What the job costs in Portsmouth
Small fixed
Double-glazed fixed unit up to 1000 × 1000 mm, fitted to a ready upstand
Medium fixed
1000 × 1500 to 1000 × 2000 mm, double or triple glazed
Large fixed
Bigger units, solar-control glass, two-person lift or lifting gear
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.
Areas around Portsmouth we cover
Looking at a property near Portsmouth but not quite in it? We work across PO1, PO5 and PO2 and outwards to Southsea, Gosport and Fareham. Give us the full postcode when you get in touch, because access, parking and the route for a large unit all depend on the exact street. Those details shape the quote for any job around Portsmouth.
Fit-only or supply and fit
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 flat 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
- Upstand checked or built to the maker's internal and external sizes
- Membrane, felt or GRP finished to the frame the way the maker shows
- Unit bedded on the specified sealant or tape and screw-fixed
- Pitch of the glass — We make sure the glass will sit at the pitch its maker asks for.
- Fixed or opening — We ask whether you need ventilation before you settle on a fixed unit.
Fitting your flat rooflight, step by step
Arrive and agree the plan. Sheet the floor and furniture. Set up the ladder, tower or scaffold. Check the opening, the upstand or flashing, and the unit against the paperwork. Fix and pack a flat rooflight level. Seal it into the roof. Line the reveal or fit the ceiling trim. Clean the glass, clear the waste, and talk you through it. That is the shape of most fitting days, and for this type of job it usually takes one day.
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.
Getting a price from photos
Start with your phone. Take a picture of the roof where the unit goes or already sits, then one from inside looking up. Measure what you can, even roughly. Tell us what the roof is covered with and how a fitter would reach it: ladder, garden access or scaffold. Bought it already? Send the link or spec. Add your full postcode, for example in PO1, and we can price it.
Common questions in Portsmouth
Do you need scaffolding to fit a rooflight?
Not always. Single-storey roofs can often be reached safely with ladders, a tower or edge protection. Higher roofs, steep pitches and large units usually need scaffold or a mobile platform, and heavy glass may need a crane. We assess access from your photos or at the survey, and any scaffold or lifting cost is shown as its own line on the written quote.
Will my new flat 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.
Do I need planning permission for a rooflight in Portsmouth?
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.
For a free, no-obligation quote in Portsmouth, use the form or call us with the details of your roof.
