Kirkwall guide prices
About 1 × 2 m
Aluminium lantern, double glazed, fitted and glazed on a ready upstand
About 1.5 × 3 m
Mid-size lantern, solar-control glass options
2 × 4 m and over
Large lanterns, lifting gear on the day
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.
Coverage by arrangement
Kirkwall is covered by arrangement. Tell us the address and we will confirm travel, dates and any ferry or accommodation costs before quoting. Many island and remote jobs can be priced from photos first, so nobody travels until the scope is clear.
Fit-only or supply and fit
Supply and fit tends to suit people who would rather not pick a unit from a catalogue. We look at the roof, the opening and how you use the room, then put a roof lantern on the quote that fits all three. Fit-only suits people who already know what they want, or have one on site. We are happy with either. The difference is who stands behind what: on fit-only, the maker or retailer covers the product, and our workmanship guarantee covers the installation.
Included in the work
- Glass lifted and laid into the frame by hand or with gear
- Glass cleaned and packaging cleared from the roof
- Internal trims fitted to the ring beam or upstand
- Heat and glare — We talk through the glass options before you order a large lantern.
- Level, not to a fall — We set or check the kerb level unless your lantern's maker says otherwise.
Fitting your roof lantern, step by step
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 roof lantern 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 one to two days.
Planning and building rules in Scotland
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.
Details that speed up your quote
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 KW15, and we can price it.
Common questions in Kirkwall
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.
How long does fitting take?
Fitting a roof lantern into an existing, correctly sized opening is often a day's work. New openings take longer, because joists or rafters need trimming, an upstand or flashing has to be built or fitted, and the inside needs finishing. Large units that need lifting gear, and days lost to rain, can stretch things further. Your written quote gives a realistic estimate for your roof.
Do you offer trade rates for builders and roofers?
We carry out subcontract fitting for builders, roofers, extension companies and commercial contractors. Pricing is per job or per schedule of units, agreed in writing before we start. We can work to your programme, fit on your upstand or build our own, and leave the opening ready for the next trade. Send drawings or a unit schedule and we will come back with a trade quote.
Send a few photos and your KW15 postcode, and we will put together a written quote for the job.
