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CLIENT COMMENTS
“Very happy – would not change anything. I
am thrilled with the job.”
“A 10 – Couldn’t have been better.”
“I just sit here in my new kitchen with a grin on
my face. It’s so beautiful. It’s everything I could have wanted.
And we absolutely love Steve. He was great to work with.”
CLICK HERE
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Skylights. . ."Let There Be Light"
Imagine the dramatic impact of light coming through the ceiling, bringing a warm ambiance to every corner of the room. There is nothing that can duplicate the effect of a skylight. Light which comes in through windows has an entirely different feel to it. Not that it's bad. It's just that there is something about sunlight entering a room from overhead that has a wonderful quality to it. Several years ago, we had a client who complained about a dark bathroom on their second floor. This bath was in the center of the house with bedrooms arranged around it. Therefore, there was no possibility of a window. A skylight was the only hope for natural light. The situation was exacerbated by some structural considerations; only a 2' X 2' unit would fit. And, since the roof was high in this area, it would be located 10' to 12' up a shaft to the roof. Would this really be worth all the trouble? The answer turned out to be an enthusiastic "yes." The light came through the skylight and reflected off the walls of the shaft so that the light coming into the bath was beautifully diffused and bright. No longer did the lights have to be turned on in the daytime. Skylights can be used to turn almost any room into a sunroom. That's how significant the impact is. One of the most obvious uses of skylights is to lighten up a dark corner. Every house has these and they only serve to close the walls in around us. If there is a roof or attic over an area like this, then shedding a little light will push the walls back and make the room more user-friendly. Probably the most dramatic use of all for skylights is in a finished attic. Installed instead of windows, unproductive space becomes the coziest in the house. Plus, because a skylight is located above the roof, it lifts the height of the ceiling making the attic feel more spacious. There are basically two kinds of skylights; plastic domed and flat glass. These come in either wood or aluminum framed. Each fills a necessary niche. The Plastic domed units are normally more energy efficient; the insulating value of plastic is superior to glass. In addition, they are usually available in a tinted color which screens out most of the harsh ultraviolet rays. This means that you probably won't need shades or other light control. On the downside, these units can expand and contract with temperature changes (the better units are constructed to accommodate this expansion without damage to the skylight) resulting a popping or creaking noise; particularly in the larger sizes (4' X 4' or larger). The glass units come with either aluminum or wood framing and will normally outlast their plastic counterparts. These usually require some method of light control and the better units have these available as an economical option. Both types are available as vented units and this can be extremely useful. Since heat rises toward the ceiling, having a skylight which opens creates a chimney effect. As the heat escapes through the opening, more fresh air is drawn into the room from windows or other areas of the house. Many people are concerned about the issue of leaking and have avoided the benefits of skylights for fear of this problem. In reality, the chance of a skylight leaking is quite small. That is providing the installation is done properly. In order to be sure there will not be leaks, skylights should be mounted on a curb which raises the skylight 4" to 6" above the roof surface. If the skylight is properly flashed into the roofing material, the unit should be totally leak proof. One major manufacturer, who sells an accessory flashing kit with their units, guarantees it not leak for 25 years. A good installation by qualified personnel will yield similar results. While the cost of skylights is not particularly excessive, they are not cheap either. Depending on the difficulty of the installation, the cost could be as little as $400 for non-venting units (installed as part of a larger project) or as much as $3000 for venting units in a complex placement. But, they are a bargain for what they accomplish. It's like getting a new room addition for a fraction of the price. |
Haven't you noticed how things are changing? It used to be that dark was in.
Now the trend is to light and openness; people can't seem to get enough of it.
Our clients are asking us to open up their houses in ways never before
imagined. And, the use of skylights is high on the list. These are among the
hottest items in home improvement.