What the job costs in Chelsea
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.
Where our fitters travel
Covering Chelsea means covering the people who live and work there, not a single postcode. We take on domestic and commercial jobs in SW3, SW10 and SW7, and are happy to quote further out in Battersea and Kensington. If your address sits between towns, tell us and we will confirm whether it falls in our normal area or needs travel set out separately on the quote.
On the day, we cover
- A short note of anything we found that needs your attention
- Upstands built by us where you would rather not
- Roof lanterns assembled and glazed on your upstand
- Who weathers the roof — We agree who turns the roof covering up the kerb before we book.
- Programme and access — We confirm site access, lifting arrangements and working hours before the visit.
What happens on the day
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.
Regulations for Chelsea properties
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.
Help us quote accurately
What we cannot see, we have to guess, and guesses make quotes wider. So the more you send, the tighter the price. Useful: shots from the roof or garden, shots from the room underneath, a rough width and length, the roof finish, any access problems, and the product page if you have already ordered. Add the property postcode around SW3 and we will come back with a quote or a survey date.
Common questions in Chelsea
Can you remove and dispose of the old rooflight?
Yes. Taking out the old unit is part of any replacement job, and it leaves with the rest of the waste unless you ask to keep it. Old domes, glass and frames go through proper waste routes. If removal turns up a rotten kerb or damaged decking, we show you what we have found and agree the repair with you before going any further.
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.
Can you fit a rooflight in winter or when it is raining?
Yes, within limits. Cold is less of a problem than wet, because membranes, primers and sealants need a dry surface to bond. We plan fitting days around the forecast and may move a date if heavy rain is due. If the roof has to be opened up, it is not left overnight without a temporary weather seal, so the room below stays dry while the work is finished.
Running a job in Chelsea? Send the drawings or unit details and we will price the fitting, plus VAT, in writing.
