Whitstable 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.
Where our fitters travel
Whitstable and the districts around it, CT5, CT6 and CT2, all sit inside our working area. So does the ground between Whitstable and Herne Bay (5 miles), and on towards Canterbury (6 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.
On the day, we cover
- Lifted flashing or tape removed and renewed
- Membrane splits at the upstand cut back and patched
- Inside check of stains, frame drainage channels and the reveal
- Age of the rooflight — We weigh the age and condition of the unit before recommending a repair.
- Leak or condensation — We work out whether the water is coming from outside or forming inside on cold glass.
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.
Regulations for Whitstable properties
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
Tell us where the water appears, how long it has been happening and what the weather was doing when it started. A couple of photos from inside and outside, plus the postcode, let us price the visit before you book and plan what the fitter brings.
Common questions in Whitstable
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.
Can you replace just the misted glass?
Often, yes. Misting between the panes means the sealed unit has failed, but the frame around it may be perfectly sound. Where the maker's design allows the glass to be changed, we measure the unit and fit a replacement, which costs less than a whole new rooflight. Where it does not, or the frame is also worn out, we explain why replacement is the better option.
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.
For a repair in Whitstable, start with photos and the postcode; we confirm the visit price before anything is booked.
