What the job costs in Braintree
Small conservation unit
Low-profile unit with glazing bar, slate or tile flashing
Medium unit
Larger opening, lead or matching flashings
Large or bespoke
Larger or made-to-order units for listed or sensitive roofs
Guide ranges for supply & fit. Your price is fixed in a written quote after we have seen photos or surveyed. Scaffold, access towers or a crane are priced separately if the job needs them, and building control fees, where a job needs them, are shown as their own line.
Where our fitters travel
Jobs across CM7, CM77 and CM8 are part of our normal cover for Braintree. We are not an office on the high street. Our fitting teams come out to the property from wherever they are working that week. Neighbouring places such as Witham and Chelmsford are covered on the same terms, so a house on the edge of town is no harder to book than one in the centre.
Buying your own, or letting us supply
If you have bought a conservation rooflight yourself, we check four things before fitting. First, the delivery: open it, look for chips, cracks and bent frames, and report any damage to the seller straight away. Second, the size, measured against the builder's opening rather than the external frame. Third, the flashing kit and the roof pitch range. Fourth, the maker's instructions, which set the fixings and sealing. Product warranty claims go to the seller and maker; our guarantee is for how it was fitted.
What the job includes
- Slates or tiles made good around the frame with tidy cuts
- Inside lining fitted to suit the room's ceiling or exposed rafters
- Slates or tiles lifted carefully and kept for reuse where possible
- Energy and old roofs — We make sure the rooflight meets current energy rules while suiting an older roof build-up.
- Conservation area rules by nation — We check the permitted development position for your nation before the rooflight is ordered.
Fitting your conservation rooflight, step by step
Fitting days start with a look at the sky. If rain is due, the order of work changes so the roof is never left open to it. A typical day for a conservation rooflight runs like this: set up access, protect the room, open up the roof or prepare the existing kerb or frame, check sizes, fix, seal, then finish inside. On jobs that take more than a day, the opening is weather-sealed overnight. The last hour goes on tidying, waste removal and a walk-round with you.
Planning and building rules in England
Two sets of rules matter in England. Planning: a rooflight on a house is normally permitted development if it projects no more than 0.15 m and stays below the highest part of the roof, but flats, listed buildings and Article 4 areas need checking. Building regulations: new openings need approval for the structure and energy performance, and a replacement is a controlled fitting. We are not registered with a competent person scheme, so we notify replacements to building control with a building notice and put the council's fee on the quote.
Help us quote accurately
For fit-only work, the product details matter most: the link, the spec sheet, or a photo of the label on the box. Alongside that, send pictures of the roof and the ceiling below, approximate opening sizes, the type of roof covering, and how someone would get onto the roof. For supply and fit, the same photos and sizes do the job. Finish with your postcode, such as CM7.
Common questions in Braintree
What if my roof opening is the wrong size for the conservation rooflight?
We find out before the fitting day, not on it. If the opening is slightly out, it can usually be adjusted by trimming or by packing out the upstand. If it is a long way off, the choice is between altering the opening and changing the unit. Bear in mind that rooflights are often sold by builder's opening size rather than external size, so check which one your measurement refers to.
Can you fit a rooflight in winter or when it is raining?
Yes, within limits. Cold is less of a problem than wet, because membranes, primers and sealants need a dry surface to bond. We plan fitting days around the forecast and may move a date if heavy rain is due. If the roof has to be opened up, it is not left overnight without a temporary weather seal, so the room below stays dry while the work is finished.
Does a rooflight need building regulations approval?
A new opening usually needs building regulations approval. A replacement is a controlled fitting: it must be self-certified by an installer registered with a competent person scheme or notified to building control. We are not registered with a scheme, so replacements we fit are notified to building control with a building notice, and the council's fee is shown on your quote.
Got a unit waiting to go in, or need one sourced? Either way, start with your Braintree address and a couple of photos.

