Creating a new window in existing wall

ss2020jd

Looking for advice about how difficult/disruptive or worth it this may or may not be. 

We are finally in our new (old) home and relieved and happy, but the main part of the kitchen is windowless as the previous owners moved things around to close up an area that previously let in light to move the cooker there. The whole wall is tiled and I do like it so it wouldn’t be an option to open it up again. 
I’m thinking of either adding a velux to the low roof in the utility room adjoining the kitchen. Or adding a window on the opposite wall which I think will probably add the most light. 

Any experience or advice or pointers would be much appreciated. 

I’ve attached a floor plan in case it’s helpful. 

Belenus

That potential window is probably doable but will be a long way from where you want the light.

You could consider installing additional powerful lighting in the kitchen to emulate daylight. That would be expensive to run but probably a lot cheaper overall than fitting a new window.

Could you open up the wall between the kitchen and the utility, and maybe the pantry as well?

I know you say you don't want to change the tiled wall but look again at the options of changing the layout. It is hard to make suggestions without physically seeing the house but this is something I would consider.

Could you remove the wall between the kitchen and the living room (the wall below Cooker in your plan) and make that the kitchen diner and close up the wall between the kitchen and the dining room and make that the living room?

You would need to decide where to reposition the cooker

I do realise that I am suggesting something that you specifically ruled out but sometimes a fresh look at ideas makes us change our minds. You say you like the tiles but presumably there is nothing to stop you (bar cost maybe) changing the layout and using similar or identical tiles in the new set up.

ss2020jd

Thank you for the reply @Belenus . I hadn’t thought about it that way that it would be cheaper to run daylight simulating lightbulbs - that is very true. 

I will look again at the division where the cooker is. I think there may be an outline of an original archway behind the tiles. 

I don’t think practically where the (huge and heavy) range is it can be moved as it’s the feature of the kitchen and the chimney is there etc. Perhaps there’s a way of adding some kind of glass or glass tiles above it that will let some light in that way. Definitely something to think about. You are right about a fresh look at ideas. Thank you for yours - some definite food for thought there! 

martindow

Is your proposed window on the side of the house overlooking a neighbour?  If so it would probably need to be frosted rather than plain glass.

ss2020jd

martindow said:

Is your proposed window on the side of the house overlooking a neighbour?  If so it would probably need to be frosted rather than plain glass.

Thank you for pointing that out. It is on the ground floor overlooking the side garden and the fence between us and the neighbours. I wouldn’t say it overlooks but it points in there direction so that will probably be the case.