When retired helicopter pilot Neil Hendry started planning a house-build on his Stirlingshire land he didn't need to employ a housebuilder. Neil, who modestly describes himself as a 'keen amateur housebuilder' instead went about constructing Railway Cottage, a modern two-story structure, himself, albeit with the help of a handful of local craftsmen.
Neil's vision for the project was "to build a south-west facing structure with views of the nearby Campsie Fells. A house full of light and space that lets you make the most of the scenery outside." The project required high-quality roof windows on the upper floor and, having used Dakea in a previous project, Neil didn't hesitate to choose Dakea roof windows again. Neil comments: "The after sales service from Dakea on my previous house build was excellent so choosing them again for this project was an easy decision.’
Neil commented: "We were restricted to building a simple, rectangular building on the site of my former workshop but still wanted to do something special. So we designed the structure from solid oak trusses, using locally-grown timber. A custom-made arched feature window stretches over two floors, allowing light to flood in."
Dakea's quote for roof windows was competitive and Neil was also impressed by the U-value which was important on this project. Most importantly, Neil wanted to fill the house with light: "We wanted enough light coming into the property to highlight and show off the oak frame, said Dakea's Area Sales Manager for Scotland, was on hand to recommend the best roof windows for the job."
Refering to the architect's drawings and made recommendations for roof windows, taking into account how they would look, open and where the light would fall.
There were eight Dakea roof windows chosen for this project, and Neil could afford to go bigger with M8A and S8A models.
Four Better View KHV M8A B1010 roof windows were chosen for the upstairs bedrooms so residents could see more out of the window – important when there's beautiful countryside and mountains on the other side. These windows' high pivot construction also allows an alternative means of escape, if required. The window's quality glazing consists of a laminated internal pane and a toughened external pane to ensure safety. It also has a double, low emission coating that reflects heat and provides outstanding energy conservation performance. In addition, the internal pane is laminated, for added safety in case of glass breakage.
Three Dakea Better Safe white KAV S8A B1010 roof windows were the perfect solution for the lounge and stairwell. Thanks to the new Thermostat, double low emission coating that reflects heat back into the room and which means thermal transmittance of Uw 1.3 W/m2 K, heating is more efficient and energy bills are lower. In addition, the internal pane is laminated, for added safety in case of glass breakage. Together with the toughened outer pane that protects against impact from outside, they provide complete safety.
One Better Safe PVC KPV M8A B1000 was the perfect choice for the bathroom which is likely to be high-humidity. As they are made of a PVC material, they're very low maintenance: the window is easy to clean, and doesn't require much maintenance.
Neil also purchased two electric openers for the higher windows he couldn't access in the lounge and fitted blackout blinds in the bedrooms.
Dakea ASM Manager commented: "This was a great project to work on. It felt creative every step of the way. We like working on modern projects such as this, helping them achieve the dream home they've envisaged."
How does Neil feel about the roof windows in Railway Cottage now? "The final look of them was just what I wanted, and the 20-year guarantee was also a boon. I couldn't be happier."
