Guide prices
Up to 1 m²
Laminated walk-on unit with anti-slip finish, fitted level with the terrace
Up to 2 m²
Larger walk-on glazing
Large or bespoke
Big panes, structural calculations, lifting gear
Guide ranges for supply & fit. 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 Bowthorpe we cover
Our fitters come to you. For Bowthorpe that covers NR5, NR4 and NR8, plus nearby Norwich and East Dereham. 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.
Buying your own, or letting us supply
Supply and fit tends to suit people who would rather not pick a unit from a catalogue. We look at the roof, the opening and how you use the room, then put a walk-on rooflight on the quote that fits all three. Fit-only suits people who already know what they want, or have one on site. We are happy with either. The difference is who stands behind what: on fit-only, the maker or retailer covers the product, and our workmanship guarantee covers the installation.
Included in the work
- Protective film removed and the anti-slip surface left clean
- Drainage around the unit checked so water does not lie on the glass
- Perimeter joints sealed and the waterproofing lapped as the maker shows
- Units tested to old standards — We check which standard the walk-on unit has been tested to.
- Non-fragile is not walk-on — We make sure the unit is genuinely designed for foot traffic.
A typical installation day
Morning first: the team arrives, introduces itself and walks through the job with you. Dust sheets go down in the room below and along the route in. Then the opening and upstand, or the flashing on a pitched roof, are checked against the unit's measurements. A walk-on rooflight goes in, is fixed to the maker's pattern and sealed into the roof covering. Inside, the reveal is finished as quoted. Before leaving, the team clears debris and talks you through what was done. Most jobs of this type take one to two days.
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, NR5 or nearby, confirms travel.
Common questions in Bowthorpe
Will my new walk-on rooflight leak?
A correctly fitted unit should not. Leaks usually trace back to the detail around the frame: an upstand that is too low, a membrane or flashing that is not dressed properly, sealant applied to a damp surface, or water ponding against the kerb. We fit to the maker's instructions and check each of those points. The fitting carries a written workmanship guarantee, with its terms set out on your quote.
How long does fitting take?
Fitting a walk-on 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 replace an old dome without redoing the whole roof?
Usually, yes. If the existing kerb is sound, level and tall enough, a new unit can often sit on it with a fresh seal to the roof covering. If the kerb is rotten or too low, we rebuild it and patch the covering around it rather than stripping the whole roof. This is checked at the survey and included in the written quote, so you know the full scope first.
Planning a walk-on rooflight in Bowthorpe? Tell us about the roof and we will come back with a clear price in writing.
