Guide prices in Washington
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
Covering Washington means covering the people who live and work there, not a single postcode. We take on domestic and commercial jobs in NE38, NE37 and DH4, and are happy to quote further out in Chester-le-Street and Felling. 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 the job includes
- Outside inspection of glass, frame, sealant, flashing and roof covering
- Failed sealant cut out, joints cleaned, dried and resealed
- Inside check of stains, frame drainage channels and the reveal
- 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
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
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
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 Washington
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.
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.
Send photos of the problem in Washington and we will price the visit before you book it.
