Orpington 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 Orpington we cover
Covering Orpington means covering the people who live and work there, not a single postcode. We take on domestic and commercial jobs in BR6, BR5 and BR7, and are happy to quote further out in Chislehurst and Swanley. 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.
Included in the work
- Failed sealant cut out, joints cleaned, dried and resealed
- Outside inspection of glass, frame, sealant, flashing and roof covering
- 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
Expect the visit to be mostly looking and testing. Dust sheets go down below the rooflight. The fitter checks seals and glass from inside, then gets up on the roof by ladder or tower. Minor jobs such as clearing a blocked drainage channel can often be dealt with there and then. Bigger work, like new flashing or a replacement sealed unit, is measured up and priced in writing afterwards.
Planning and building rules in England
In England, a new rooflight opening generally needs building regulations approval because the roof structure is altered and the glazing must meet energy rules: 2.2 W/m²K for a rooflight in an existing home, or 1.4 W/m²K (or WER Band B) for a roof window. Planning is often not needed on a house: permitted development covers rooflights that stand no more than 0.15 m proud of the roof slope and sit below the highest part of the roof. Flats, listed buildings and areas with an Article 4 direction are different, so we check your address first.
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 Orpington
Is it condensation or a leak?
Condensation tends to appear on cold mornings, on the inner face of the glass, and runs down the frame. A leak usually follows rain or wind from a particular direction and often stains the ceiling around the opening. Blocked condensation channels can make the two look alike. Photos and a note of when it happens help us narrow it down before the visit.
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.
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.
Send photos of the problem in Orpington and we will price the visit before you book it.
