How To Make The Most Of A Flat Roof Kitchen Extension

Daniel Bracewell • 5 March 2021

Many homeowners will want to make their kitchens larger, given that this space is so important within a family home.

Where there is the room either to the side or behind your home, you can add to your kitchen space with a flat roof extension, however, there are several considerations that it’s worth bearing in mind when you are planning your project.

As Real Homes recently noted, even a modest extension can make a significant difference to the amount of usable space you have in your property. Where a flat roof extension is concerned, one of the keys is to consider how you will illuminate the area.

Among the suggestions from the news provider are to use roof lights or roof lanterns to bring more natural light into the space.

The publication noted that roof lanterns are a particularly handy architectural tool to help you zone your space. It described them as “an ideal addition to a small flat roof extension as it will bring in light no matter what way your property faces”.

Whether roof lanterns or roof lights are more appropriate for your extension will depend on its design. If you’re either considering a new extension, or are looking for ways to revamp an existing addition to your property, it could be beneficial to consult flat roof specialists to get their advice on how to proceed.

It’s not only in kitchens where roof lights can be a great addition, as we recently noted. In fact, if you decide to install a skylight you will let considerably more natural light into your property than you would get with a vertical window of the same size.

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Can You Install Solar Panels On A Flat Roof?

by Daniel Bracewell • 10 December 2025

If you’re exploring how to lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint, you may be looking at the likes of solar panels for your home. But what if your property has a flat roof rather than a pitched roof? Can you still install solar panels on a flat roof? The short answer is yes, you can! In fact, it is often easier to install solar panels on a flat roof than it is to fit them to a sloped roof, which might make this an even more appealing avenue to explore when you’re looking at flat roof ideas . In many cases, you also don’t need planning permission to install solar panels on your flat roof. Of course, there are exceptions if you have a listed building or live in a conservation area, but if you own your house (different rules apply for flats too), you should be free to add solar panels to your home as you choose. There are different kinds of mounting systems for flat roof solar panels and which is most appropriate for your home will depend on the direction it faces. It is worth noting that the cost of installing solar panels is often higher on flat roofs because of the mounting system, but some of this can be offset by the lower labour costs because the installation process is usually more straightforward. One of the main reasons homeowners install solar panels is to reduce their energy bills. Many report savings of hundreds of pounds each year, which means these panels often pay for themselves relatively quickly. What’s more, under the Smart Export Guarantee , you can sell any energy you don’t use back to the National Grid, which can increase the rate at which your investment in solar panels pays for itself. So, if you are exploring ways to make the most of your flat roof, consider solar panels as an option to reduce your energy bills and do good for the environment.