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 Bow we cover
Covering Bow means covering the people who live and work there, not a single postcode. We take on domestic and commercial jobs in E3, E15 and E14, and are happy to quote further out in Stratford and Limehouse. If your address sits between towns, tell us and we will confirm whether it falls in our normal area or needs travel set out separately on the quote.
What we do on the day
- Outside inspection of glass, frame, sealant, flashing and roof covering
- Controlled water test where it helps pin down the entry point
- 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
A repair visit starts outside. The fitter looks at the roof around the unit for ponding, split membrane, loose flashing and failed sealant, then moves inside to check stains, the frame and the condensation channels. Where it helps, a controlled water test narrows down the entry point. Before leaving, they explain what they found and whether a small fix can be done within the agreed visit, or needs a separate written quote.
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 help us price the visit. Send one of the stain or drip inside, one of the rooflight from outside if you can reach a safe viewpoint, and a note of when it leaks: in heavy rain, in wind, or all the time. Add the postcode, E3 or similar, and how the roof is reached.
Common questions in Bow
Should I repair or replace my old leaking rooflight?
It depends on the age and condition of the unit and what has failed. A single perished seal or a blocked channel is worth repairing. A brittle, discoloured dome, a rotten kerb, or several faults at once usually make replacement the better value. After the diagnostic visit we set out both options with prices, so you can decide with the full picture in front of you.
Do you charge for a leak investigation in Bow?
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.
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.
Got a leak or a misted unit in Bow? Send photos first and we will tell you what the visit costs before booking.
