Hiring a rooflight fitter: questions to ask and what a quote includes

What should you ask a rooflight fitter?

1. Will you check or build the upstand, and how high? Listen for a height above the finished roof and a mention of the maker's instructions.
2. How will you finish the roof covering round it? They should name your roof type and describe the corners.
3. Will you insulate the kerb and the reveal? Bare timber kerbs are a common cause of condensation.
4. What fall will the glass sit at? It should match the product.
5. How will you fix and seal it? Sealant or tape as the maker specifies, and fixings at the maker's spacing.
6. What happens inside? Lining, insulation, plastering and who decorates.
7. Which building control route applies? And is the fee included?
8. Who does the electrics? For electric units, a qualified electrician.
9. How will you get on the roof and lift the glass? Access and lifting should be planned, not improvised.

What should a good written quote include?

A written quote is your record of what was agreed. A good one includes:

• the name of the company you are contracting with and its contact details;
• the address and a description of the job;
• the product, if supplied, with size, glazing and opening type, or a note that you are supplying it;
• the upstand work: reuse, raise, rebuild or new, with insulation;
• the roof covering detail and how far it extends;
• structural work, such as trimming, and whether an engineer is needed;
• the inside finish, and where it stops;
• access and lifting, such as scaffold or a crane, if needed;
• the building control route and any fee;
• what is excluded, such as decorating or the electrical connection;
• the price, VAT, payment terms and how changes are handled;
• the workmanship guarantee terms.

What are the red flags?

• No written quote, or a figure on the back of a card.
• No mention of the upstand or membrane detail, only "supply and fit rooflight".
• Plans to seal over the old kerb without looking at it.
• A dismissive answer on building control, such as "you don't need anything for that", for a new opening.
• Pressure to decide on the spot, or a discount that expires today.
• A large upfront payment for labour-only work, before anything has started.
• Vague guarantee terms, or a guarantee that is only spoken, never written.
• No clear company name or address behind the quote.

None of these on its own proves a fitter is careless, but two or three together are a reason to keep looking. A fitter who has looked at your roof properly should be able to tell you, in plain terms, what is wrong with the old detail and what they will do differently.

Who guarantees what?

There are usually two separate promises on a rooflight job, and it helps to know which is which before anything goes wrong.

Some product warranties depend on how the unit was fitted. One maker's warranty is void if the upstand is less than 150 mm above the finished roof, and some warranties are only fully valid if the seller fits the product. On supply-only units, one maker excludes the cost of removing and reinstalling. Read the warranty before choosing who fits it. Our own written workmanship guarantee covers the fitting, on terms set out on your quote.

How is building control handled?

The fitter should tell you which route applies. For a new opening, the job goes through building control in England and Wales, or needs a building warrant in Scotland. For a replacement in England or Wales, a competent person scheme installer can self-certify; otherwise it is notified to the council with a fee. In Northern Ireland, confirm with your council. Ask who submits the paperwork, who pays the fee and what you will receive at the end, such as a completion certificate. Read our planning and regulations guide for each nation.

What payment terms are normal?

Payment terms should be written on the quote, so you know before you agree. Common patterns are payment on completion for fit-only work, and a deposit when the order is placed for made-to-order rooflights on supply-and-fit jobs. Larger jobs may have stage payments tied to clear points, such as the kerb being built. Be cautious of paying most of the price before work starts, and ask what happens to a deposit if a unit is delayed. Your legal rights include having the work carried out with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

How should you compare quotes?

Ask each fitter the same questions, so the answers can be compared. Line the quotes up item by item, not just by the total. One quote may include the kerb, insulation, membrane, reveal and building control fee while another covers only lowering a unit onto what is there. Check the VAT basis. Ask each fitter to confirm in writing anything they said but did not write down. A low quote that leaves out the upstand detail often costs more than any other once it leaks.

A simple way to compare is a table with one row for each item in the list above, and a column for each quote. Mark whether each item is included, excluded or not mentioned. Anything not mentioned is worth a question, because it is the part most likely to become an extra on the day. Also note who would be doing the work and who you would call if something went wrong afterwards.

How do we work?

Every job gets a written quote before any work, with the scope, exclusions, building control route and payment terms. Survey visits for supply-and-fit, replacement and new-opening jobs are free. Fit-only jobs are usually priced from photos. Leak visits are charged, with the price confirmed before booking. Your contract is with S&K Property Investments and Improvement Ltd, and fitting is carried out by vetted fitting teams working under its direction. See how we fit, trade fitting, or start with the quote form.

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