Washington 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.
Is your address covered?
Distance is rarely the deciding factor. A roof in Chester-le-Street, 4 miles from Washington, gets the same survey, the same written quote and the same fitting process as one in NE38, NE37 and DH4. What changes the price is the job itself: size of unit, roof type, access and lifting. Felling, around 4 miles out, is treated the same way.
Buying your own, or letting us supply
Which works out better, buying your own or letting us supply? It depends on what you value. Buying your own gives you control of the product and what you pay for it. Letting us supply puts the whole job, unit and fitting, under one written quote. On a customer-supplied unit we still measure it against the opening, look at the upstand, and inspect the condition it arrived in. Warranty on the product sits with whoever sold it, while the fitting carries our own guarantee.
Included in the work
- Protective film removed and the anti-slip surface left clean
- Perimeter joints sealed and the waterproofing lapped as the maker shows
- Lifting plan for the unit, including people or gear for the day
- Structural calculations — We need structural calculations for the glass and its support before a walk-on job goes ahead.
- Units tested to old standards — We check which standard the walk-on unit has been tested to.
What happens on the day
Protection comes before tools. Floors, furniture and stairs get covered, and the ceiling below the opening is sheeted to catch dust. Up top, the fitters confirm the opening is square and the upstand or flashing suits what the maker specifies. Fixing follows, then weather-sealing into the membrane, felt or tiles. Only once the roof is tight do they turn to the internal reveal. Time on site for a walk-on rooflight: one to two days, weather permitting.
Regulations for Washington properties
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
Keep it simple. Two or three photos, outside and inside. Approximate sizes. What the roof is made of. Anything awkward about getting up there, such as a conservatory below, a narrow side path or no parking. If you bought the rooflight online, the link or model name. Then your postcode in or around NE38. That is enough for a first price.
Common questions in Washington
What if my roof opening is the wrong size for the walk-on rooflight?
We find out before the fitting day, not on it. If the opening is slightly out, it can usually be adjusted by trimming or by packing out the upstand. If it is a long way off, the choice is between altering the opening and changing the unit. Bear in mind that rooflights are often sold by builder's opening size rather than external size, so check which one your measurement refers to.
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.
Ask for a quote for your Washington roof. Survey dates are offered based on fitter availability once you are happy with the price.
