What the job costs in Derry/Londonderry
Small fixed unit
Opening cut, joists trimmed, upstand built, roof covering made good, plasterboard reveals ready for decoration
Medium fixed unit
As the small unit, with a larger opening up to about 1 × 2 m and additional trimming
Large or opening unit
Bigger structural work or an electric opening unit
Guide ranges for supply & fit, including structure and making good; building control or warrant fees extra. 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 Derry/Londonderry
Fitters travel to the job, so the address is what counts. In Derry/Londonderry that means postcode districts BT48, BT47 and BT49, and the same teams can just as easily take on work in Coleraine, about 27 miles away, or Omagh at roughly 27 miles. Survey and fitting dates are offered according to fitter availability, and travel is built into the quote rather than added later.
Fit-only or supply and fit
Your unit or ours, the fitting standard is the same. For supply and fit we choose a new 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.
Included in the work
- Rooflight fitted, sealed and checked for even clearance on every side
- Insulated upstand built square, level and to the maker's height
- Opening marked out, covering stripped back and the deck cut cleanly
- Upstand energy performance — We build the upstand to meet the energy limit for site-built upstands, not just to hold the rooflight up.
- Which way the joists run — We check the direction and size of the joists before fixing the rooflight's position.
A typical installation day
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 new 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 two to three days.
Do you need permission in Derry/Londonderry?
Northern Ireland's building regulations set a minimum of WER Band C or 1.6 W/m²K for rooflights and roof windows in existing homes, assessed under Technical Booklet F1. New openings involve trimming the roof structure, so expect a building control application. Many house rooflights don't need planning permission, but conservation areas and listed buildings are excluded, and side windows near a boundary have obscure-glazing rules. We confirm what applies.
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 BT48, and we can price it.
Common questions in Derry/Londonderry
Can you replace an old dome without redoing the whole roof?
Usually, yes. If the existing kerb is sound, level and tall enough, a new unit can often sit on it with a fresh seal to the roof covering. If the kerb is rotten or too low, we rebuild it and patch the covering around it rather than stripping the whole roof. This is checked at the survey and included in the written quote, so you know the full scope first.
Do I need planning permission for a rooflight in Derry/Londonderry?
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 Northern Ireland. 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.
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.
Ask for a quote for your Derry/Londonderry roof. Survey dates are offered based on fitter availability once you are happy with the price.
