Guide prices
Short rigid tube
Around 250 mm tube, short straight run through a loft
Wider or longer run
Around 350 mm tube or longer runs with bends
Flat roof or complex
Flat roof kits, long runs or two tubes
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.
Covering CH1 and neighbouring districts
If you also own a property or a business unit in Ellesmere Port, Neston or Garston, that is no problem. We can survey and quote both, and where it suits, line the fitting days up together. Every address is reached by fitters travelling to it from their current jobs, and CH1, CH2 and CH3 sit comfortably within that pattern.
Fit-only or supply and fit
A damaged delivery is a frequent snag on fit-only work. Before the day, unpack a sun tunnel, 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 opening size and the flashing kit it expects. If everything lines up, we fit it. If not, we explain what needs changing first.
What we do on the day
- Roof opening cut and the flashing fitted to tiles, slates or a flat-roof kit
- Dome fixed and sealed on top of the flashing
- Tube insulated where it passes through a cold loft
- Rigid or flexible tube — We check whether a rigid tube will fit the route before falling back on a flexible one.
- Length and bends in the tube — We plan the shortest, straightest route we can between the roof and the ceiling.
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 sun tunnel 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, building control and Chester
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.
Help us quote accurately
A fast quote needs five things: a photo of the roof from outside, one from the room below, rough sizes of the opening or the space, the roof covering (felt, single-ply, fibreglass, tiles, slate or metal), and a note on access. If you have already bought the unit, add the product link or spec sheet. And give us the postcode, CH1 or a neighbouring district.
Common questions in Chester
What if my roof opening is the wrong size for the sun tunnel?
We find out before the fitting day, not on it. If the opening is slightly out, it can usually be adjusted by trimming or by packing out the upstand. If it is a long way off, the choice is between altering the opening and changing the unit. Bear in mind that rooflights are often sold by builder's opening size rather than external size, so check which one your measurement refers to.
What is included in the price?
The written quote lists it line by line. Typically that covers fitting labour, fixings, sealants, membrane or flashing materials, any upstand work, internal finishing if agreed, and taking away the waste. For supply and fit, the unit itself is included too. Scaffold, lifting gear and any third-party fees, where needed, are shown separately so you can see what each part of the job costs.
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.
Get in touch with the details of your Chester property and we will explain what the job involves and what it costs.
