What the job costs in Norwich
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 Norwich we cover
If you also own a property or a business unit in Bowthorpe, East Dereham or Great Yarmouth, 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 NR1, NR2 and NR3 sit comfortably within that pattern.
What we do on the day
- Fall built into the kerb where the rooflight needs one
- Treated timber frame fixed down to the deck and joists
- Diagonals measured so the kerb is square before anything sits on it
- 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.
- Roof covering compatibility — We check what the roof is covered in before choosing how the membrane meets the kerb.
What happens on the day
Building an upstand starts with the rooflight's own drawing: its kerb size, height above the finished roof and fall. The team sets the timber out to those figures, checks the diagonals, insulates the outer faces and dresses the membrane up and over. If the rooflight is going on the same day, it is fitted next; if not, the kerb is protected until it does.
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.
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, NR1 or nearby, confirms travel.
Common questions in Norwich
Do you cover Norwich?
Yes. Fitters travel to addresses in Norwich and the surrounding districts, including NR1. 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.
Do I need planning permission for a rooflight in Norwich?
Often not. Many rooflights fall under permitted development, provided they do not project beyond the national limit and meet the other conditions that apply in England. Conservation areas, listed buildings and some flats are different and may need consent. Because the rules depend on the property, we confirm what is likely to apply at your address and point you to the planning authority where an application is needed.
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.
Get in touch with the details of your Norwich property and we will explain what the job involves and what it costs.
