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 control fees, where a job needs them, are shown as their own line.
Where our fitters travel
Fitters travel to the job, so the address is what counts. In Cwmbran that means postcode districts NP44, NP20 and NP4, and the same teams can just as easily take on work in Pontypool, about 3 miles away, or Risca 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.
What we check on a supplied unit
If you have bought a new rooflight yourself, we check four things before fitting. First, the delivery: open it, look for chips, cracks and bent frames, and report any damage to the seller straight away. Second, the size, measured against the builder's opening rather than the external frame. Third, the upstand height above the finished roof. Fourth, the maker's instructions, which set the fixings and sealing. Product warranty claims go to the seller and maker; our guarantee is for how it was fitted.
What the job includes
- Plasterboard reveals formed inside and left ready for skim or decoration
- Opening marked out, covering stripped back and the deck cut cleanly
- Joists or rafters trimmed with new timbers to carry the load around
- Upstand energy performance — We build the upstand to meet the energy limit for site-built upstands, not just to hold the rooflight up.
- Warm or cold roof build-up — We find out whether the roof is insulated above or between the joists before designing the upstand.
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 new 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.
Planning and building rules in Wales
Wales sets energy limits of 2.2 W/m²K for rooflights and 1.4 W/m²K for roof windows, and new rooflight openings generally need building regulations approval. Replacement units are controlled fittings; we are not registered with a competent person scheme, so ours are covered by a building notice to the council. Planning permission is needed for rooflights in conservation areas, National Parks, AONBs and World Heritage Sites. We check which applies and include the fee in your quote.
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, NP44 or nearby, confirms travel.
Common questions in Cwmbran
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.
Do I need planning permission for a rooflight in Cwmbran?
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 Wales. 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 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.
Tell us your postcode, NP44 or close by, and what you want fitted. We will reply with the next steps and a quote.
