Skylight Installation Tips for New Building Contractors
As a startup building contractor specialising in skylight installation, attracting clients should be your primary objective. That being said, the only way you can win new customers is by meeting their requirements beyond expectations. With homeowners preferring skylight windows to artificial lighting systems nowadays, it is critical to get off on the right foot and cut a niche for your company. Proper artistry entails applying the basics of skylight installation. This article highlights common skylight installation mistakes that new contractors should avoid.
Positioning -- In most cases, a client will tell you where they want their skylight windows installed. While there is some level of truth to the adage that a customer is always right, some homeowners will choose a position based purely on aesthetics. Therefore, it is critical to remind clients that location of a skylight window depends majorly on the sun's positioning and roof rafter placement. Listen to your client, but make a professional call regarding the position of a skylight. Additionally, do not start cutting the roof without a blueprint. The last thing you want to do is cut out a section of the roof only to find rafters.
Skylight and Shaft Painting -- Since there are times when the sun is too hot, it is imperative that a skylight is painted appropriately. If too much sunlight is directed into a room through a skylight, heat and glare can cause discomfort. While the thought of painting the glass might not appeal to some clients for of fear blocking natural light, informing your customers about the availability of transparent and reflective paints that work well with skylights. The colours eliminate glare as well as reflect infrared rays that can otherwise get through the skylight. For instance, you need to inform clients that the appropriate colour for a shaft is white since it helps to push sunlight further into a room through reflection.
Insulate Shafts -- As you would know, installing a skylight where there is an attic requires a shaft. In most cases, attics are not air-conditioned adequately. In such cases, the buildup of moisture during hot days increases significantly, which affects the performance of a skylight. Therefore, the first thing you should do when a shaft is required is to confirm whether a client's attic is air-conditioned. If you do not do this, then the client will blame you if their skylight shaft starts to reveal unsightly moisture patches in the attic.
