Cowley 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.
Fitting across Cowley and nearby
Covering Cowley means covering the people who live and work there, not a single postcode. We take on domestic and commercial jobs in OX4, OX3 and OX1, and are happy to quote further out in Oxford and Abingdon. 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
- Lifted flashing or tape removed and renewed
- Failed sealant cut out, joints cleaned, dried and resealed
- Membrane splits at the upstand cut back and patched
- Upstand height and condition — We measure the kerb and probe the timber for softness.
- Leak or condensation — We work out whether the water is coming from outside or forming inside on cold glass.
How a repair visit goes
On arrival we agree access and protect the floor. Then a methodical check: glass for misting or cracks, seals for gaps, the frame for movement, the upstand and roof covering for splits or water lying against the kerb. If the cause is obvious and minor, it can usually be sorted as part of the visit. If not, you have the evidence and a priced repair plan, and the choice is yours.
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 Cowley
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.
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.
Send photos of the problem in Cowley and we will price the visit before you book it.

