What the job costs in Portsmouth
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.
Areas around Portsmouth we cover
Covering Portsmouth means covering the people who live and work there, not a single postcode. We take on domestic and commercial jobs in PO1, PO5 and PO2, and are happy to quote further out in Southsea and Gosport. 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.
Buying your own, or letting us supply
Supply and fit tends to suit people who would rather not pick a unit from a catalogue. We look at the roof, the opening and how you use the room, then put a rooflight on the quote that fits all three. Fit-only suits people who already know what they want, or have one on site. We are happy with either. The difference is who stands behind what: on fit-only, the maker or retailer covers the product, and our workmanship guarantee covers the installation.
What the job includes
- Unit bedded on the sealant or tape the maker specifies, then screw-fixed
- Check of the delivered unit, glass, fixings pack and instructions before work starts
- Internal reveal trimmed or lined, with the protective film removed at the end
- Delivery damage and missing parts — We ask you to open the delivery and check it as soon as it arrives, not on fitting day.
- Upstand height above the roof — We measure how far the upstand stands above the finished roof surface, including any ballast or walkway.
What happens on the day
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 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.
Regulations for Portsmouth properties
In England, a new rooflight opening generally needs building regulations approval because the roof structure is altered and the glazing must meet energy rules: 2.2 W/m²K for a rooflight in an existing home, or 1.4 W/m²K (or WER Band B) for a roof window. Planning is often not needed on a house: permitted development covers rooflights that stand no more than 0.15 m proud of the roof slope and sit below the highest part of the roof. Flats, listed buildings and areas with an Article 4 direction are different, so we check your address first.
Before you get in touch
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 PO1.
Common questions in Portsmouth
Can you remove and dispose of the old rooflight?
Yes. Taking out the old unit is part of any replacement job, and it leaves with the rest of the waste unless you ask to keep it. Old domes, glass and frames go through proper waste routes. If removal turns up a rotten kerb or damaged decking, we show you what we have found and agree the repair with you before going any further.
How long does fitting take?
Fitting a rooflight into an existing, correctly sized opening is often a day's work. New openings take longer, because joists or rafters need trimming, an upstand or flashing has to be built or fitted, and the inside needs finishing. Large units that need lifting gear, and days lost to rain, can stretch things further. Your written quote gives a realistic estimate for your roof.
Do you cover Portsmouth?
Yes. Fitters travel to addresses in Portsmouth and the surrounding districts, including PO1. 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.
Questions before you commit? Send them over with your Portsmouth postcode and we will answer them plainly, with a quote alongside.
