Removing ceiling in bungalow kitchen & bathroom

memorex

Hi there,

The bungalow we are looking to buy has an extension built out from the kitchen. It has nice high sloping ceiling with velux windows installed and in general is quite a nice room. Unfortunately the way it has been designed it has left the kitchen really dark.

We were wondering if we could put some velux windows in the kitchen. I imagine this would involve getting rid of the existing flat ceiling and exposing the roof/attic and sticking in the Velux. Does anyone know is this kind of thing doable? Does it involve major rennovations?

Basicalliy I'd be going from (cross-section):

roof

---

||

---

..attic..||....V...V <- velux windows

---

||.....V...V

Kitchen, extension
(dark) (bright)

---

to:

roof

---

||

---

...V............V...V <- velux windows
....V............V...V

Kitchen, extension
(bright) (bright)

---

Thanks...

-mem

muffler

Most certainly "doable". In essence you are talking about light shafts. I would get a decent builder to have a look at it. You could for example have an RSJ sitting in between your joists, pipwork and wiring may have to be moved, purlins may have to be cut and supported etc etc. You will need to establish what is above your ceiling and then decide

Viking House

The simplest way to do it might be to leave the kitchen ceiling in place and install lightshafts. A shaft of light connecting your ceiling with the Velux.
If you took down the cieling, opened it all up it would probably look better.

karltimber

I am putting in 2 new P10 velux windows in my ext roof.

But because I have some soil pipe going thru that part of the roof - I am keeping the internal ceiling flat.

But the velux' will look like this
http://www.kingsinsulation.com.au/images/battsskyl.gif

Karl.

muffler

karltimber wrote:

I am putting in 2 new P10 velux windows in my ext roof.

But because I have some soil pipe going thru that part of the roof - I am keeping the internal ceiling flat.

But the velux' will look like this
http://www.kingsinsulation.com.au/images/battsskyl.gif

Karl.

Thats your light shaft. Great for any room that has been extended. i.e. the original window in the room as been removed and either a door or arch formed into new extension but thus leaving the original room without natural light

karltimber

I was also told by my builde that I could put mirrors in on the two smaller sides and double/triple the light it puts into the room.

memorex

Thanks for all the suggestions. This has given me something to think about - really like the idea about the mirrors.

Cheers,
-mem

squire1

Just as a cheaper alternative you might have a look at www.skytube.net These can be fitted by a good DIYer and are really very good. You can get light fittings for them so that they double up as normal lights at night.

I put a couple in a hallway that had no natural light and was unsuitable for velux tunnel. The 7Mx1.5M hallway is now flooded with natural light all day. I think the pair of the cost €800 or so out of Prismatic in Cork. Chadwicks stock them but charge more.

Viking House

Insulate around the light shaft if you have an uninsulated attic.