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.
We have a window with a fixed bottom section directly above the kitchen sink, and we really like it. We rarely get water splashes on the glass, which probably depends more on the sink itself.
I recommend choosing a window with a mini roller shutter box. Use wide slats (52mm (2 inches)) and an electric motor. Since the countertop places you slightly away from the window when operating the shutter, the electric option is more convenient. It also reduces stress on the belt attachment. If you have a switch for the electric motor, it doesn’t have to be placed directly at the window; it could be installed near the light switch (e.g., next to the kitchen door), depending on the size of your kitchen renovation.
Additional advice: have the window handle installed slightly lower, because with a bottom section, it is usually positioned higher than on a “standard” window. If you are very tall, this might not matter. This adjustment should not cost extra at the window manufacturer.
I recommend choosing a window with a mini roller shutter box. Use wide slats (52mm (2 inches)) and an electric motor. Since the countertop places you slightly away from the window when operating the shutter, the electric option is more convenient. It also reduces stress on the belt attachment. If you have a switch for the electric motor, it doesn’t have to be placed directly at the window; it could be installed near the light switch (e.g., next to the kitchen door), depending on the size of your kitchen renovation.
Additional advice: have the window handle installed slightly lower, because with a bottom section, it is usually positioned higher than on a “standard” window. If you are very tall, this might not matter. This adjustment should not cost extra at the window manufacturer.
J
Jurassic13524 May 2023 17:28Thank you very much for the suggestions. I wouldn't have thought of that myself.
We would probably install the roller shutter the same way as in the rest of the house to keep it consistent. The manual operation doesn’t bother me at all. It might be old-fashioned, but it’s less likely to break quickly, and if it does, you can repair it yourself.
We would probably install the roller shutter the same way as in the rest of the house to keep it consistent. The manual operation doesn’t bother me at all. It might be old-fashioned, but it’s less likely to break quickly, and if it does, you can repair it yourself.
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