Guide prices
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 warrant fees, where a job needs them, are shown as their own line.
Coverage in and around Livingston
Fitters travel to the job, so the address is what counts. In Livingston that means postcode districts EH54, EH53 and EH52, and the same teams can just as easily take on work in Broxburn, about 3 miles away, or Bathgate at roughly 5 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.
What the job includes
- Rooflight fitted, sealed and checked for even clearance on every side
- Insulated upstand built square, level and to the maker's height
- Survey of joist direction, roof build-up, ceiling void and access
- Which way the joists run — We check the direction and size of the joists before fixing the rooflight's position.
- Upstand energy performance — We build the upstand to meet the energy limit for site-built upstands, not just to hold the rooflight up.
A typical installation day
On the day, you need to be in at the start and at the end. In between, the fitters get on with it. They will want the room below cleared where possible, a parking spot if you have one, and somewhere to set the unit down safely. After checking the opening and the upstand or flashing, they fix a new rooflight, seal it and finish the inside. Packaging and any old unit leave with them unless the quote says otherwise.
Regulations for Livingston properties
For Scottish homes: building warrant for new rooflight openings; no warrant for replacing a rooflight complete with its frame, provided it meets the standards, including 1.6 W/m²K; planning permission in conservation areas and listed building consent for listed properties. Outside those, permitted development usually covers house rooflights, but the planning authority has the final word, so we check before you commit.
Getting a price from photos
Each detail you send takes a question off our list. Photos inside and out show the opening and the ceiling. Rough measurements tell us the unit size. The roof covering tells us how it will be sealed in. Access notes tell us whether a tower or scaffold is needed. A product link, if you have one, lets us check it against the opening. Your postcode, EH54 or nearby, confirms travel.
Common questions in Livingston
Do you make good inside after fitting?
Yes, where the quote includes it. Internal finishing usually means lining the reveal with plasterboard, taping or skimming, and fitting trim where it meets the ceiling. Some people prefer their own plasterer or decorator to finish off, which is fine. The written quote spells out exactly where our work stops, so nobody is left guessing about who does what once the unit is in.
What if my roof opening is the wrong size for the 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.
Do I need planning permission for a rooflight in Livingston?
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 Scotland. 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.
Get in touch with the details of your Livingston property and we will explain what the job involves and what it costs.
