What the job costs in Letchworth Garden City
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.
Where our fitters travel
Jobs across SG6, SG5 and SG7 are part of our normal cover for Letchworth Garden City. 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 Hitchin and Stevenage are covered on the same terms, so a house on the edge of town is no harder to book than one in the centre.
Included in the work
- Certified vent and actuator matched to the opening and controls
- Upstand checked, adapted or rebuilt to the vent maker's drawing
- Old vent removed with the stairwell kept protected below
- Upstand and weathering — We check the upstand suits the new vent and that the roof around it is sound.
- Free area at the stair head — We check the free area the vent must provide before choosing a replacement.
How a fitting day runs
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 Letchworth Garden City?
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, SG6 or nearby, confirms travel.
Common questions in Letchworth Garden City
Does commercial rooflight work need building control?
Usually. New openings, structural changes and smoke vents go through building control, and on buildings covered by fire safety law that means a full plans application rather than a building notice. We are not registered with a competent person scheme, so replacements we fit are notified to building control. We confirm the route and show any fee on the quote.
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.
Who is responsible for the smoke-control system?
The building's responsible person, duty holder or managing agent, depending on the nation, is responsible for keeping fire safety systems working. Our part is the rooflight and roof work; the controls, detection and commissioning are handled by a smoke-control specialist, and the quote says who does what.
Get in touch with the details of your Letchworth Garden City property and we will explain what the job involves and what it costs.
