Ok, so flat roofs seem an unpopular option for a new extension, so what about a glass roof?? Will it be cheaper than a pitched roof? Any ideas on cost??
We stayed at a house in Dorset a couple of years ago where the kitchen had had a replacement glazed pitched roof.
On the positive side it made the room wonderful to walk into, flooded with light, views of the sky and branches of a tree.
On the negative side it appeared to have a small leaking problem and the glass needed cleaning. Now, you can get glass with a special coating that is self cleaning but it adds about 20% to the price.
I think you will find it would be quite costly and maybe depends a lot on the sort of views you would achieve. A house we visited during Open House W/E in London 2 yrs ago had an automatic opening glass roof and the views were sky and chimney pots but it was great nevertheless.
We thought about having a glass roof for our kitchen ext but I am glad we didn't. Which way does the room face? Unless it is north, it will make the room very hot in summer. You can have blinds made to fit the roof (another expense) but then that counteracts the point of having a glass roof.
Glass in the rain is not silent. We have glass veluxes in our bedroom and the noise of heavy rain is thunderous.
A glass roof has to be double glazed with toughened sealed units. The life span of those would be a maximum of 12 years before they fail and that would be reflected in the manufacturers guarantee.
A slate or tile roof is constructed from materials approved and guaranteed for 30 years. Basically long term, it is definitely more cost effective.
Choose glass if thats what you really want, but it definitely isn't cheaper. Consider a combination of traditional roof and velux rooflights giving light and ventilation.
Originally posted by lee33: An extension with a glass roof is really a conservatory. Pricewise a pitched roof with tiles is about the same price. Glass should be 6mm toughened on the outer leaf and laminated on the inner.
lee
I was thinking of having an aluminum framed glass roof for my extension but reading some of the replies it doesn't seem like a good idea with the cost etc. has anyone thought of combining both a pitched slate roof with velux windows. I would also like to know why a bick built extension with a glass roof is considerd a conservatory and why does the inner leaf of a d/g unit has to be lamninated?
Originally posted by lee33: An extension with a glass roof is really a conservatory. Pricewise a pitched roof with tiles is about the same price. Glass should be 6mm toughened on the outer leaf and laminated on the inner.
Do you know of any manufacturers who can supply glass roof information/spcificationd and prices online?
lee
I was thinking of having an aluminum framed glass roof for my extension but reading some of the replies it doesn't seem like a good idea with the cost etc. has anyone thought of combining both a pitched slate roof with velux windows. I would also like to know why a bick built extension with a glass roof is considerd a conservatory and why does the inner leaf of a d/g unit has to be lamninated?
Well technically a conservatory must have at least 50% glass in the walls, but it does feel like a conservatory when the roof is glass.
You see Velux windows in pitched slate roofs everywhere, but it's not a cheap solution. I'll probably turn one of our property's kitchens into half glass - and that will cost about £700 - £800. Not a fortune.
As far as laminated glass in the roof goes, it is in case you get a slipped tile from above. It will shatter toughened glass but won't get through the laminate. It is recommended by the Glazing Federation.
The council told us we would need PP for a glass roof but not if it was poly cabonate - deliberately so that people could not see in. Funny that though cos we are all bungalows so no-one can see in anyway.
Originally posted by lee33: An extension with a glass roof is really a conservatory. Pricewise a pitched roof with tiles is about the same price. Glass should be 6mm toughened on the outer leaf and laminated on the inner.
lee
I was thinking of having an aluminum framed glass roof for my extension but reading some of the replies it doesn't seem like a good idea with the cost etc. has anyone thought of combining both a pitched slate roof with velux windows. I would also like to know why a bick built extension with a glass roof is considerd a conservatory and why does the inner leaf of a d/g unit has to be lamninated?
We have a pitched slate roof with 2 velux windows in our back living room (south facing)and it works great as in the summer it doesn't get to hot it was originaly glass, but was so hot it got unbearable.
AFAIK, the advice given by lee3 is best - toughened and laminated inner, toughened also helps with thermal problems because it's tolerance to temperature differentials across the glass is much greater than standard clear glass.
Only other advice if heat gain is a problem is to consider tinted glass as it has greater heat absorption, so lets less heat in.
Really though, you need a specialist to actually see the building and advise on your individual case (need to see angle, pitch etc) to get the cheapest and most effective option.
Richxxx, I don't know where you get the idea that double glazing units fail after 12 years. I've been building conservatories for 16 years, using glass in the roof ( toughened both panes ), and I have only had to replace 1 unit in that time. It turned out there had been a bad batch and it had originally been made using faulty sealant. However, it is vital that the units are properly glazed. With regard to a glass roof instead of solid, I think you will find that Building Control will be very keen to see your insulation calculations. You will probably be allowed a fraction of the total in glass, and you will have to use Low emmissivity glass to provide heat retention in winter. There are now special units being made for conservatories which incorporate this glass, and because they are tinted, and reflect heat off their low-e surface(s), they also let LESS heat throught he glass in summer. I would suggest that anyone contemplating this sort of project gets their Architect to get a specialist to do all this for you- and I DON'T mean the local Double Glazing company.
Originally posted by Mr.P: With regard to a glass roof instead of solid, I think you will find that Building Control will be very keen to see your insulation calculations.
Building Control refused our plans for a glass roof for our kitchen extension for thermal loss reasons. I am pleased they did, the solid roof is much nicer
lee did I ask where you might get the glass roof from. I am still undecided and have left it down to the thing that matters the most. The price! So I am getting prices and wou7ld appreciate reccomendations.I have found this manufacturer of Velux type roof windows whose prices seem competative, but cannot vouch for the quality.http://www.jeldwen.co.uk/skyview/. On the point on Velux roof windows what type is best installed?
[Hi there, If I can be of help get in touch. I am spent the last year planning our kitchen extension, part of a traditional stone house, I have looked at nearly every option available and yes at times I have thought a slate roof with velux would be easier/safer and probably teh same price. You can get all types of glass roofs, obviously and you have to it to suit your property and for the same thing I have had quotes in the region of 15k for the roof light to the one I have gone for 4,500 exactly the same spec. So you can shop around. OUr kitchen will be 50sqm and stone built with two french doors, the surround roof is constructed with a slight pitch for rainwater to run away and we are using a product called sarnafil instead of lead as that has now doubled in price. The lantern is 4500mm x 1800mm and has black matt frame outside and cream or black inside. Havent quite decided. But total cost for everything apart from the units is £35,000. Which I know is really good. But its a test of patience and time to do your homework and get stacks of quotes etc. Fairly exhausting, whether the rain, dirt, will annoy me I dont know , i will let you know when its built but as far as wow factor is concerned I think its second to none. The lantern comes with a 20 year guarantee.
Oh dear, I wish I read this before! My frameless glass roof and door is due to be installed in two weeks! It was from a well-publicised company from a lot of the articles on glass extensions on the C4 site. Their U values conform (or exceed, they say) building regs requirements. We have sent all the details to building control and they haven't told us otherwise. The company say they have never had any problems with BC. Let's hope t stays that way. We are north facing, so I think we should be ok for the heat and e needed as much light as poss. When we weighed up the prices we found that there was surprisingly very little in it in terms of price. I also managed to go and see one just after it had been installed and I must say, even before the final clean it looked stunning. I think this comes with a ten-15 year guarantee. I'm not sure what style of house you have but I have a Victorian terrace and it sort of blends in (or I'm hoping it will!). For my glass roof about 13.5ft long by 5ftwide plus a v high glass door with panel above about 12ft high all together I'm paying about 13k incl vat and fitting. I'm hoping I don't live to regret it!
I know - so do I! we were quoted around 20000 for the whole side extension with the new foundations, wall and pitch roof and velux windows etc and the structural work for the builder for the glass room came in at about 4000 so it made it a few cheaper! The glass is self cleaning, although you still have to actually clean it!
I can reach it from the bedroom window and know a good window cleaner!!! Apparently they say tou can walk on it for cleaning as well but I'm going to try it.
I dropped one set of double doors so I saved money there I suppose. I can only hope, otherwise it will be a very expensive mistake. My neighbour is doing the same thing at the same time so hopefully it will look like a nice feature. [crosses fingers]
Househunters, do I understand correctly that you now will not get an extension? Does this mean you basically replace existing roof and door?
Velvet, as you probably recall (I could swear I left a post on this thread about it) I plan to have one or two velux windows in our south facing kitchen roof. Can you say a bit more about your velux activities? Type of windows, fitting company , prices etc? Thanks.
Hi Pont, no I am getting the side extension - well I have the foundations and the wall and then they measure the glass to make the roof and glass front/door with panel above. So the whole thing is glass, apart from the walls either side. We knocked in the existing kitchen wall and built in the small space in the garden side return. It is very difficult to explain but you can see examples under the 4homes features on glass extensions or look up 'glasspace'.
I meant I was not going to try walking on it for cleaning! The glass is due to be fitted in a couple of weeks so I will let you know. Its a shame can't post photos. I'll try and work out this blog thing and see if I can do it that way.
househunters, I know what you mean, a lot of the Victorian houses in our area have had side returns done in various styles.
Pont I think your post was maybe on another thread (about conservatories?). We are still at the planning stage, have looked at the velux website and selected the size which will match best with our existing windows, but we have not ordered them. I think we will get white finish GPU top-hung windows (rather than centre pivot) because top-hung have an opening handle on the bottom, much easier to reach than the top-bar of a centre pivot (if you look at the website you will see what I mean). Our builder will fit them as part of the kitchen refit next Spring, so I wouldn't be able to give a price for his labour for that particular item.
One issue I'd anticipate with south facing veluxes is that you will definitely need blinds unless you want to fry. Blinds for veluxes are easily available but in a kitchen will get quickly get icky. We will need blinds too because the pitch of our roof faces north west, so we get the evening sun - I thought aluminium venetian blinds would be much more practical as they are in theory wipe-clean. Roller blinds would be a disaster. There is a 'blind shop' on the velux website.
I hope you like it! We wanted more light in a north facing kitchen and are having two veluxes inserted into our pitched roof. 
Apparently they say tou can walk on it for cleaning as well but I'm going to try it.