Raising the roof!
- 17 Oct 2018
VELUX's Stephen Parry talks us through top tech, the do's and don'ts of skylights and the secret to a "Block"-worthy result at home.
Can you tell me a little about VELUX’s association with The Block?
We’ve worked on a few series of The Block over the years. VELUX was most heavily involved in the series last year in Elsternwick, Melbourne, because the housing was much more accommodating to skylights.
Do you have a highlight from that season?
Jason and Sarah’s entrance hallway is probably the most memorable. It’s the first thing you see when you walk in the door and you’re just instantly greeted by this magnificent structure. They had all of those exposed beams which added even more character to the skylight installation, and I think it looked absolutely amazing.
What can you tell me about the skylights on this year’s series?
Our involvement was limited to the two penthouses, but as is often the way in these fast-paced shows, the roofs could only be built fast enough to keep up with the show’s progression. The skylights followed shortly behind, sometimes mere hours after the roof was up!
For everyday homeowners, what sort skylight of advice can you offer?
There really is a product to suit just about any situation. The range starts from cost-effective, fixed models to let in light. But if you want to move up to get ventilation, we do have a manual option that operates using an extension pole. Then if you want to move up to the next level, we’ve got the electric or solar-powered models. They come standard with a rain sensor and can also be programmed to open and close on a timer system using the touch screen remote control.
Are there any skylight no-nos?
Size is probably the biggest mistake that people make. Everyone tries to be quite modest. They’ll put in a skylight that seems like a suitable size, but once you have the whole room finished, they’ll realise they haven’t gone far enough. Instead of walking into the room and being greeted by a statement piece, you turn up, and it’s a little bit of spotlighting. My number one tip to people would be to use multiple skylights banked together to create what amounts to an architectural feature, because that’s where you get the real oomph and the ‘wow’ factor.
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