Last updated 13 October 2026
Who we are
A Birmingham firm that fits more than one make
We are a residential installer. Our work is putting new rooflights into roofs that have never had one, and taking out tired, misted or draughty units and fitting something better in their place. That covers flat rooflights on kitchen extensions, roof lanterns over garden rooms, roof windows in lofts, walk-on glass in terraces, conservation units on older slate roofs and sun tunnels for dark landings.
The name comes from the city. Birmingham made things for the world, and a forge is the place where metal is worked into a shape that fits the job in front of it. We took that idea of making things properly and fitting them to the house, and left the anvils out of it.
Plenty of homeowners come to us after being shown one product by one company, usually the make that company happens to stock. A skylight is a long-lived part of the roof, and you should see what else would work before you commit. That is the whole reason we set up the way we did: we choose units for the roof and the room from whichever manufacturer suits, then show you the choices in writing.
Every written quote we send sets out more than one suitable unit.
How we quote
Five measures on every quote
Each option on the quote is described on the same five measures, in the same order, so you can read across the page and see where one rooflight gains and another gives ground. Where the roof allows it, the options come from more than one maker.
| Measure | What we write down | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| Glass | Double or triple glazing, any coating such as solar control or self-cleaning, and the U-value the maker states | Sets how much heat stays in and how the room feels under the glass on a hot afternoon |
| Frame | The material and finish: aluminium, uPVC, timber or a coated timber core | Decides the sightline from inside, the upkeep and how the unit looks from the garden |
| Opening | Fixed, manual or electric, and whether a rain sensor is fitted | Fresh air and access to the roof, weighed against the extra cost of a moving part |
| Lead time | The maker's typical range for that unit, stated as such | Stock sizes often arrive sooner than made-to-measure glass, which helps when a build is booked |
| Price | The fitted price for that option, with the roof and finishing work included | The trade-off becomes a plain choice once the figures sit next to each other |
We then say which one we would pick for your house and why, and leave the decision with you. If the dearer unit is worth it for your room we say so, and if the simpler one does the job just as well we say that too. Our guide to comparing your options shows the format in full, and the types of skylight guide lays each product out on the same measures.
What we fit
The skylights and rooflights we install
- Roof lanterns for kitchen, dining and garden-room extensions with a flat roof.
- Flat roof rooflights, from a single fixed pane to paired units over a long extension.
- Roof windows for loft rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms in a pitched roof.
- VELUX windows, fitted new or swapped for a current model in an existing opening.
- Electric and opening rooflights, including roof access hatches.
- Energy efficient rooflights with triple glazing or coated glass.
- Misted and failed rooflight replacement, from a new sealed unit to a whole new rooflight.
- Walk-on rooflights for terraces, paths and basement light wells.
- Conservation rooflights for older roofs where the look matters to the council and to you.
- Sun tunnels for hallways, landings and bathrooms with no room for a window.
Who we work for
Homeowners at three different starting points
Our customers are owner-occupiers, and they tend to reach us from one of three places. Some already know they want a rooflight or a lantern and have a single quote in hand; they want to know what else is out there before they spend. Some have a rear extension, a loft conversion or a new flat roof drawn up and need the unit chosen and fitted. Others have an old skylight that has misted between the panes or lets in a draught, and are deciding between a like-for-like swap and an upgrade.
The houses vary as much as the people. Around the city we see Victorian and Edwardian terraces and villas, interwar semis and bungalows with rear kitchen extensions, and later estates with flat-roofed additions now due a new covering. Out in Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire there is older market-town and village stock where listed buildings and conservation areas come up often. We check the position for each address rather than assume it.
How we work
From the first visit to the signed-off job
Free survey
We visit, look at the roof from inside and out, measure the opening or the space for one, and talk through how you use the room. Book a free survey to arrange a time.
Written quote
You receive a written quote with the suitable options side by side on glass, frame, opening, lead time and price, and our own recommendation.
You choose
Take as long as you need. Ask us anything about any option, and change your mind about the size or the opening before we order.
We fit it
We fit the unit you chose to current Building Regulations and finish the inside around it.
Paperwork
Where the work is notifiable we handle the Building Control notification, and you receive the guarantee in writing with your completion papers.
Whichever unit you pick, it is fitted the same way. A fixed double-glazed rooflight gets the same care in the kerb, the flashing and the plaster as an electric triple-glazed lantern.
The rules
Fitted to current Building Regulations
Part L 2021, in Table 4.2 for existing homes, sets a limit of 2.2 W/m²K for rooflights, while roof windows are held to the window limit of 1.4 W/m²K or WER Band B. Every unit we put on a quote meets the limit that applies to it, and the quote states the maker's figure so you can compare.
Replacing a whole rooflight, frame and glass together, is notifiable as a controlled fitting; replacing only the sealed glass unit is not. Cutting a new opening in a roof is building work under the Building Regulations. Where the job is notifiable we deal with the Building Control notification, whether that goes to the council or to a registered building control approver. Our answer on rooflights and Building Regulations covers the detail.
Planning is separate. Many rooflights fall under permitted development, subject to the conditions in our rooflight planning guide. We check the position for your address and tell you what we find; the council makes the decision.
Our guarantee
What stands behind each installation
Every installation carries our 10-year workmanship guarantee. It is given by us directly and covers the way we fitted the unit: the fixing, the kerb or upstand we built, the flashings and seals around it, and the finish we formed inside. The unit itself also carries the maker's own warranty, and if a product fault appears we take it up with the manufacturer for you.
- 10-year workmanship guarantee
- Maker's warranty on the unit
- Set out in writing at completion
The guarantee is the same whichever option you choose. Read our guarantee in full for what it covers and how to make a claim.
Where we work
Birmingham and up to 30 road miles around it
We cover the whole city and every town within 30 road miles of the centre, from Sutton Coldfield and Solihull to the Black Country, north Worcestershire, south Staffordshire and the Warwickshire towns. The full list of areas we cover has a page for each town with notes on its housing and its planning authority.
The easiest way to start is to book a free survey using the form on this page. You can also email info@forgeskylightsbirmingham.co.uk, call us on 0121 405 2174, or send a WhatsApp message to 07880 284133 with a photo of the roof or the old unit, and we will come back to you.
Questions
Are you tied to one manufacturer?
We are not tied to one manufacturer. We pick units from whichever manufacturer suits the roof and the room, and where the roof allows it the options on your quote come from more than one maker.
What do I need to have ready for the survey?
Access to the room and, if you have them, any drawings for an extension or loft conversion. A rough idea of how you use the room helps us suggest whether an opening unit is worth having.
Will you tell me which option you would choose?
We always give our own pick on the quote with the reason behind it, and we say plainly when the simpler unit does the job as well as the dearer one.
Do I have to pick one of the options on the quote?
The options are a starting point. If you would like a different size, another glass or a unit you have seen elsewhere priced alongside them, tell us and we revise the quote on the same five measures.
Who looks after the job once it is booked?
The same firm that surveyed your roof fits the unit, deals with any Building Control notification and stands behind the work with the 10-year workmanship guarantee.