Guide prices
Per flat rooflight
Fit a supplied unit to your prepared upstand, sealed and trimmed
Per roof lantern
Assemble and glaze a supplied lantern on your upstand
Two-person day rate
Fitting team for multi-unit or mixed work
Guide ranges for labour only, ex VAT for trade accounts. 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 Saffron Walden we cover
Saffron Walden and the districts around it, CB10, CB11 and CM24, all sit inside our working area. So does the ground between Saffron Walden and Haverhill (9 miles), and on towards Bishops Stortford (11 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
- Roof lanterns assembled and glazed on your upstand
- Supplied units checked against your schedule before fitting
- Upstands checked for size, height, level and square
- Programme and access — We confirm site access, lifting arrangements and working hours before the visit.
- Upstand ready and to size — We ask for the upstands to be built to the maker's drawing before we arrive.
From arrival to clean-up
Protection comes before tools. Floors, furniture and stairs get covered, and the ceiling below the opening is sheeted to catch dust. Up top, the fitters confirm the opening is square and the upstand or flashing suits what the maker specifies. Fixing follows, then weather-sealing into the membrane, felt or tiles. Only once the roof is tight do they turn to the internal reveal. Time on site for a rooflight: half a day to a day per unit, weather permitting.
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 on trade replacements we agree up front who notifies building control, 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
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, CB10 or nearby, confirms travel.
Common questions in Saffron Walden
How long does fitting take?
Fitting a 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.
What if my roof opening is the wrong size for the rooflight?
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.
Builders and roofers in Saffron Walden: send the spec and the site address for a written trade price.
