Guide prices
Vent swap
Like-for-like certified vent and actuator, connected to the existing controls and commissioned by a smoke-control specialist
Vent with new controls
Vent plus new control panel and detection, commissioned by a smoke-control specialist
Multiple vents
Several stairwells or larger systems, priced from a survey
Guide ranges for supply & fit; controls and commissioning by a smoke-control specialist. 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.
Is your address covered?
Sandbach and the districts around it, CW11, CW1 and CW4, all sit inside our working area. So does the ground between Sandbach and Crewe (5 miles), and on towards Congleton (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.
Included in the work
- Old vent removed with the stairwell kept protected below
- Controls, detection and wiring handled by the smoke-control specialist
- Upstand checked, adapted or rebuilt to the vent maker's drawing
- Certified as a system — We only fit smoke vents that are certified to BS EN 12101-2.
- Fire rules near escape routes — We check the roof around the vent for fire rules that affect it.
Fitting your smoke vent rooflight, step by step
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 smoke vent 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.
Do you need permission in Sandbach?
In England, smoke vents for common stairs must be certified to BS EN 12101-2, provide the free area the fire strategy requires (Approved Document B calls for at least 1 m² at the top of a common stair), and have backup power. Smoke vents have their own energy limit, commonly 3.5 W/m²K. Controls and commissioning are handled by a smoke-control specialist, and building control is involved where the system changes.
Getting a price from photos
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, CW11 or nearby, confirms travel.
Common questions in Sandbach
Do commercial rooflights need planning permission?
Like-for-like replacements on commercial buildings rarely need planning permission. New or larger rooflights on non-domestic buildings and blocks of flats usually need checking with the planning authority, because householder permitted development rights don't apply. We tell you what we know about your building and point you to the right team.
Will my new smoke vent rooflight leak?
A correctly fitted unit should not. Leaks usually trace back to the detail around the frame: an upstand that is too low, a membrane or flashing that is not dressed properly, sealant applied to a damp surface, or water ponding against the kerb. We fit to the maker's instructions and check each of those points. The fitting carries a written workmanship guarantee, with its terms set out on your quote.
How long does fitting take?
Fitting a smoke vent 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.
Questions before you commit? Send them over with your Sandbach postcode and we will answer them plainly, with a quote alongside.
