skylight & rooflight installation · bournemouth
skylights & rooflights in bournemouth measured on the roof.
Roof windows, flat rooflights and lanterns for Bournemouth homes, sized from a survey taken on your roof, not a guess from the ground. Free survey and written quote.
in writing, every time
- 10-year workmanship guarantee
- Fitted to current Building Regulations
- Building Control notification handled
- Free survey and written quote
- A measured survey sheet with every quote
before the quote
we measure before we quote
Will it fit between the rafters?
We measure your rafter centres on the roof, not from drawings or a photo.
Is the pitch right for the unit?
We check the slope against the range the window is made for, so it performs as rated.
How high must the upstand be?
We measure the opening and the roof build-up and work out the kerb height you need.
no reviews to invent
handed over in writing
- Your measured survey sheet
- The unit and its size named
- Permission checked for your address
- 10 years on our workmanship
from survey to sign-off
How a job runs
Measured survey
We come to you and measure on the roof. You keep the sheet.
Ordered and fitted to size
Your unit is chosen to your measurements, then fitted.
Signed off and guaranteed
We check everything, notify Building Control where needed and guarantee the work.
where we survey
within 30 miles of bournemouth
From Poole and Christchurch to Ringwood, Wareham and the edge of Salisbury, every town within 30 road miles of the town centre.
the long read
skylights and rooflights in bournemouth, measured
What we measure on a Bournemouth roof, what each number controls, and how that turns into a unit, a permission position and a written price.
chapter 01 · the survey example readings
600mm
- rafter centres
- 600 mm
- roof pitch
- 35°
- upstand
- 150 mm
- opening
- 780 × 1180 mm
An example of how the top of a survey sheet reads. Your sheet carries your own roof's figures.
The readings we take on your roof
A skylight that fits is a list of measurements that do not contradict one another. We take them on the roof and in the loft, then write them down for you.
Most rooflight problems start before anyone climbs a ladder. A roof window is picked from a catalogue by size, then turns out to be wider than the gap between two rafters. A flat rooflight is ordered for a kerb that was built lower than the unit needs. A lantern is sized to the extension drawings rather than to the opening the builder actually left. None of these is a fitting fault. Each one is a measuring fault, and putting it right means a second visit to the roof.
So the survey is where our work starts. We go up, and where there is a loft we go in, and we record the figures that limit which unit can go where. On a pitched roof that means the rafter centres, the depth of the rafters, the slope of the roof, the roof covering and the batten gauge. On a flat roof it means the size of the opening or the space for one, the depth of the roof build-up, the height of any existing kerb and the direction the roof falls. Inside, we measure the room the light is for, because the right size of glass depends on the room as much as the roof.
Rafter centres come first
A roof window sits between two rafters. If the gap is wide enough, the window goes in with no change to the roof structure. If it is not, a rafter has to be cut and the load carried round the opening by trimmers, which turns a simple fitting into a structural alteration with Building Regulations in play. Rafters in Bournemouth houses are not set to one standard. Many post-war roofs have rafters at regular spacings, but older roofs, including much of the town's Victorian and Edwardian stock, can vary from one bay to the next. We measure the actual gap at the place you want the window, not a typical figure for a house of that age.
The survey sheet
You get the figures on a survey sheet with your quote. It lists what we measured, where we measured it, the unit we recommend with its make, model and size code, and the reason that unit fits your numbers. If we recommend a structural change or a taller kerb, the sheet says why. You can check the figures yourself or show the sheet to another installer before you agree to anything.
If you want to know what goes on the sheet in detail, our page on the measured survey lists every reading and what it is used for. If you are still choosing a product, the full list of what we fit is a good place to start.
chapter 02 · pitched roofs
MK04
- width code
- M · 78 cm
- height code
- 04 · 98 cm
- pitch
- measured
- flashing
- tile or slate
Roof windows for Bournemouth's pitched roofs
The size code has to match the rafter gap, the slope and the covering. Most of Bournemouth's houses have a pitched roof somewhere, and each type asks a different question.
A roof window, often called a VELUX after the best-known make, sits in the slope of a pitched roof, in line with the tiles or slates. It is the usual choice for a loft room, a landing, a bathroom under the eaves or the upstairs of a chalet bungalow. The window is chosen to suit the gap between the rafters, the slope of the roof and the covering it has to seal against.
Reading a size code
VELUX windows carry a size code such as MK04. The first letter is the width and the digits are the height, so an M window is 78 cm wide and a 04 window is 98 cm tall. The codes matter because a replacement window of the same code drops into the same opening, while a different code means altering the opening. If you are replacing an old window, the code usually sits on a small plate along the sash's top edge, towards the right, and shows when the window is open. Our guide to VELUX size codes has the full table.
Slope and the rated range
Every roof window is made for a range of roof pitches, and the flashing kit that seals it to the roof is made for a range too. A low-pitched roof, common on some bungalows and on the rear slopes of extensions, can sit near the bottom of that range or below it, where water runs off more slowly and the seal works harder. We measure the actual slope with an angle finder on a rafter rather than estimating it from the street, and we check it against the maker's stated range for the model on your quote. If a slope is too shallow for a standard roof window, we say so and suggest what does suit it.
| Roof | What it is like | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| Victorian and Edwardian slate | Natural slate, often on irregular rafters | The real rafter gap at that spot, slate condition, a slate flashing kit |
| 1930s clay tile | Plain clay tiles on a hipped roof | Batten gauge, tile condition, a plain-tile flashing |
| Chalet bungalow | Rooms in the roof, slope as ceiling | Head height, escape rules for rooms in the roof, rafter depth |
| Later concrete tile | Interlocking tiles, regular rafters | Tile profile for the flashing, regular spacing confirmed on site |
Tiles, slates and the flashing
Bournemouth roofs are a mix of clay plain tiles, concrete interlocking tiles and natural slate, and each needs its own flashing kit. A deep-profile concrete tile needs a different flashing from a flat slate. We note the covering and its profile on the sheet so the kit is ordered right first time. On older roofs we also look at the condition of the battens and underlay around the opening and note it on the survey sheet.
Inside: the lining and the ceiling
A roof window is only half finished when it is sealed to the roof. Inside, the opening needs a lining that runs from the frame to the ceiling. Its depth depends on the rafters and on any insulation added between or under them, which is why a loft that has been insulated to modern standards can need a deeper lining than the original roof. We measure that depth too, so the window is ordered with the right lining and the inside is finished neatly.
If the window is for a loft conversion, there is one more rule. Under Approved Document B, a window counts as an escape window only for a storey within about 4.5 metres of the ground. On a typical two-storey house a loft room needs a protected stair rather than relying on a roof window to get out. In the rooms in the roof of a bungalow or chalet bungalow, a suitably sized roof window can serve as an escape window. We check which applies to your house before recommending a size.
your roof, drawn to its numbers
chapter 03 · flat roofs
150mm
Myth
Any flat rooflight fits any kerb
Kerb sizes, heights and the way a unit is fixed differ between makers and models, so a unit chosen before the kerb is measured often needs the kerb rebuilt.
Fact
The upstand height is set by your roof build-up
We measure the deck, insulation and waterproof layer at the opening, then choose a unit and kerb height that suit those numbers.
- typical minimum kerb
- about 150 mm
- set by
- maker + build-up
- also measured
- the roof fall
Makers state their own upstand heights. We work to the figure for the unit on your quote.
Flat rooflights and lanterns on Bournemouth extensions
On a flat roof the glass sits on a kerb, and the kerb is where most of the measuring happens.
Bournemouth has plenty of single-storey rear extensions and garage conversions with flat roofs, and a growing number of whole houses with flat roofs, particularly the remodelled and contemporary homes towards Canford Cliffs and Branksome Park. On these roofs the choice is between a flat rooflight, which is a single sheet of glass close to the roof line, and a roof lantern, which rises into a pyramid or ridge of glass. A walk-on rooflight is a third option where the roof is also a terrace.
The kerb and the upstand
A flat rooflight or lantern does not sit straight on the roof surface. It sits on a kerb, also called an upstand, which lifts the glass above the roof so that water drains away from the joint rather than pooling against it. Makers set a minimum height for this kerb above the finished roof, and many work to about 150 mm. The height you need depends on that figure and on the thickness of your roof build-up: the deck, the insulation and the waterproof layer. We measure the build-up at the opening, because a roof that has been re-covered with extra insulation can be deeper than the original drawings suggest.
Fall, size and the opening that was built
Flat roofs are not quite flat. They fall slightly towards a gutter or outlet, and a rooflight needs enough slope on its glass for rain to run off rather than sit. Some units have the slope built in, others need it built into the kerb. We record the fall and its direction. For lanterns, we measure the opening the builder actually formed, not the size on the plans, because a difference of a few centimetres can rule out a standard size and call for a made-to-measure unit.
Opening units on flat roofs
A flat rooflight or a lantern can be fixed shut or made to open, by hand or with an electric motor and a rain sensor that closes it when it starts to rain. An opening unit needs a little more room on the kerb and, if it is electric, a power supply that an electrician connects. We note both on the survey so the choice between fixed and opening is made with the wiring in mind. Our page on electric and opening rooflights covers the options.
Our guide to rooflight upstand height goes into the kerb in detail, and lantern or flat rooflight compares the two shapes for a typical extension.
chapter 04 · permission and regulations
2.2W/m²K
- rooflight limit, Part L
- 2.2 W/m²K
- roof window limit
- 1.4 W/m²K
- planning authority
- BCP Council
Planning permission and Building Regulations in Bournemouth
Planning and Building Regulations are different tests. We check both for your address and report back in writing.
Planning permission is about how a building looks and how it affects its surroundings. Building Regulations are about how the work is built: structure, energy use and safety. Whether a rooflight needs planning permission or Building Regulations approval depends on the house, the street and the work, and we check each one separately.
Planning: often permitted development, sometimes not
Many rooflights on houses in England can go in without a planning application under permitted development rights. The conditions include how far the rooflight stands proud of the roof slope and where it sits on the roof. The full rules, and the cases where they do not apply, are set out in our guide to rooflight planning permission. In short, permitted development does not cover flats, a listed building needs listed building consent for almost any new rooflight, an Article 4 direction can remove the right (councils often use them in conservation areas), and a condition on the original planning permission can remove it for a particular estate.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole share one planning authority, BCP Council, which publishes its conservation areas and Article 4 directions. Several of Bournemouth's older neighbourhoods are covered, and some newer estates carry planning conditions of their own. We check the council's records for your address before quoting, tell you what applies, and if an application is needed we explain what it involves. Any application is decided by BCP Council, and we do not promise an outcome.
- most a permitted development rooflight may stand proud of the slope
- 150 mm
- height limit for a storey served by an escape window
- 4.5 m
- year "registered building control approver" replaced "approved inspector"
- 2024
Building Regulations: structure, heat and the notification
Cutting into a roof structure to make a new opening is a structural alteration and needs Building Regulations approval. Replacing a whole rooflight, frame and glass together, is also notifiable, because a new rooflight must meet the current energy standard. Under Part L, a new rooflight in an existing house must reach a U-value of 2.2 W/m²K or better, and a roof window must meet the stricter window figure: 1.4 W/m²K, or a Band B Window Energy Rating. Swapping just the sealed glass unit, with the old frame kept, is not notifiable.
Where the work needs it, we notify Building Control for you, through BCP Council's building control service or a registered building control approver, and you receive the completion paperwork. Our guide to rooflights and Building Regulations covers each case.
chapter 05 · the price
5parts
- 1
- the unit
- 2
- the opening
- 3
- access
- 4
- finishing
- 5
- paperwork
The price, and when replacement makes sense
A written quote that is built from measurements can show you what each part of the price is for.
Two rooflights of the same size can cost quite different amounts to fit, because most of the cost sits around the glass rather than in it. Our quotes break the price into the parts that drive it, so you can see which choices change the total. The costs page explains each part in more depth.
Inside the written quote
The quote names the unit with its make, model and size code, lists the work around it, says whether Building Control needs to be notified, and sets out the price for each part. It comes with the survey sheet, so every line of the price can be traced back to a measurement or a choice you made. If something cannot be known until the roof is opened, such as the condition of a hidden timber, the quote says so in plain words rather than leaving it to a surprise on the day.
The parts of a rooflight price
- The unitType, size, glazing and opening method.
- The openingA drop-in replacement, a new opening, or a structural change.
- AccessLadders, a tower or scaffold, depending on height and position.
- FinishingFlashing, the kerb, and making good the ceiling inside.
- PaperworkNotifying Building Control when the work needs it.
Replacing an old skylight or rooflight
Replacement is a large share of the work in a town like Bournemouth, where many roof windows and flat rooflights went in decades ago. A sealed unit that has misted between the panes has lost its seal and will not clear. A plastic dome that has gone brittle and cloudy, or a timber frame that has started to rot, is past saving. In many cases a new unit of the same size code drops into the existing opening, which keeps the work simple. In others, a slightly larger unit or a better-performing model is worth considering while the old one is out. We measure the existing opening and tell you which options fit it.
If only the glass has failed and the frame is sound, replacing the sealed unit alone can be an option. Our page on misted and failed rooflight replacement sets out when new glass in the old frame is enough and when the whole rooflight needs replacing.
The guarantee
Every installation carries our 10-year workmanship guarantee, set out in full on our guarantee page, alongside the manufacturer's own product guarantee for the unit.
chapter 06 · the houses
4roof types
- centre and cliffs
- Victorian slate
- interwar suburbs
- clay tile
- bungalow streets
- rooms in the roof
- remodelled homes
- flat roofs
Bournemouth houses, roof by roof
The town grew in stages, and each stage left a different kind of roof. Knowing which one you have tells us what to look for on the survey.
Bournemouth is young by English standards. Lewis Tregonwell built his house on the heath in 1810, and the town grew quickly once the railway arrived in 1870. The oldest parts, around the town centre and the East and West Cliff, have large Victorian and Edwardian villas with steep slate roofs, gables and chimneys. Boscombe, Pokesdown, Winton and Westbourne add late Victorian and Edwardian terraces and semis. Between the wars the town spread north and east with hipped clay-tiled semis and bungalows, and after the war came estates of brick houses with concrete tiles, then the newer housing that fills the edges today.
Victorian and Edwardian roofs
These roofs are usually natural slate on timber rafters that were cut and spaced by hand. Spacing can change from one bay to the next, and older rafters can be shallower than modern ones. A roof window here is measured at the exact spot it will go, and we check the slates around it, because old slates can be brittle and need care when the flashing is fitted. Many of these houses sit in conservation areas, so the permission check in chapter 04 matters most on these streets.
Interwar semis and bungalows
The 1930s houses that line so many of Bournemouth's suburbs often have hipped roofs of clay plain tiles. Hips leave less room for a roof window than a simple gable, because the slopes are shorter and narrower, so we look at where a window can sit without crowding a hip or a valley. Rear extensions added to these houses are a common home for a flat rooflight or a lantern.
Roof words on your survey sheet
- Hipped roof
- A roof that slopes on all four sides, common on 1930s houses and bungalows.
- Plain tile
- A small flat clay or concrete tile laid in overlapping courses.
- Interlocking tile
- A larger concrete tile that hooks into its neighbours.
- Batten gauge
- The spacing of the timber battens the tiles hang on.
- Trimmer
- A timber that carries the load round a new opening in the rafters.
- Upstand
- The raised frame a flat rooflight sits on, also called the kerb.
Chalet bungalows and rooms in the roof
Chalet bungalows, with bedrooms set into the roof slope, are common across Bournemouth and the towns around it. Here the slope is the ceiling, so a roof window lights the room directly and can also serve as an escape window for those rooms. The rafters are often deeper where insulation has been added, which changes the lining depth around the window, and we measure that too.
Flat roofs and remodelled houses
Garage conversions, kitchen extensions and some complete rebuilds have flat roofs with warm-deck insulation. These roofs suit flat rooflights, lanterns and, where the roof is used as a terrace, walk-on glass. The build-up depth sets the kerb height, as chapter 03 explains. If you are not sure which kind of roof you have, the survey answers it, and the sheet records it.
faq
questions about bournemouth skylights
Do you cover the whole of Bournemouth?
Yes. We survey and fit across Bournemouth and in every town and village within 30 road miles of the town centre, including Poole, Christchurch, Ferndown and Ringwood.
Is a skylight the same as a rooflight?
In everyday use, yes. Rooflight is the term the trade uses for glazing in a roof; skylight is the word most homeowners use. A roof window is a rooflight that sits in a pitched roof and usually opens. Our answer on the difference goes further.
How long does a skylight installation take?
A straight swap of a roof window often takes a day. A new opening, a lantern on a new kerb or work that needs scaffolding takes longer. Your quote gives the time for your job, and this answer explains what changes it.
What happens at the survey?
We look at the roof from outside and, where possible, from the loft, take the measurements the unit is chosen from, check the permission position for your address and talk through what you want from the room. Here is what to expect.
Can you replace a skylight without replacing the roof?
Usually, yes. A replacement unit is fitted into the existing opening and the roof covering is made good around it. This answer covers the exceptions.
Do I need planning permission for a skylight in Bournemouth?
Often not, because many rooflights on houses fall within permitted development. It can be needed on a flat, or where an Article 4 direction or a planning condition has removed the right, and councils often use Article 4 directions in conservation areas. A listed building needs listed building consent. We check BCP Council's records for your address before we quote. Our planning permission guide has the detail.
Can you fit a skylight to a flat-roofed extension?
Yes. Flat rooflights and roof lanterns are made for flat roofs and sit on a kerb above the roof surface. We measure the roof build-up and the opening first, so the kerb height and the unit size suit your roof.
Do you fit VELUX windows?
Yes. We fit and replace VELUX roof windows, matching the size code where we are replacing an old window and choosing the size from the rafter spacing where we are fitting a new one. See VELUX window installation.