No other skylight installer in Suffolk publishes prices. We think that is the single most useful thing missing from this market, so here they are.
The reason it matters is simple. Without published figures you get three quotes with no common basis, wildly different numbers, and no way to tell whether the cheap one has left out scaffolding, structural work and making good, or whether the expensive one is padded. A price range you can check your quotes against is worth more than another page of promises.
Everything below is supply and fit, 2026, in the Ipswich and Suffolk area, including VAT, unless a line says otherwise.
Pitched roof skylights, by size
A roof window set into a tiled or slated pitch. The most common job on the list, typical of loft conversions and first-floor rooms. Prices assume a mid-range VELUX, Keylite or Roto unit in white-painted or pine finish, the correct flashing kit for your roof covering, a formed and plastered internal reveal, and reasonable access from a single-storey scaffold or tower.
| Unit size | New opening, supply and fit | Like-for-like replacement | Days on site |
|---|---|---|---|
| 550 x 780mm | £1,250 to £1,700 | £750 to £1,050 | 1 |
| 780 x 980mm | £1,450 to £1,950 | £850 to £1,200 | 1 |
| 780 x 1400mm | £1,700 to £2,300 | £1,000 to £1,450 | 1 to 2 |
| 940 x 1600mm | £2,000 to £2,700 | £1,200 to £1,700 | 1 to 2 |
| 1140 x 1180mm | £2,000 to £2,650 | £1,200 to £1,650 | 1 to 2 |
| Two units side by side, 780 x 1400mm each | £3,100 to £4,200 | £1,900 to £2,700 | 2 |
New opening includes cutting the rafters, trimming, insulating and lining the reveal. Replacement assumes the existing structural opening is sound and the same size. Full detail on the pitched roof skylight installation page.
Flat roof rooflights, by size
A sealed glazed unit sitting nearly flush on a flat or shallow-fall roof. Prices assume a thermally broken aluminium frame with argon-filled solar control double glazing, a new insulated upstand at 150mm minimum, all weathering and internal trims, and a sound roof structure.
| Unit size | Fixed unit, supply and fit | Opening or hinged unit | Days on site |
|---|---|---|---|
| 600 x 600mm | £1,300 to £1,800 | £1,900 to £2,600 | 1 |
| 1000 x 1000mm | £1,800 to £2,500 | £2,600 to £3,500 | 1 to 2 |
| 1500 x 1000mm | £2,200 to £3,000 | £3,100 to £4,200 | 2 |
| 2000 x 1000mm | £2,700 to £3,600 | £3,700 to £5,000 | 2 |
| 2500 x 1500mm | £3,800 to £5,200 | £5,200 to £7,000 | 2 to 3 |
| 3000 x 2000mm | £5,400 to £7,400 | quoted individually | 3 |
Walk-on and flush-glazed units sit above these figures, typically 40 to 80 per cent higher. More on the flat roof skylight installation page.
Roof lanterns, by size
A pitched glazed structure standing proud of a flat roof, with a ridge and glazing bars. Prices assume a thermally broken aluminium lantern, solar control double glazing, a new insulated kerb, all fixings, weathering and internal trims, single-storey extension, reasonable access, sound structure with no ring beam upgrade needed.
| Lantern size (kerb dimension) | Aluminium, supply and fit | Timber frame equivalent | Days on site |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 x 1.0m | £2,400 to £3,200 | £3,400 to £5,100 | 1 to 2 |
| 1.5 x 1.0m | £2,900 to £3,800 | £4,100 to £6,200 | 2 |
| 2.0 x 1.0m | £3,400 to £4,400 | £4,800 to £7,200 | 2 |
| 2.5 x 1.5m | £4,600 to £6,000 | £6,500 to £9,800 | 2 to 3 |
| 3.0 x 2.0m | £6,200 to £8,400 | £8,700 to £13,500 | 3 to 4 |
| Above 3.0 x 2.0m | quoted individually | quoted individually | 4 plus |
Timber is the right answer on listed buildings and in conservation areas where slim anthracite aluminium reads wrong. Detail on the roof lantern installation page.
VELUX like-for-like replacement
The most common enquiry we take. A unit from the mid-2000s that has misted, started dripping at the top corner or gone draughty round the sash. If the structural opening is sound and you are replacing with the same size code, this is a fast job and a cheap one relative to a new opening.
| Size code | Nominal size | Centre-pivot replacement | Top-hung replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| CK02 | 550 x 780mm | £750 to £1,050 | £900 to £1,250 |
| MK04 | 780 x 980mm | £850 to £1,200 | £1,000 to £1,400 |
| MK08 | 780 x 1400mm | £1,000 to £1,450 | £1,200 to £1,700 |
| PK10 | 940 x 1600mm | £1,200 to £1,700 | £1,400 to £1,950 |
| UK04 | 1340 x 980mm | £1,250 to £1,750 | £1,450 to £2,000 |
| Second and subsequent units, same visit | any size | less £150 to £300 each | less £150 to £300 each |
Includes new flashing kit matched to your roof covering, disposal of the old unit and making good internally. We are experienced VELUX, Keylite and Roto installers, and the VELUX window installation page explains how we handle the Building Control notification for you.
Electric and opening units
Motorised units cost more than the actuator alone suggests, because the wiring is usually the awkward part. A spur in the loft two feet away is straightforward. A cable run from a consumer unit two floors down, through a finished ceiling, is not.
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Factory electric opening unit instead of fixed, pitched roof window | add £450 to £850 | Includes rain sensor and wall control on most systems |
| Factory electric opening vent in a roof lantern | add £600 to £1,100 | Far cheaper at the outset than retrofitting later |
| Electric opening flat rooflight instead of fixed | add £700 to £1,400 | Rack actuator, larger units need two |
| Solar-powered opening kit, no mains needed | add £550 to £950 | Sensible where a cable run is genuinely difficult |
| New fused spur and cable run by an electrician | £180 to £450 | Depends entirely on distance and whether ceilings are open |
| Retrofit motor to an existing compatible unit | £350 to £700 | Only where the unit is a current model with a retrofit kit |
More on actuator types and sensor positioning on the electric skylight installation page.
Coastal specification uplift
This is the one nobody else prices, mostly because nobody else specifies it. Within roughly a mile of open sea at Felixstowe, Harwich, Clacton, Frinton, Aldeburgh or Southwold, standard fittings corrode years early. The uplift below is what it costs to stop that happening.
| Upgrade | Cost impact | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| 316L stainless fixings throughout instead of grade 304 | £60 to £180 per unit | Included as standard on open-coast work |
| Marine-specification powder coating on aluminium | add 8 to 15 per cent of unit cost | Open coast. Extends the finish guarantee considerably |
| Upstand raised from 150mm to 200mm | £120 to £280 per unit | Open coast, flat roof and lantern work |
| Mechanically fixed flashing terminations and extended laps | £90 to £250 per unit | Open coast |
| Dissimilar-metal isolation washers and tapes | £30 to £80 per unit | Any salt exposure, coastal or estuarine |
| Full open-coast package, typical total | add 10 to 18 per cent of job value | Felixstowe, Harwich, Clacton, Frinton, Aldeburgh, Southwold |
| Estuarine package, typical total | add 3 to 7 per cent of job value | Woodbridge, Manningtree, Wivenhoe, Shotley, Pin Mill |
Estuary locations carry moderate salt loading, not open-sea exposure, and we price them accordingly rather than selling a full marine package where it is not needed. The split by town is on areas we cover.
What actually moves the price
Two identical rooflights on two identical houses can differ by two thousand pounds, and it is never the glass. Here is every variable, in rough order of how much damage it does to a budget.
1. Access and scaffolding
The biggest single swing on domestic work. A single-storey rear extension you can reach from a tower is cheap. A second-storey pitch over a conservatory, with a narrow side alley and no gate wide enough for a scaffold lorry, is not.
- Tower or small mobile platform, single storey: £0 to £250, often absorbed in the price
- Scaffold, single-storey rear, one week hire: £450 to £900
- Scaffold, two-storey with tie-ins: £900 to £1,800
- Scaffold over a conservatory, fragile roof or restricted access: £1,400 to £3,000
- Crane lift for a large lantern or oversized unit: £700 to £2,000 for a half day
2. Structural work
Cutting a hole in a roof removes joists or rafters, and that load has to go somewhere. Openings up to roughly 1.2m across are usually manageable with doubled timber trimmers, and that is included in our prices. Beyond about 1.5m you are into a ring beam or a steel, and that is quoted separately once an engineer has designed it.
- Structural engineer’s calculation for a domestic opening: £250 to £600, paid direct to the engineer
- Doubled timber trimmers, opening under 1.2m: included
- Timber ring beam, 1.5m to 2.5m opening: £400 to £1,100
- Steel beam or structural spine, larger openings: £900 to £3,500 installed
- Party wall matters where an opening lands near a boundary: variable, budget for a surveyor
This is also the variable most likely to appear as a mid-job surprise from other installers, which is exactly why we survey the structure before quoting rather than after opening up.
3. Roof covering type
Flashing kits are covering-specific and they are not interchangeable. Plain tile and slate are the cheap end. Deep-profile pantiles, common across Suffolk, need a different kit. Natural slate needs care and spare slates. Old handmade clay pantiles break when you look at them and you should budget for replacements. On flat roofs, EPDM and single-ply are straightforward, GRP needs a specialist recoat at the junction, and old built-up felt is often at the end of its life anyway.
- Standard interlocking concrete tile or slate flashing kit: included
- Deep-profile pantile or heavy corrugated: add £80 to £200 per unit
- Natural slate, including replacement slates: add £100 to £300 per unit
- GRP flat roof, cut and recoat at the upstand junction: add £200 to £500
- Failed or life-expired covering discovered at survey: quoted separately, and we will tell you before you commit
4. Glazing specification
Clear double glazing is the baseline. Solar control coating is our default on anything facing south or west, and on a lantern it is close to non-negotiable unless you enjoy a kitchen at 30 degrees in July.
- Clear double glazing, argon, warm-edge spacer: baseline
- Solar control coating, g-value around 0.3: add 5 to 12 per cent
- Self-cleaning outer coating: add 4 to 8 per cent
- Triple glazing: add 15 to 25 per cent, plus the structural consequences of the extra weight
- Acoustic laminated inner pane, useful under a flight path or beside the A12: add 10 to 18 per cent
- Obscure or privacy glass: add 5 to 10 per cent
5. Making good
The part quotes leave out. A new opening leaves a reveal to form, insulate, board, skim and decorate. Ask any quote you receive whether plastering is in or out, because a £400 difference between two prices is often exactly this.
- Reveal formed, insulated, boarded and skimmed, single unit: £250 to £550
- Splayed reveal to throw more light into the room: add £80 to £180
- Decoration: usually not included, and we will say so on the quote
- Waste removal and skip: included on our jobs unless there is a full roof strip involved
Why a published price is a range and not a number
Because we have not been on your roof yet. That is the entire answer, and anyone giving you a single figure before survey is either guessing or building in a contingency you are paying for.
The ranges above are real. The bottom of each band is a straightforward job: modern roof, sound structure, easy access, standard covering, inland. The top is the same product on a difficult property: awkward access, older structure, a covering that needs care, coastal specification. Most jobs land in the middle.
The survey confirms the exact figure, and that figure is then fixed. One written price, itemised, with the glazing specification and U-value stated on it. It does not move unless you change what you are asking for. No mid-job discoveries, because the discovering happens at survey while you can still walk away for free.
What our prices include as standard
- Survey on the roof, structure and fall checked, exposure band confirmed
- The unit, made to your surveyed size, in the specification written on the quote
- New insulated upstand or kerb where the job needs one, at 150mm minimum
- Correct flashing kit for your covering, and all fixings
- Internal reveal formed and plastered where an opening is new
- Hose test on completion and a walk round the detail, not just the finished look
- 10-year workmanship guarantee, in writing, alongside the manufacturer’s warranty on the unit
- Waste removal
Not included, and always shown separately: scaffolding beyond a tower, structural engineering fees, steels and ring beams, Building Control fees, decoration, and any electrical work by a qualified electrician.
Payment
A deposit covers the unit, because it is made to your size and cannot be resold. The balance is due on completion, after the hose test and handover, not before. We do not ask for staged payments on domestic work of this size and we do not ask for cash.
Get your figure
Find your size and type in the tables above for a realistic budget, then send us the details for a real number. Rough dimensions, roof type, a photograph if you have one, and your postcode so we can confirm the exposure band. Prices for individual services sit on each of the nine service pages, and the FAQs cover planning, Building Regulations and guarantees.
Request a fixed quote and we will survey, price once, and hold that price.
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.