A solar opening roof window runs from around 1,750 to 2,500 pounds supplied and fitted, roughly 150 to 200 pounds more than the equivalent mains unit. But on a finished-room retrofit the solar unit is usually cheaper overall, because it removes the electrical connection, which costs 350 to 900 pounds or more in a finished room. On a new extension with the ceiling open, mains wins, because the cabling there is only 180 to 400 pounds. So the comparison turns on how finished the room is, not on the unit price alone.
The unit prices side by side
| Item | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| Solar opening roof window, supply and fit | £1,750 to £2,500 |
| Mains electric opening roof window, supply and fit | £1,600 to £2,300 |
| Electrical connection, ceiling already open | £180 to £400 |
| Electrical connection, finished room including making good | £350 to £900 |
| Solar conversion kit to a compatible manual unit | £520 to £850 |
The solar unit itself is a little dearer because it carries a panel, a battery and its own charge management. On its own that looks like the more expensive option. The picture changes the moment you add the electrical work a mains unit needs.
Where solar comes out cheaper overall
The deciding number is the cost of getting power to the rooflight, and that depends entirely on the room.
| Scenario | Mains unit total | Solar unit total | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finished room, awkward cable route | £1,950 to £3,200 | £1,750 to £2,500 | Solar |
| Finished room, easy loft drop above | £1,780 to £2,700 | £1,750 to £2,500 | Close, often solar |
| New extension, ceiling open | £1,780 to £2,700 | £1,750 to £2,500 | Mains, for unlimited cycling |
In a finished room with no easy cable route, the mains unit’s wiring adds 350 to 900 pounds, so the solar unit comes out clearly cheaper as well as far less disruptive. On a new build or open ceiling, the cable is cheap, so mains is the better value and gives unlimited cycling with no winter caveat. The wider cost breakdown for electric units is on the electric rooflight installation cost page.
The disruption is a real cost too. A mains retrofit into a finished room can mean lifting a floor above or chasing a wall, then making good and redecorating. That is money and mess the solar unit avoids entirely. Even where the pure figures are close, the solar unit is usually the easier and tidier job. The reasoning is on the why solar suits retrofit answer.
The cheapest option of all: a conversion kit
If you already have a compatible manual roof window in sound condition, a solar conversion kit adds the actuator, panel, battery, rain sensor and handset for 520 to 850 pounds, without touching the roof covering. On a compatible, recent unit that is the cheapest useful upgrade in the building. It only works on the right ranges, so photograph the data plate on the sash edge first. Whether a kit or a new unit is the better spend is covered on the retrofit a motor versus replace answer.
The battery to factor in
One honest addition to the lifetime cost: the solar battery is a consumable, with a service life in the region of eight to twelve years before it holds noticeably less charge, and it is replaceable. Factor a replacement into your thinking the way you would a car battery, rather than treating the unit as maintenance-free. The full detail is on the solar powered rooflight installation page.
Common questions
Is a solar rooflight cheaper than a mains one?
The solar unit costs a little more to buy, around 150 to 200 pounds more than the equivalent mains unit. But on a finished-room retrofit it comes out cheaper overall, because it removes the electrical connection that costs 350 to 900 pounds in a finished room, plus the making good and redecoration. On a new extension with the ceiling open, mains is cheaper because the cabling there is only 180 to 400 pounds.
What does a solar rooflight cost fitted?
A solar opening roof window runs from around 1,750 to 2,500 pounds supplied and fitted in the Ipswich and Suffolk area. A solar conversion kit on a compatible existing manual unit is much less, 520 to 850 pounds, because it uses the frame you already have. The exact figure is confirmed and fixed after survey, and every installation carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
Are there ongoing costs with a solar rooflight?
The main one is the battery, which is a consumable with a service life of roughly eight to twelve years before it holds noticeably less charge. It is replaceable when the time comes. Otherwise the unit needs the rain sensor and panel kept clean, twice a year on a coastal roof to clear salt film. There is no electricity cost, because it charges from daylight.
Get a fixed price for solar or mains
Tell us the room, whether it is finished or under construction, and the roof aspect. We survey it, work out whether solar or mains is cheaper for your situation, and price both if it is close, then give you one written price fixed after survey with a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
Request a fixed quote for a solar or mains rooflight across Ipswich, Suffolk and north Essex, or see our published prices across every service.
Thinking about this job? We survey across Ipswich, Suffolk and north Essex and give you a fixed price before any work starts, with a 10-year workmanship guarantee.