Herne Bay 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 Herne Bay
Fitters travel to the job, so the address is what counts. In Herne Bay that means postcode districts CT6, CT5 and CT2, and the same teams can just as easily take on work in Whitstable, about 5 miles away, or Canterbury at roughly 7 miles. Survey and fitting dates are offered according to fitter availability, and travel is built into the quote rather than added later.
What we do on the day
- Sealed unit ordered to match or improve on the original glass
- Measuring visit to size the glass and identify its make-up
- Frame rebate cleaned and checked for damage, corrosion or failed seals
- Weight and lifting — We plan how a heavy pane gets onto the roof and into the frame.
- Matching the glass make-up — We identify the existing glass so the replacement performs at least as well.
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, building control and Herne Bay
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 Herne Bay
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 I upgrade the glass while it is being replaced?
Usually. Solar-control, self-cleaning, toughened or laminated glass can be specified as long as the frame can take the thickness and weight. We check that on the measuring visit and price the options side by side.
Is the measuring visit charged?
Yes. The first visit measures the existing glass and checks the frame, and it is charged. We confirm that price before you book. The fitting of the new glass is then priced in writing, so you see the full cost before anything is ordered.
For a repair in Herne Bay, start with photos and the postcode; we confirm the visit price before anything is booked.
