In this day and age of energy saving, skylights are a great way to bring in some natural light into your room. The natural light also gives that feeling of balance that cannot be achieved by any form of artificial lighting. Skylights must be installed in accordance with the building regulations of the area you live in. You should therefore check with the building codes or a licensed contractor before you set out to install a skylight.
Contrary to popular belief, you need not remodel the entire room and ceiling to accommodate the skylight. There are various ways of achieving your dream skylight that will allow you to spend less. The following are some great ideas for cheap skylights.
One of the most obvious ways of finding affordable skylights is from a second hand venue. This could be online like eBay, or in a shop such as a hardware store that collects and sells used items from wrecking and construction companies. You may also opt to visit the wrecking companies directly to get the skylights at an even lower price.
If you look at old fashioned homes, you will notice that the skylights are simply windows in the roofs. If you are looking for cheap skylights you can adopt this concept. If you are not licensed in construction, search for a licensed contractor to install a window as a skylight. There are two issues that you must be careful about should you choose to go with this idea. First, you should ensure that the skylight (window) meets the codes of your area. The second issue is to ensure that the skylight will keep the elements out e.g. rain and snow. You will otherwise have to deal with water damage, which will result in further costs.
The material used to make the skylight also plays a big role in how expensive it is. Glass skylights tend to be more expensive than plastic dome skylights. If you want to cut costs, you should consider purchasing a plastic dome skylight. If you are worried about the plastic skylight giving a cheap and foggy appearance, do not be. Modern technology has ensured that these plastic skylights look and have similar effects as their glass counterparts. The difference may be noted at close range, but is minimal when the skylights are put up.
Since construction costs are a major part of the cost of skylights, you should also consider the cost of putting up your skylight. Using tubular skylights will reduce the installation costs significantly. These skylight kits allow you to install a skylight in a roof without having to remodel the area. Other skylight types may require you to do some remodeling such as raising the ceiling before you can successfully install them.
If you are thinking of installing a skylight and are discouraged by the high prices, do not give up. Find cheap skylights here and information on how you can further reduce the cost of installation.
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