Velux roof security on low pitched roofer

battenburg88

Just looking for a bit of sanity check - first major building work being done at my house and everything is making me stressed!

There is a single-storey lean-to utility room at the back o a Victorian house. The roof is being re-done and I've asked for a Velux window to let a bit more light in. I don't really intend to have it open that often, its for the light more than anything.

I'm suddenly wondering if I'm introducing a security risk. Someone nimble could probably hop up onto the roof, either from within my garden or from next door. They would need to climb a bit of fence or stand on something but roofers have nipped up to take a look at stuff without any issue.

I just put this to a friend and they asked why it was any different to any other ground floor window i.e. if it was closed, someone still has to want to break into it. Which seems very rational and logical. But I'm on edge about everything at the moment and this is just another thing that makes me wonder if I should scrap getting the window. 

Any further rational thoughts would be appreciated!

MyRealNameToo

battenburg88 said:

Just looking for a bit of sanity check - first major building work being done at my house and everything is making me stressed!

There is a single-storey lean-to utility room at the back o a Victorian house. The roof is being re-done and I've asked for a Velux window to let a bit more light in. I don't really intend to have it open that often, its for the light more than anything.

I'm suddenly wondering if I'm introducing a security risk. Someone nimble could probably hop up onto the roof, either from within my garden or from next door. They would need to climb a bit of fence or stand on something but roofers have nipped up to take a look at stuff without any issue.

I just put this to a friend and they asked why it was any different to any other ground floor window i.e. if it was closed, someone still has to want to break into it. Which seems very rational and logical. But I'm on edge about everything at the moment and this is just another thing that makes me wonder if I should scrap getting the window. 

Any further rational thoughts would be appreciated!

With your friend, its no less secure than a ground floor window and arguably fractionally more given someone on a roof is going to be much more visible to neighbours etc than someone by one of your ground floor windows. 

Are you intending to have a key operated lock on it? May have insurance complications if you consider it "accessible" and it doesnt. 

battenburg88

MyRealNameToo said:

Are you intending to have a key operated lock on it? May have insurance complications if you consider it "accessible" and it doesnt. 

I expect the builder has ordered a 'standard' version, so probably not. It looks as though you can retro-fit a locking mechanism though, or I could ask the builder to install a lock at the same time.

My other downstairs windows don't have locks either, so insurance-wise I don't think anything would change as I can't tick that box anyway. 

MyRealNameToo

battenburg88 said:

MyRealNameToo said:

Are you intending to have a key operated lock on it? May have insurance complications if you consider it "accessible" and it doesnt. 

I expect the builder has ordered a 'standard' version, so probably not. It looks as though you can retro-fit a locking mechanism though, or I could ask the builder to install a lock at the same time.

My other downstairs windows don't have locks either, so insurance-wise I don't think anything would change as I can't tick that box anyway. 

Absolutely, it's questionable if an insurer would consider it assessable but its moot point if the ground floor windows dont have key operated locks anyway. 

Section62

battenburg88 said:

Just looking for a bit of sanity check - first major building work being done at my house and everything is making me stressed!

There is a single-storey lean-to utility room at the back o a Victorian house. The roof is being re-done and I've asked for a Velux window to let a bit more light in. I don't really intend to have it open that often, its for the light more than anything.

I'm suddenly wondering if I'm introducing a security risk. Someone nimble could probably hop up onto the roof, either from within my garden or from next door. They would need to climb a bit of fence or stand on something but roofers have nipped up to take a look at stuff without any issue.

I just put this to a friend and they asked why it was any different to any other ground floor window i.e. if it was closed, someone still has to want to break into it. Which seems very rational and logical. But I'm on edge about everything at the moment and this is just another thing that makes me wonder if I should scrap getting the window. 

Any further rational thoughts would be appreciated!

Probably easier to remove the tiles/slates, battens, membrane (if any) and ceiling plasterboard to enter via the roof, compared to getting in though a closed (latched) Velux window.

The main concern with roof windows on an unusually low roof is people walking around on the roof falling through the roof window/opening.  Building regs include provisions where the roof is accessible... you/your builder have made arrangements for the work to be signed off for building control purposes?

battenburg88

Section62 said:

The main concern with roof windows on an unusually low roof is people walking around on the roof falling through the roof window/opening.  Building regs include provisions where the roof is accessible... you/your builder have made arrangements for the work to be signed off for building control purposes?

Yes, a Building Control Notice is submitted which includes the roof work and the installation of a window in the description.

What kind of provisions do you mean in terms of an accessible roof? 

casper_gutman

Section62 said:
The main concern with roof windows on an unusually low roof is people walking around on the roof falling through the roof window/opening.  Building regs include provisions where the roof is accessible... you/your builder have made arrangements for the work to be signed off for building control purposes?

I didn't understand from the OP that the roof was unusually low, (e.g., such that a person could just walk onto it from ground level). Just that it was low-pitched not steeply sloping, and like any single-storey extension a sufficiently motivated ne'er-do-well might be able to access it.  

battenburg88

Yes, to clarify, I wouldn't say its unusually low. Its like a standard single storey stuck on to the back of a terrace house. But the positioning of the fences (or if you were were particularly athletic and so inclined), means you could probably get up onto there without a ladder.

HHarry

We were burgaled twice in our old house - which had a single storey extension with multiple Velux’s in.

The first time they prised upon a window that had been left ‘cracked open’ but locked.  The second they prised upon the french doors.

They’ll go for the easiest option, and that is unlikely to be the Velux’s.

JIL

I have velux windows, opened with a remote control. I would think if a burglar wanted to get in they would have to be very nimble and slim.  I would worry more about keeping them clean than a burglar using them as an entry point. Could you get none opening ones?

FFHillbilly

I had a single storey extension with 2 veluxes in at my last house. during summer I would often leave them open for weeks in hot spells, around that time I suddenly realised the security risk that it would be very easy to just jump onto a wall, jump onto the roof and lift the window round and jump into the house. so I bought the additional opening restrictors and fitted them which solved that problem.
but are you concerned about potential burglars opening your locked velux windows? because thats not going to be easy, probably 10 times harder than picking the lock on your front door