Guide prices
Small sealed unit
Misted or cracked unit up to about 1 m² measured, made and refitted
Medium sealed unit
Units up to about 2 m², or toughened and laminated
Large or specialist
Triple glazed, solar-control or heavy units needing lifting gear
Guide ranges. The first visit is charged and priced before booking; any new glass is priced in writing before work starts. 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 Harlow
Jobs across CM20, CM18 and CM17 are part of our normal cover for Harlow. We are not an office on the high street. Our fitting teams come out to the property from wherever they are working that week. Neighbouring places such as Hoddesdon and Ware are covered on the same terms, so a house on the edge of town is no harder to book than one in the centre.
What we do on the day
- Old glass taken out safely and removed from site
- Measuring visit to size the glass and identify its make-up
- New unit set on packers, then beaded, capped or bonded as designed
- Matching the glass make-up — We identify the existing glass so the replacement performs at least as well.
- Weight and lifting — We plan how a heavy pane gets onto the roof and into the frame.
How the glass is replaced
On the fitting visit, the room below is protected first. The beads or cappings come off, the old unit is lifted out with suction lifters, and the rebate is cleaned and checked for damage or blocked drainage. The new sealed unit goes in on fresh packers and gaskets, the cappings are refitted and sealed, and the glass is cleaned. Most glass swaps take half a day once the new glass is made.
Planning and building rules in England
Replacing a rooflight in an English home is a controlled fitting: it has to be self-certified by a scheme-registered installer or notified to building control. We are not registered with a competent person scheme, so replacements we fit are notified with a building notice, and the new unit has to meet current energy limits. Adding a new one usually means a building regulations application, because joists or rafters are trimmed. On the planning side, most house rooflights are permitted development if they project 0.15 m or less; on a side slope the glass must be obscured and fixed unless the opening part is over 1.7 m above the floor.
What to send us
Photos of the problem glass from inside and out, a rough width and length, and whether the rooflight opens or is fixed are enough to price the first visit. Add the postcode and how the roof is reached, and tell us if more than one unit has misted.
Common questions in Harlow
How long does new rooflight glass take?
The new sealed unit is made to the measured size, so there is a gap between the measuring visit and the fitting visit while it is produced. We give you the expected timing when we price the glass, and book the fitting once it has arrived.
Is new glass or a new rooflight better value?
If the frame, gaskets and drainage are sound, new glass is usually the cheaper fix. If the frame is cracked, distorted or leaking at the kerb, a full replacement is better value. After the measuring visit we price both so you can compare.
Can you replace just the glass in my rooflight?
Often, yes. If the frame, gaskets and drainage are sound, a new sealed unit can go into the existing frame. If the frame has failed, is distorted or leaks around the edge, replacing the whole rooflight is usually the better answer, and we tell you that.
For a repair in Harlow, start with photos and the postcode; we confirm the visit price before anything is booked.
