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.
Fitting across Whitstable and nearby
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.
Buying your own, or letting us supply
There are two ways to do this. Supply and fit means we source a replacement rooflight that suits your roof and install it, so one company answers for both the product choice and the fitting. Fit-only means you buy the unit and we install it. With fit-only, the product warranty stays with the maker or seller, and our written guarantee covers the fitting work. Both routes get the same checks on the opening, the upstand and the maker's instructions before anything is fixed.
On the day, we cover
- Internal reveal made good where the old trim or plaster was damaged
- Kerb inspected for rot, height, level and fall once the old unit is off
- Building notice given to the council in England and Wales, with its fee on the quote
- Inside finishes — We check the condition of the plaster and trim around the opening from inside.
- Leaks that are not the rooflight — We look at the roof around the unit before blaming the rooflight.
From arrival to clean-up
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.
Regulations for Whitstable properties
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.
Details that speed up your quote
Each detail you send takes a question off our list. Photos inside and out show the opening and the ceiling. Rough measurements tell us the unit size. The roof covering tells us how it will be sealed in. Access notes tell us whether a tower or scaffold is needed. A product link, if you have one, lets us check it against the opening. Your postcode, CT5 or nearby, confirms travel.
Common questions in Whitstable
How long does fitting take?
Fitting a replacement rooflight into an existing, correctly sized opening is often a day's work. New openings take longer, because joists or rafters need trimming, an upstand or flashing has to be built or fitted, and the inside needs finishing. Large units that need lifting gear, and days lost to rain, can stretch things further. Your written quote gives a realistic estimate for your roof.
Can you replace an old dome without redoing the whole roof?
Usually, yes. If the existing kerb is sound, level and tall enough, a new unit can often sit on it with a fresh seal to the roof covering. If the kerb is rotten or too low, we rebuild it and patch the covering around it rather than stripping the whole roof. This is checked at the survey and included in the written quote, so you know the full scope first.
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.
Get in touch with the details of your Whitstable property and we will explain what the job involves and what it costs.
