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.
Coverage in and around Margate
Fitters travel to the job, so the address is what counts. In Margate that means postcode districts CT9, CT8 and CT10, and the same teams can just as easily take on work in Broadstairs, about 3 miles away, or Ramsgate at roughly 3 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
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 we do on the day
- Opening marked out, covering stripped back and the deck cut cleanly
- Plasterboard reveals formed inside and left ready for skim or decoration
- Roof membrane, felt or tiles made good and dressed up the upstand
- Planning for your roof — We check whether the new rooflight falls within permitted development for your house and nation.
- Cables, pipes and ceiling fittings — We look into the ceiling void for anything in the way of the new opening.
A typical installation 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, building control and Margate
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.
What to send for a quick quote
A fast quote needs five things: a photo of the roof from outside, one from the room below, rough sizes of the opening or the space, the roof covering (felt, single-ply, fibreglass, tiles, slate or metal), and a note on access. If you have already bought the unit, add the product link or spec sheet. And give us the postcode, CT9 or a neighbouring district.
Common questions in Margate
Can you fit a rooflight in winter or when it is raining?
Yes, within limits. Cold is less of a problem than wet, because membranes, primers and sealants need a dry surface to bond. We plan fitting days around the forecast and may move a date if heavy rain is due. If the roof has to be opened up, it is not left overnight without a temporary weather seal, so the room below stays dry while the work is finished.
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.
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.
Got a unit waiting to go in, or need one sourced? Either way, start with your Margate address and a couple of photos.
