Hello,
we are currently working on renovating our kitchen. The plan is to replace the existing kitchen in about 2 years and also change the layout. We would like to have more natural light and a nice view of the front yard and garden. Our wish is therefore to add an extra window above the kitchen counter, specifically above the sink.
Has anyone had this done before or has experience with this? Could you advise us on how to proceed, what we need to check, and roughly how much it might cost? This would help us include it in our budget planning.
My idea is to go to an architect who can assist with structural issues, submitting applications to the building authority (building permit/planning permission), etc., and then have the work carried out.
How can I find out in advance whether a) it is structurally feasible and b) whether approval is required? Also, what factors would the approval depend on? The distance from the desired window to the property boundary is about 10 meters (33 feet), and the adjacent lot is undeveloped.
How complex is the process—just cut a hole, install the window, finish it nicely, and done?
For your information:
Our exterior wall consists of 30 cm (12 inches) Ytong blocks plus exterior plaster, and the window should be about 1.20 m (4 feet) wide, not floor-to-ceiling.
Directly below the proposed window are water and sewage lines, but this should not be a problem since the window is not floor-to-ceiling.
I appreciate your tips and experiences before I get too attached to the idea of this window and then find out it might not be so straightforward.
By the way, we are located in Lower Saxony.
we are currently working on renovating our kitchen. The plan is to replace the existing kitchen in about 2 years and also change the layout. We would like to have more natural light and a nice view of the front yard and garden. Our wish is therefore to add an extra window above the kitchen counter, specifically above the sink.
Has anyone had this done before or has experience with this? Could you advise us on how to proceed, what we need to check, and roughly how much it might cost? This would help us include it in our budget planning.
My idea is to go to an architect who can assist with structural issues, submitting applications to the building authority (building permit/planning permission), etc., and then have the work carried out.
How can I find out in advance whether a) it is structurally feasible and b) whether approval is required? Also, what factors would the approval depend on? The distance from the desired window to the property boundary is about 10 meters (33 feet), and the adjacent lot is undeveloped.
How complex is the process—just cut a hole, install the window, finish it nicely, and done?
For your information:
Our exterior wall consists of 30 cm (12 inches) Ytong blocks plus exterior plaster, and the window should be about 1.20 m (4 feet) wide, not floor-to-ceiling.
Directly below the proposed window are water and sewage lines, but this should not be a problem since the window is not floor-to-ceiling.
I appreciate your tips and experiences before I get too attached to the idea of this window and then find out it might not be so straightforward.
By the way, we are located in Lower Saxony.
And sometimes, it’s nicer to have the countertop extend into the window recess, with the sink placed immediately to the right or left. This way, even in a standard single-wall kitchen, you get a section of countertop that is deeper than 60cm (24 inches).
So the recommendation is definitely to plan the kitchen first and then install the window in the wall.
So the recommendation is definitely to plan the kitchen first and then install the window in the wall.
Winniefred23 May 2023 09:44Jurassic135 schrieb:
According to the scope of work, it should only be Ytong with plaster, yes.
We would need to redo the interior wall anyway since the old tile backsplash has to be removed, so I would factor that into the plan.
Unfortunately, our house has very few windows on the south side, which is really a shame. "A bit more light" would completely change the feeling of the room in this case.
Currently, the short side of the L-shaped kitchen is partly under the only window, and the dining area is under the rest of the window. But it feels really cramped. So the dining area should get more space there. That would leave the kitchen’s L-shape entirely without a window—which I would find very unfortunate. If it’s possible somehow, that would be more important to me than any other “extras” in the kitchen.
True, we have roller shutters everywhere, so that should be included there as well. I would also really like to integrate the countertop.
Actually, the window could only be placed where the water and sewage lines are, and I don’t want to have those relocated. There’s no basement below, so that would be a huge mess, and I don’t want to disturb the floor either. I was thinking of a solution with a fixed lower section.
I will definitely do that.
Yes, that’s pretty much how I imagined it too. Okay, without exterior insulation and since the interior will be replastered anyway, the additional effort is quite limited. A roller shutter is of course an extra cost and may require new wiring. But if it’s on the south side, you really can’t do without one. On our south side, we actually have no windows and we’re glad about it; otherwise, the shutter would be down the whole summer because it would get too warm for me. We ordered a new kitchen and had the interior replastered, and we knew there used to be a window on the south side in our kitchen. The lintel was even already there, but we consciously decided not to reactivate it. That’s clearly a matter of personal taste.
What kind of splashes reach up to the window level at the sink? And if they do, it’s just water, right? So if you install a window, I wouldn’t make it any narrower; the main point is to have more light, and reducing the window size would go against that, in my opinion.
W
WilderSueden23 May 2023 10:09Winniefred schrieb:
What kind of splashes actually reach the window at sink height? And if they do, it’s just water, right?It’s mostly just water if anything splashes from the sink. But with our water hardness, it causes a lot of stains. If you clean regularly anyway, it’s manageable. We’re not really cleaning fanatics, so it doesn’t look perfect with all the water spots.Winniefred schrieb:
If you’re installing a window anyway, I wouldn’t make it any narrower. The main point is to get more light, and reducing the window area defeats that purpose, in my opinion.The issue with a window that has a transom (a small upper section) is that you lose a lot of space due to the frames. So in our case, the transom might have glass about 25cm (10 inches) high. There’s still roughly 1m (39 inches) of window above that.Winniefred23 May 2023 12:51That's true, there is quite a lot of framing, yes. We also have transom windows everywhere (but not above the kitchen counter).
J
Jurassic13523 May 2023 18:19kbt09 schrieb:
And sometimes, it’s nicer to have the countertop extend into the window recess with the sink placed immediately to the right or left. This way, even in a standard single-wall kitchen, you get a section of work surface that is deeper than 60cm (24 inches).
So, my recommendation is definitely to plan the kitchen first and then install the window in the wall. I would really like that—a nice, deep countertop. I won’t be able to move the sink, and it’s the only possible spot for a window. Unless I don’t install a built-in oven at counter height, which we would really prefer to have.
So yes, I will definitely have the ideas we have now checked again at the kitchen studio and here in the forum before making final decisions. I think there are lots of great ideas you wouldn’t come up with on your own, or important details you might overlook.
Winniefred schrieb:
Okay, without external insulation and since the walls will be replastered inside anyway, the extra effort shouldn’t be too much. A roller shutter costs extra, and may require a new cable. But if it’s on the south side, you really need a shutter. We don’t have any windows on the south side at all and we’re glad about it—I would keep the shutter down all summer otherwise, it would be too warm for me. We ordered a new kitchen and had the walls replastered inside, and we knew there used to be a window on the south side in our kitchen. There was even a lintel for it, but we deliberately chose not to reopen it. I guess it really depends on taste.
What kind of splashes reach from the sink area up to the window? And if anything, it’s just water, right? If you’re going to install a window, I wouldn’t make it any narrower—it’s mainly about letting in more light, and you shouldn’t reduce the window area for that, in my opinion. We only have electric roller shutters in the living room, everywhere else has traditional pull cords. That probably isn’t very expensive or complicated. Actually, it’s more west-facing, but tilt a bit toward the south (I paid close attention today, I hadn’t quite remembered correctly), so the sun comes in from the afternoon and you can watch the sunset.
Jurassic135 schrieb:
I won’t be able to move the sink, and it’s the only possible position for a window.
Unless I don’t install the oven at eye level, but we would really prefer to do that. Did I miss the floor plan or drawing/photo you’re referring to?
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