Watford guide prices
Like-for-like swap
Old dome or unit removed and disposed of, new glass rooflight fitted to the existing sound kerb
New upstand and swap
Old kerb taken off, new insulated upstand built, roof covering made good, new unit fitted
Opening or large unit
Electric or larger replacement, including making good inside
Guide ranges for supply & fit; building control notice fee extra in England and Wales. Your price is fixed in a written quote after we have seen photos or surveyed. 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.
Coverage in and around Watford
Jobs across WD17, WD1 and WD18 are part of our normal cover for Watford. We are not an office on the high street. Our fitting teams come out to the property from wherever they are working that week. Neighbouring places such as Bushey and Rickmansworth are covered on the same terms, so a house on the edge of town is no harder to book than one in the centre.
Your replacement rooflights or ours
Your unit or ours, the fitting standard is the same. For supply and fit we choose a replacement rooflight to suit the roof and price it with the installation. For fit-only we work with what you have, after confirming it arrived undamaged, that it matches the builder's opening, and that the upstand will sit at the height the maker asks for. Report any transit damage to the seller, as the product cover is theirs and the maker's. Our written guarantee applies to the fitting itself.
Included in the work
- Packers, an adaptor or a new insulated upstand where the old kerb falls short
- New unit bedded, fixed and sealed exactly as its maker shows
- Internal reveal made good where the old trim or plaster was damaged
- Leaks that are not the rooflight — We look at the roof around the unit before blaming the rooflight.
- Energy rules for the new unit — We make sure the replacement meets the current energy limit, not just the old unit's performance.
What happens on the day
Protection comes before tools. Floors, furniture and stairs get covered, and the ceiling below the opening is sheeted to catch dust. Up top, the fitters confirm the opening is square and the upstand or flashing suits what the maker specifies. Fixing follows, then weather-sealing into the membrane, felt or tiles. Only once the roof is tight do they turn to the internal reveal. Time on site for a replacement rooflight: one day, weather permitting.
Do you need permission in Watford?
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.
Help us quote accurately
A fast quote needs five things: a photo of the roof from outside, one from the room below, rough sizes of the opening or the space, the roof covering (felt, single-ply, fibreglass, tiles, slate or metal), and a note on access. If you have already bought the unit, add the product link or spec sheet. And give us the postcode, WD17 or a neighbouring district.
Common questions in Watford
Does a rooflight need building regulations approval?
A new opening usually needs building regulations approval. A replacement is a controlled fitting: it must be self-certified by an installer registered with a competent person scheme or notified to building control. We are not registered with a scheme, so replacements we fit are notified to building control with a building notice, and the council's fee is shown on your quote.
Do you make good inside after fitting?
Yes, where the quote includes it. Internal finishing usually means lining the reveal with plasterboard, taping or skimming, and fitting trim where it meets the ceiling. Some people prefer their own plasterer or decorator to finish off, which is fine. The written quote spells out exactly where our work stops, so nobody is left guessing about who does what once the unit is in.
What upstand height and roof pitch does replacement rooflight fitting need?
It depends on the product. Manufacturers usually specify a minimum upstand height above the finished roof surface, and a minimum pitch on the glass so rain runs off. We follow the maker's figures for your unit rather than a rule of thumb. If your existing kerb or roof falls short, we explain the options, such as raising the upstand or choosing a unit with built-in pitch.
For a free, no-obligation quote in Watford, use the form or call us with the details of your roof.
