November 2004
The neigbour put one in a few years ago and we always thought of doing it.
If the kitchen was going to get done up (which it was), we thought it best to bite the bullet and get it done now.
I looked in the yellow pages (let your fingers do the walking) and there were several pages of companies. Ornate ones, square ones, round ones. More choices again!!
I thought a nice square one would look nice and maybe we could get a light in it too.
The name that I did recognise was Sola Tube. They are very well known, so we called them out for a free quote
The guy arrived and started his salesman pitch. It was all very rehearsed and followed a set procedure.
He was making these claims about how his is the brightest on the market, won every award going including an Academy Award, three Oscars and a string of Logies (it seemed).
Apparently square was out, due to the light spread, refraction, moon phase or something.
I started asking questions and it turns out he was really good.
He actually did know his onions (as the saying goes) and could back up his claims. At the end he just said check it out, get your figures and think about it.
I didnt have the time or the inclination to get more quotes and decided on the 400mm one (largest). He gave a quote of a fraction under $700.00.
After i picked myself up off the floor and had calmed down. A few days later we rang them and said go ahead.
I took the light down in the middle of the ceiling and marked where I wanted the tube to go (so it was central). After a couple of hiccoughs (rain stopped play), the guy finally arrived to install it. He installed the inside bit first, then banged and bumped up in the roof.
You could see where he had lifted a roof tile or three on the roof, as the dome inside lit up.
Then one minute we were walking around in this half light and the next....
'Shezam........' Wheres the danged sunglasses???
He had fitted the connecting tube from the dome to the roof bit and the whole room was lit up.
Talk about impressive. For the next week I kept going to turn the light off (which wasnt there!).
If you are thinking about putting one in, my advise is don't wait.
Expensive?? I thought so, but well worth the money in the end. Especially, on the electricity saved.
See below for some before and after shots
Same picture, but this time I uncovered the Sky light. Big difference huh??
(Honestly.... The things I do for you people!!!
running around on roofs, with blankets and plastic bags... I amaze myself sometimes!).
(And yes, we use two microwaves.)
