Roof window durability care maintenance

I am interested in what you think about the durability, care, and maintenance of attic windows? Specifically Velux.

The care instructions for Velux include, among other things, removing leaves once a year. Regularly removing snow.

How often do you check your attic windows? How long should the windows last? Should one be afraid that the windows will eventually become leaky and damage the insulation of the attic?

The background of my question is that my builder told me that the town villa with 2 full floors costs no more than 5000€ more than a 1 1/2-story house with a gable roof. The attic windows alone cost about 2500€ each MSRP. Or does anyone have an idea how to get Velux windows cheaply?

Paid 1023€ gross for delivery and installation of a Velux GGU MK08 with insulation and flashing frame.

The background of my question is that my developer told me that the city villa with 2 full floors does not cost 5000€ more than a 1 1/2 story house with a gable roof.

I almost have admiration for your resistance against the building style "city villa" and have probably already given you the hint in your main thread that the gable roof, expanded with living spaces, forces a rafter roof, while the truss roof would be considerably cheaper to build. The skylights alone don't make much difference.

I almost admire your resistance to the "town villa" design and I have probably already given you the hint in your main thread that the gable roof converted into living space forces a rafter roof, whereas the truss roof would be considerably cheaper to put on. The roof windows alone won't make much difference.

I know that. From my point of view, however, the floor plan we are using fits better a 1 1/2-story house. Such a town villa also lives from its appearance. We can't make the front of the house look as nice because the windows are arranged offset.

From my point of view, however, the floor plan we use fits better for the 1 1/2 story house.

Nothing changes for the ground floor. In the attic, which has become an upper floor thanks to the "knee wall reaching up to the ceiling," you can allocate a little more space for storage purposes – which you lose to about the same extent due to the shallower pitched roof. Seen this way, it’s a zero-sum game, no win but no loss. You can't complain about that.

Such a city villa also lives from the appearance. We can’t get the front of the house looking as nice because the windows are arranged offset.

Quite the opposite. Precisely because of that, you get a city villa, whereas others only have a substitute villa. If you want a villa, that is an advantage – if you want a Willah, the run-of-the-mill pseudo-Gucci is better.

Nothing changes for the ground floor. In the attic, which has become the upper floor thanks to the "floor-to-ceiling knee wall," you can allocate a little more space for storage purposes – which you lose to about the same extent due to the flatter pointed roof. Seen this way, it’s a zero-sum game, no win but no loss. You can’t complain about that. Quite the opposite. Precisely because of this, you get a city villa where others only have a townhouse villa. If you want a villa, this is an advantage – if you want a willah, the standard run-of-the-mill pseudo-Gucci is better

Since this is about roof windows, we should better discuss this in the main thread. Therefore, I will reply there.