What the job costs in Northampton
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.
Covering NN1 and neighbouring districts
Fitters travel to the job, so the address is what counts. In Northampton that means postcode districts NN1, NN2 and NN3, and the same teams can just as easily take on work in Wellingborough, about 9 miles away, or Daventry at roughly 12 miles. Survey and fitting dates are offered according to fitter availability, and travel is built into the quote rather than added later.
Fit-only or supply and fit
A damaged delivery is a frequent snag on fit-only work. Before the day, unpack a replacement rooflight, photograph it, and tell the seller about any cracks or scuffs, because claims are much easier made early. We will also ask for the model or a link, so we can read the maker's instructions and check the builder's opening size and the upstand height it expects. If everything lines up, we fit it. If not, we explain what needs changing first.
What we do on the day
- Old rooflight or dome unscrewed, lifted out and taken away for disposal
- Roof membrane repaired and turned up where it meets the kerb
- Packers, an adaptor or a new insulated upstand where the old kerb falls short
- Dome to glass upgrades — We check that the opening and kerb suit a flat glass unit before quoting a dome-to-glass swap.
- Is the kerb worth keeping? — We decide whether the existing kerb can stay only after checking it for rot, height and squareness.
Fitting your replacement rooflight, step by step
On the day, you need to be in at the start and at the end. In between, the fitters get on with it. They will want the room below cleared where possible, a parking spot if you have one, and somewhere to set the unit down safely. After checking the opening and the upstand or flashing, they fix a replacement rooflight, seal it and finish the inside. Packaging and any old unit leave with them unless the quote says otherwise.
Do you need permission in Northampton?
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.
Getting a price from photos
What we cannot see, we have to guess, and guesses make quotes wider. So the more you send, the tighter the price. Useful: shots from the roof or garden, shots from the room underneath, a rough width and length, the roof finish, any access problems, and the product page if you have already ordered. Add the property postcode around NN1 and we will come back with a quote or a survey date.
Common questions in Northampton
Can you fit the replacement rooflight I bought online?
Yes, fit-only is one of our core services. Send the product link or spec, photos of the roof and rough sizes, and we can usually price it from those. Before fitting we check the delivery for damage, which should be reported to the seller, plus the size against the builder's opening and the upstand height. The product warranty stays with the maker or seller, and our guarantee covers the fitting.
Do you need scaffolding to fit a rooflight?
Not always. Single-storey roofs can often be reached safely with ladders, a tower or edge protection. Higher roofs, steep pitches and large units usually need scaffold or a mobile platform, and heavy glass may need a crane. We assess access from your photos or at the survey, and any scaffold or lifting cost is shown as its own line on the written quote.
Can you fit a rooflight in winter or when it is raining?
Yes, within limits. Cold is less of a problem than wet, because membranes, primers and sealants need a dry surface to bond. We plan fitting days around the forecast and may move a date if heavy rain is due. If the roof has to be opened up, it is not left overnight without a temporary weather seal, so the room below stays dry while the work is finished.
For a free, no-obligation quote in Northampton, use the form or call us with the details of your roof.
