Guide prices
Diagnostic visit
Roof and inside inspected, cause found, written repair price
Reseal and re-flash
Failed sealant and flashing taken out, joints cleaned, resealed and taped
Upstand or membrane repair
Rotten kerb section or roof membrane at the upstand repaired
Guide ranges. The first visit is charged and priced before booking; any repair 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.
Areas around Dorchester we cover
Dorchester and the districts around it, DT1, DT2 and DT3, all sit inside our working area. So does the ground between Dorchester and Weymouth (7 miles), and on towards Yeovil (18 miles). When a fitting team is booked, their travel is already in the quoted price, so it does not turn up as a surprise line on the final bill.
What we do on the day
- Inside check of stains, frame drainage channels and the reveal
- Membrane splits at the upstand cut back and patched
- Lifted flashing or tape removed and renewed
- Warranty and who fitted it — We ask who fitted the rooflight and when before working on it.
- Upstand height and condition — We measure the kerb and probe the timber for softness.
How a repair visit goes
Most of the effort on a repair visit goes into finding the cause. We start with your account of when it leaks: heavy rain, wind from one direction, or cold mornings, which points towards condensation. That shapes where we look first. Findings are photographed so you can see them for yourself. You then get a clear explanation and, where needed, a written repair quote, fixed before anything further is booked.
Planning, building control and Dorchester
Two sets of rules matter in England. Planning: a rooflight on a house is normally permitted development if it projects no more than 0.15 m and stays below the highest part of the roof, but flats, listed buildings and Article 4 areas need checking. Building regulations: new openings need approval for the structure and energy performance, and a replacement is a controlled fitting. We are not registered with a competent person scheme, so we notify replacements to building control with a building notice and put the council's fee on the quote.
What to send us
Before booking a visit, send what you can: a photo of the ceiling or reveal where water shows, a photo of the rooflight from outside, the roof covering if you know it, and whether it is one rooflight or several. We use that to price the visit and to bring the right materials.
Common questions in Dorchester
Will resealing fix my leaking rooflight?
Sometimes. If the sealant has simply aged and the flashing, upstand and glass are sound, a careful reseal on a dry day can solve it. If the real problem is ponding water, a low upstand or a perished membrane, fresh sealant will only hide it for a while. We tell you which one you are dealing with before recommending any work, and quote the proper fix in writing.
Why is my rooflight leaking?
The usual causes are sealant that has cracked or pulled away, flashing or membrane that has perished at the edges, condensation channels blocked with dirt, water ponding against the kerb, or a seal failing on the glass unit. Sometimes the water is coming in elsewhere and running along to the rooflight. A diagnostic visit finds the real source before anyone starts applying sealant.
Do you charge for a leak investigation in Dorchester?
Yes. Tracing a leak properly takes time on the roof, a close look at the frame and sometimes a water test, so the visit is charged. We confirm the price before you book, so there are no surprises. If a repair is needed beyond what can be done during the visit, it is quoted separately in writing and you decide whether to go ahead.
Got a leak or a misted unit in Dorchester? Send photos first and we will tell you what the visit costs before booking.
