak intersection between the garage and house.

 

might be an idea to get your solar gains checked out from the glazing.