Swanscombe guide prices
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.
Coverage in and around Swanscombe
If you also own a property or a business unit in Grays, Gravesend or Longfield, 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 DA10, DA9 and DA11 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
- Insulation fitted to the upstand faces to limit heat loss
- Roof covering compatibility — We check what the roof is covered in before choosing how the membrane meets the kerb.
- Size tolerance on the kerb — We build kerbs to a tight tolerance because rooflight glass is made to order and cannot be trimmed on site.
A typical installation day
The fitters measure twice before cutting: the opening, the rooflight's kerb size and the finished roof level. The kerb is built, packed level or to the maker's fall, insulated and weathered into the roof covering. You are left with an upstand ready for the rooflight, and a note of the sizes it was built to.
Do you need permission in Swanscombe?
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.
Getting a price from photos
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 DA10 and we will come back with a quote or a survey date.
Common questions in Swanscombe
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.
Do you cover Swanscombe?
Yes. Fitters travel to addresses in Swanscombe and the surrounding districts, including DA10. 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.
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.
For a free, no-obligation quote in Swanscombe, use the form or call us with the details of your roof.
