Guide prices in Hackney
Onto a ready upstand
Customer-supplied unit up to about 1.5 m², fitted to a prepared kerb, sealed and trimmed
With a new upstand
Insulated timber upstand built, membrane turned up and dressed, unit fitted and sealed
Large or heavy unit
Extra hands or lifting gear, larger openings, fixed or opening units
Guide ranges for labour only — you supply the rooflight. 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.
Coverage in and around Hackney
Covering Hackney means covering the people who live and work there, not a single postcode. We take on domestic and commercial jobs in E8, E9 and E5, and are happy to quote further out in Bethnal Green and Stamford Hill. If your address sits between towns, tell us and we will confirm whether it falls in our normal area or needs travel set out separately on the quote.
Fit-only or supply and fit
Your unit or ours, the fitting standard is the same. For supply and fit we choose a rooflight to suit the roof and price it with the installation. For fit-only we work with what you have, after confirming it arrived undamaged, that it matches the builder's opening, and that the upstand will sit at the height the maker asks for. Report any transit damage to the seller, as the product cover is theirs and the maker's. Our written guarantee applies to the fitting itself.
What we do on the day
- Roof membrane dressed up the kerb and finished under the drip edge
- Internal reveal trimmed or lined, with the protective film removed at the end
- Check of the delivered unit, glass, fixings pack and instructions before work starts
- Warranty conditions on your unit — We read the warranty terms that came with your rooflight before we fit it.
- Upstand height above the roof — We measure how far the upstand stands above the finished roof surface, including any ballast or walkway.
A typical installation day
Where a job takes half a day to a day, the split is usually structural work first and finishing second. Early on, the fitters cut or prepare the opening, trim where needed and prepare the upstand or flashing. Then a rooflight is lifted in, fixed and made weathertight so the roof is sound before anyone moves inside. Plasterboard, trim and filler for the reveal come after. Each evening the work area is swept, and at the end the glass is cleaned and the team talks you through what was done.
Planning and building rules in England
Replacing a rooflight in an English home is a controlled fitting: it has to be self-certified by a scheme-registered installer or notified to building control. We are not registered with a competent person scheme, so replacements we fit are notified with a building notice, and the new unit has to meet current energy limits. Adding a new one usually means a building regulations application, because joists or rafters are trimmed. On the planning side, most house rooflights are permitted development if they project 0.15 m or less; on a side slope the glass must be obscured and fixed unless the opening part is over 1.7 m above the floor.
Details that speed up your quote
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 E8.
Common questions in Hackney
Do you cover Hackney?
Yes. Fitters travel to addresses in Hackney and the surrounding districts, including E8. We do not run an office there; the survey and the fitting happen at your property. A few island and remote postcodes are covered by arrangement; if yours is one, we confirm travel and dates before quoting.
Do I need planning permission for a rooflight in Hackney?
Often not. Many rooflights fall under permitted development, provided they do not project beyond the national limit and meet the other conditions that apply in England. Conservation areas, listed buildings and some flats are different and may need consent. Because the rules depend on the property, we confirm what is likely to apply at your address and point you to the planning authority where an application is needed.
Will my new rooflight leak?
A correctly fitted unit should not. Leaks usually trace back to the detail around the frame: an upstand that is too low, a membrane or flashing that is not dressed properly, sealant applied to a damp surface, or water ponding against the kerb. We fit to the maker's instructions and check each of those points. The fitting carries a written workmanship guarantee, with its terms set out on your quote.
Got a unit waiting to go in, or need one sourced? Either way, start with your Hackney address and a couple of photos.

