What the job costs in Elgin
Entry-level hatch
Polycarbonate or entry-level hinged hatch on gas struts, fitted to a new or existing upstand
Glazed manual hatch
Double-glazed hinged hatch on gas struts, upstand and weathering
Electric glazed hatch
Push-button glazed hatch with rain sensor; electrician's connection quoted separately
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 warrant fees, where a job needs them, are shown as their own line.
Is your address covered?
Fitters travel to the job, so the address is what counts. In Elgin that means postcode districts IV30, IV31 and IV32, and the same teams can just as easily take on work in Forres, about 11 miles away, or Inverness at roughly 36 miles. Survey and fitting dates are offered according to fitter availability, and travel is built into the quote rather than added later.
Your roof access hatches or ours
Which works out better, buying your own or letting us supply? It depends on what you value. Buying your own gives you control of the product and what you pay for it. Letting us supply puts the whole job, unit and fitting, under one written quote. On a customer-supplied unit we still measure it against the opening, look at the upstand, and inspect the condition it arrived in. Warranty on the product sits with whoever sold it, while the fitting carries our own guarantee.
Included in the work
- Opening and closing tested and the controls explained
- Hatch fixed and weathered, with the membrane dressed up the upstand
- Kerb checked or built square, level and to the maker's height
- How far the lid opens — We check how far the lid swings open and what it swings over.
- Energy performance of hatches — We check the hatch's published U-value against the limit that applies.
From arrival to clean-up
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 roof access hatch 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 Scotland
If you live in Scotland, the key question is whether the job is new or a replacement. A new rooflight needs a building warrant. Swapping an old rooflight for a new one, frame included, doesn't, as long as the new unit meets the standards: the energy figure for new or replacement rooflights in alterations is 1.6 W/m²K. Conservation areas have no householder permitted development rights for roof alterations, and listed buildings need listed building consent.
Details that speed up your quote
Keep it simple. Two or three photos, outside and inside. Approximate sizes. What the roof is made of. Anything awkward about getting up there, such as a conservatory below, a narrow side path or no parking. If you bought the rooflight online, the link or model name. Then your postcode in or around IV30. That is enough for a first price.
Common questions in Elgin
What upstand height and roof pitch does roof access hatch fitting need?
It depends on the product. Manufacturers usually specify a minimum upstand height above the finished roof surface, and a minimum pitch on the glass so rain runs off. We follow the maker's figures for your unit rather than a rule of thumb. If your existing kerb or roof falls short, we explain the options, such as raising the upstand or choosing a unit with built-in pitch.
Will my new roof access hatch 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.
What if my roof opening is the wrong size for the roof access hatch?
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.
Questions before you commit? Send them over with your Elgin postcode and we will answer them plainly, with a quote alongside.
