What the job costs in Kempston
Compact sliding
Motorised sliding unit for a stair or hatch opening
Standard sliding
Larger opening onto a roof terrace
Large sliding
Big spans, lifting gear and longer installs
Guide ranges for supply & fit. 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.
Areas around Kempston we cover
Our fitters come to you. For Kempston that covers MK42, MK40 and MK43, plus nearby Bedford and Ampthill. We do not keep a yard or showroom in the area, and you do not need to visit one. The survey happens at your property or, for fit-only work, from the photos you send. Dates follow fitter availability, which we confirm when you accept the quote.
Fit-only or supply and fit
Supply and fit tends to suit people who would rather not pick a unit from a catalogue. We look at the roof, the opening and how you use the room, then put a sliding rooflight on the quote that fits all three. Fit-only suits people who already know what they want, or have one on site. We are happy with either. The difference is who stands behind what: on fit-only, the maker or retailer covers the product, and our workmanship guarantee covers the installation.
What we do on the day
- Full open and close cycle checked before handover
- Upstand checked for strength, square and level along its full length
- Lifting plan for the unit, often with gear booked for the day
- Guarding on the terrace — We look at how the roof terrace will be guarded before the rooflight is fitted.
- Weight and lifting — We plan the lift for a sliding rooflight before it is ordered.
From arrival to clean-up
Fitting days start with a look at the sky. If rain is due, the order of work changes so the roof is never left open to it. A typical day for a sliding rooflight runs like this: set up access, protect the room, open up the roof or prepare the existing kerb or frame, check sizes, fix, seal, then finish inside. On jobs that take more than a day, the opening is weather-sealed overnight. The last hour goes on tidying, waste removal and a walk-round with you.
Planning and building rules in England
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.
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, MK42 or nearby, confirms travel.
Common questions in Kempston
Do you offer trade rates for builders and roofers?
We carry out subcontract fitting for builders, roofers, extension companies and commercial contractors. Pricing is per job or per schedule of units, agreed in writing before we start. We can work to your programme, fit on your upstand or build our own, and leave the opening ready for the next trade. Send drawings or a unit schedule and we will come back with a trade quote.
Do you cover Kempston?
Yes. Fitters travel to addresses in Kempston and the surrounding districts, including MK42. We do not run an office there; the survey and the fitting happen at your property. A few island and remote postcodes are covered by arrangement; if yours is one, we confirm travel and dates before quoting.
What upstand height and roof pitch does sliding 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.
Questions before you commit? Send them over with your Kempston postcode and we will answer them plainly, with a quote alongside.
