Fit-only fitting
Will you fit a rooflight I've already bought?
Yes. Fit-only is a big part of what we do. Send the product link or spec sheet, photos of the roof and inside, and the size of the opening. We check the delivery and the opening before fitting it to the maker's instructions. The product warranty stays with the maker or seller; our written guarantee covers the fitting.
What should I check when my rooflight is delivered?
Check the box and glass for damage before signing, or sign as 'unchecked'. Photograph any damage and report it to the seller straight away. Don't unwrap it on the roof. Check the size and spec on the label against your order. We check it again on the day before fitting.
What if the rooflight I bought doesn't fit the opening?
We measure the builder's opening and the kerb against the maker's figures before fitting. If they don't match, we can usually adjust or rebuild the upstand to suit, which we price before doing any work. If the unit itself is wrong, the seller is the place to go for an exchange.
Who guarantees a rooflight I supplied?
The maker or the seller guarantees the product. We guarantee our workmanship — the fixing, sealing and roof detailing — on terms set out on your written quote.
Prices and quotes
How much does it cost to have a rooflight fitted?
Fitting a customer-supplied flat rooflight onto a ready upstand is usually the cheapest job; supply & fit, replacements and new openings cost more because of the product, the structure or the roof work involved. Our guide prices page and the guide price tool show the ranges, and the written quote fixes the price.
Is the survey free?
Survey visits for supply-&-fit, replacement and new-opening jobs are free. Fit-only jobs are usually priced from photos and measurements. Leak investigations and repair visits are charged, and we tell you the price before booking.
What isn't included in the guide prices?
Scaffold, access towers, a crane or glass-lifting equipment for heavy units, an electrician's connection for electric rooflights, and any roof repairs beyond the area around the rooflight. If your job needs any of these, they are shown as separate lines on your quote.
Do I pay a deposit?
Payment terms are set out on your written quote. Fit-only jobs are usually paid on completion; supply-&-fit jobs where the rooflight is made to order normally need a deposit when the order is placed.
Rules and regulations
Do I need planning permission for a rooflight?
Often not. Rooflights on most houses can fall under permitted development if they don't stick out too far from the roof slope and aren't higher than the highest part of the roof, but the limits differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and conservation areas and listed buildings have tighter rules. We confirm what applies to your address.
Do I need building regulations approval?
A new opening usually does, because the roof structure is altered and the new glazing has to meet energy rules. Replacing a rooflight still has to go through building control in England and Wales: either a scheme-registered installer self-certifies it or a building notice is given. We are not registered with a competent person scheme, so replacements we fit go through a building notice, and the fee is on your quote. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, which we confirm for your address.
Can I fit a rooflight in a conservation area or listed building?
Often yes, but with care. Planning rules are tighter in conservation areas and any change to a listed building usually needs listed building consent. Low-profile conservation rooflights are usually the type councils prefer. We can help you with the details the council will ask for.
On the day
How long does fitting take?
A straightforward fit-only or replacement job is usually done in a day or less. A new opening in an existing roof, with structure, upstand, roofing and internal reveals, typically takes two to three days. Big lanterns, walk-on units and sliding rooflights can need longer and lifting gear.
Will it be messy inside?
Fitting from the roof side creates very little mess indoors. New openings do: the ceiling is cut, so we sheet the room, contain the dust and clean up each day. Reveals are lined and finished to the stage set out on your quote.
Can you fit in the rain?
Roof membranes and sealants need dry conditions, so we watch the forecast and move the day if we have to. If the weather turns mid-job, the opening is made weathertight before the team leaves.
Can you replace an old plastic dome without redoing the whole roof?
Usually, yes. If the existing kerb is sound and the right size, a modern glass rooflight can go straight onto it with the membrane made good around it. If the kerb is rotten or too low, we build a new upstand and patch the roof covering around it, which is still far less than a new roof.
Coverage and trade
Do you cover my area?
Fitting teams cover England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and travel to the address. Island and remote mainland postcodes, such as Shetland, Orkney, the Western Isles, the Isles of Scilly and parts of the Highlands, are covered by arrangement, with travel priced into the quote.
Do you work for builders and roofers?
Yes. We fit rooflights, lanterns and roof windows as a subcontractor for builders, roofers and extension companies, priced per unit or by the day. You prepare the opening and upstand to the maker's sizes, or we can build the upstand for you.