What the job costs in Portslade
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.
Is your address covered?
Our fitters come to you. For Portslade that covers BN41, BN3 and BN1, plus nearby Hove and Shoreham-by-Sea. We do not keep a yard or showroom in the area, and you do not need to visit one. The survey happens at your property or, for fit-only work, from the photos you send. Dates follow fitter availability, which we confirm when you accept the quote.
What the job includes
- Insulation fitted to the upstand faces to limit heat loss
- Diagonals measured so the kerb is square before anything sits on it
- Kerb sized from the maker's drawing, internal and external dimensions both checked
- Roof covering compatibility — We check what the roof is covered in before choosing how the membrane meets the kerb.
- Energy limit for site-built kerbs — We insulate upstands to meet the limit for site-built upstands, which is 0.35 W/m²K in England and Wales.
Fitting your rooflight upstand, step by step
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.
Do you need permission in Portslade?
England's rules in short: permitted development usually covers a rooflight on a house roof provided it doesn't stick out more than 0.15 m or rise above the ridge, though a listed building always needs consent and some streets have Article 4 directions. Building regulations apply to new openings, and replacements go through building control; as we are not registered with a competent person scheme, we use a building notice and show the fee on the quote. The energy limit for rooflights in existing homes is 2.2 W/m²K, and the 2026 Approved Document L, in force from 24 March 2027, keeps that figure.
What to send for a quick quote
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, BN41 or nearby, confirms travel.
Common questions in Portslade
Do you offer trade rates for builders and roofers?
We carry out subcontract fitting for builders, roofers, extension companies and commercial contractors. Pricing is per job or per schedule of units, agreed in writing before we start. We can work to your programme, fit on your upstand or build our own, and leave the opening ready for the next trade. Send drawings or a unit schedule and we will come back with a trade quote.
Do you cover Portslade?
Yes. Fitters travel to addresses in Portslade and the surrounding districts, including BN41. 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.
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.
Questions before you commit? Send them over with your Portslade postcode and we will answer them plainly, with a quote alongside.
