Rooflight guides
Written from the fitting side: what goes wrong, what to check and what the rules say.
Bought a rooflight online? What to check before it's fitted
What to check when a rooflight you bought online arrives: damage, sizes, upstand height, fall, fixings, warranty terms and who wires an electric unit.
How to measure for a rooflight: opening, frame and kerb sizes
How to measure for a rooflight: builder's opening, external frame and kerb sizes, why a 1000 mm unit can leave a smaller hole, and tolerances to allow.
Rooflight upstands: how high, what fall and how to insulate them
How high a rooflight upstand should be, what fall flat glass needs, how site-built upstands are insulated and how the roof membrane should be detailed.
Rooflight planning permission and building regulations in the UK
Planning and building regulations for rooflights in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: permitted development, new openings and energy limits.
How much does rooflight installation cost? What drives the price
What rooflight installation costs depend on: fit-only or supply and fit, upstands, new openings, roof covering, size, access, electrics and making good.
Replacing a plastic dome rooflight with glass: what's involved
Swapping an old plastic roof dome for a glass rooflight: checking the kerb, size adaptors, energy limits, building control and patching the roof around it.
Adding a rooflight to an existing flat roof: the process step by step
How a new rooflight is cut into an existing flat roof: survey, building control, trimming joists, insulated kerb, weatherproofing and the inside reveal.
Why is my rooflight leaking? Common causes and how they are fixed
Why rooflights leak: failed sealant, membrane faults at corners, low upstands, ponding, blocked drainage, failed glass seals, and the fix for each one.
Rooflight condensation: why it happens and how to stop it
Why rooflights run with condensation and how to cure it: humidity, cold bridges, bare reveals, old domes, ventilation and when it is a fitting fault.
Roof lantern or flat rooflight? How to choose for your extension
Roof lantern or flat rooflight: how each lets in light, how they look, what drives their cost, planning differences, cleaning and how fitting differs.
How a pitched roof window is installed, step by step
How a pitched roof window goes in: rafters and trimming, flashing kits for tiles or slates, underlay and insulation collars, lining, regs and planning.
Rooflights in conservation areas and listed buildings
What councils expect of rooflights in conservation areas and on listed buildings: flush profiles, glazing bars, consent and how rules differ by nation.
Electric opening rooflights: actuators, sensors, wiring and upkeep
How electric opening rooflights work: actuators, rain sensors and controls, who wires them, maintenance, safety when open, and planning the cable route.
Hiring a rooflight fitter: questions to ask and what a quote includes
How to choose a rooflight fitter: questions to ask, what a good written quote covers, red flags, who guarantees what, building control and payment terms.
Smoke vent rooflights and AOVs: a guide for communal buildings
Smoke vent rooflights and AOVs explained: what they do, certification, free area at the top of a common stair, backup power, servicing and who fits what.