What the job costs in Durham
Timber upstand
Treated timber kerb built square and level to the maker's size
Insulated upstand
Kerb with insulation and the roof membrane turned up and dressed
Large or with trimming
Bigger kerbs or where joists need trimming first
Guide ranges for labour and materials, rooflight not included. 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 Durham we cover
If you also own a property or a business unit in Spennymoor, Chester-le-Street or Houghton-Le-Spring, 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 DH1, DH7 and DH6 sit comfortably within that pattern.
What the job includes
- Diagonals measured so the kerb is square before anything sits on it
- Treated timber frame fixed down to the deck and joists
- Fall built into the kerb where the rooflight needs one
- Fall built in or level — We confirm whether your rooflight needs the kerb to provide a fall or should sit level.
- Roof covering compatibility — We check what the roof is covered in before choosing how the membrane meets the kerb.
How a fitting day runs
On the day, the fitters check the opening and the roof deck around it, then cut and fix treated timber to the maker's kerb size, square and level, with any fall the rooflight needs built in. Insulation goes on the faces that need it, and the roof membrane is turned up and dressed so the kerb is weathertight before anyone leaves. Most upstand jobs take half a day to a day.
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 replacements we fit are notified with a building notice, 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, DH1 or nearby, confirms travel.
Common questions in Durham
Does a rooflight need building regulations approval?
A new opening usually needs building regulations approval. A replacement is a controlled fitting: it must be self-certified by an installer registered with a competent person scheme or notified to building control. We are not registered with a scheme, so replacements we fit are notified to building control with a building notice, and the council's fee is shown on your quote.
Do you cover Durham?
Yes. Fitters travel to addresses in Durham and the surrounding districts, including DH1. We do not run an office there; the survey and the fitting happen at your property. A few island and remote postcodes are covered by arrangement; if yours is one, we confirm travel and dates before quoting.
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.
Ask for a quote for your Durham roof. Survey dates are offered based on fitter availability once you are happy with the price.
