Once you have placed your order with us, we start the process of issuing an approval drawing. The purpose of this drawing is to ensure that everyone involved with your project has a visual record of the rooflight and knows exactly what is being delivered. This should mean that you can avoid any unwanted surprises.
Our drawings contain a lot of information about the rooflights including dimensions, weight, glass specification and various other important design features which will help you better understand the product.
It is important that customers read and understand the information that is contained within the approval drawing to avoid any confusion or unpreparedness for things such as the size and weight of a rooflight when it arrives on site. That is why we have compiled this useful guide to highlight the key points of an approval drawing.
General
Each page of your Stella Rooflight approval drawing will have a border frame containing details which are unique to your project. This includes the frame material, sealant and tape details and the paint finish. There are also details concerning the manufacturing tolerances and the drawing reference numbers. This section also shows the weight of your rooflight.
We will update and alter your drawing until you are happy that we can proceed with the manufacturing process. It is important that all the information on your drawing is checked and that everyone is aware of how the rooflight will be unloaded, positioned on the roof, and fitted before it arrives on site.
Appearance
The first page of your Stella rooflight approval drawing will show both the internal and external appearance. This includes any glazing bars, the internal liner and any opening mechanism if you have chosen an opening design. This page will usually include the external frame measurements and the clear viewable dimensions.
The second page will show a cross section through the width and height of the rooflight. It also contains the internal rafter (fixing) dimensions, which are the measurements you need for your rafter spacing.
The third page contains a variety of information concerning the internal appearance, such as the wood type for your liner and any colour reference, if you are having it painted. Here you will also find details concerning the required roof pitch and your glazing specification. We will recommend the glass specification based on your rooflight size, however, as we do not undertake the installation or have full project details, we always advise that you check the specification is suitable and meets current regulations prior to approval.
Size
Your Stella rooflight approval drawing will show a number of different dimensions, all of which are important.
Clear viewable – This is the finished viewable size taken from the internal face of the wooden liner. This will be your finished size after the installation of your rooflight is completed. Some companies are reluctant to promote this size as those with big and bulky frames tend to offer quite small clear viewable dimensions in comparison to their advertised rooflight size.
Rafter – This is the fixing size taken from the internal faces of your rafters. This is usually the most critical dimension for our rooflights as this determines the fixing position of the frame in your roof.
Overall – This is the overall external measurement of your rooflight from one outer edge to the other. Much of the external framework of a Stella rooflight will be covered by your tiles or slates and is therefore unseen. It is not uncommon for rooflight companies to provide this overall size for their rooflights, which is why it is important for you to check what that means for the clear viewable size.
Weight
Your Stella rooflight drawing will show you the total weight of your rooflight. The figure shown is the overall weight of your rooflight excluding the pallet or lead flashing kit. We always supply our rooflights fully glazed and assembled.
As the transportation is a kerb side delivery, you will need to ensure that you have made arrangements for either a mechanical lift or have enough people on site to unload the delivery vehicle. It is essential that your site team are aware of the size and weight of your rooflight and ready to receive the delivery vehicle on the agreed date. Should the delivery vehicle arrive and there is not suitable equipment or people to unload, then the driver may leave the site and return the rooflight to us. This will result in additional charges for re-delivery.
Lifting Eyes
For larger rooflights our design team will include lifting eyes on the rooflight to allow the frame to be fitted by a crane. These eyelets will be clearly shown on the drawing and are located at the side and or the head section of the rooflight. If you are not using a crane or do not require the lifting eyes, please let us know and we will update your drawing prior to approval.
Where the lifting eyes are required, it is essential that a spreader bar is used. If you show your rooflight approval drawing to the crane company they will be able to better understand what is required before your rooflight arrives on site.
The lifting eyes are removable and should be taken out of the frame as soon as the lift is finished. We also supply stainless bolts to replace the eyelets and seal the threaded section. It is also advisable to apply a small bead of silicone to the bolts.
Delivery & Storage
As most of our rooflights are too large for a tail lift facility it is essential that you have suitable facilities to unload the delivery vehicle. We use a variety of vehicles for deliveries and it is important that you tell us about any access or issues which may have an impact on your delivery. We will always arrange a delivery date with you to ensure that you have ample time to make arrangements. It is important to organise your site to be ready for delivery and avoid any additional charges.
If you are not intending to install your rooflight immediately make sure you have suitable dry storage for your rooflight.
