Why A Kitchen Extension Doesn’t Have To Be Big

Daniel Bracewell • 17 June 2021

If you are looking for a way to add more usable space to your home, you might be surprised by how small an extension you might need to significantly improve the quality of your kitchen.

An article for Living etc recently explored some of the options for small kitchen extensions that can make a world of difference. Howard Miller, architect and owner of H. Miller Bros, told the publication that the key is adding the right features to your extension.

“You can transform an existing room by adding just 3m2 if that space has a nice tall ceiling with a skylight, places to hang lighting or plants, a big window seat or a beautiful view through a set of doors to the garden,” he elaborated.

If you are considering this kind of alteration to your property, you may want to call on flat roof specialists to ensure that you make the most of this aspect of your extension. As Mr Miller pointed out, introducing more light to the space is often one of the aims, and you can do that with the strategic positioning of skylights in a flat roof.

In addition to introducing more light using the likes of skylights, you can further increase the natural light in your home by introducing glazed doors that open onto your garden, for instance.

An article for Planning & Building Control Today recently cautioned against opting for entirely glazed roofs and windows on an extension, however, noting that these are far less energy efficient than highly insulated opaque walls and roofs.

A simple rule to follow when designing an extension is that no more than 25% of the internal floor area of the extension should be taken up by windows and doors. Therefore, installing an opaque flat roof with well-positioned skylights could not only introduce the light you need to your kitchen, but ensure that it is an energy-efficient space too.

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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.