The short answer
An electric rooflight price is built from six parts: the rooflight unit, the motor, the controls and sensors, the wiring, the roof work around it, and the finish inside. Each part of more than one suitable unit has its own price in the written quote, which shows where the money goes.
The rooflight unit
The glazed unit and its frame make up the base of the price, and a powered rooflight starts from the same decisions as a fixed one. A larger opening costs more, a made-to-measure size usually costs more than a stock one, and triple glazing or a solar control coating adds to the figure.
Opening style matters here too. A hinged sash that lifts at one edge is the common arrangement on a flat roof, while a sliding box rooflight is a larger and more involved product that usually costs more. Our guide to flat roof rooflights shows how the fixed versions are built, which helps when you want to see how much of the price is the opener and how much is the glass.
The motor and how the power arrives
The motor, often a chain or spindle actuator, is the part that makes the rooflight electric. Its price depends on the weight of the sash, how far it must open and the maker's range. A heavy sash on a large opening needs a stronger actuator than a small vent does.
Where the power comes from changes the price more than the motor does.
| Item | Mains electric | Solar powered |
|---|---|---|
| Unit price | Usually lower | Usually higher |
| Cable to the unit | Needed, priced as a line | None |
| Work to a finished ceiling | Cable route may need chasing and making good | Little disturbance |
| Running cost | Small electricity use | None from the house supply |
A solar unit carries a higher unit price because the panel and battery are built into the frame, though it saves the wiring. A mains unit costs less to buy and then adds an electrician's work. Which one comes out lower overall depends on how easy it is to get a cable to the roof, and we trace that route at the survey. Our guide to electric rooflight wiring explains what the cable run involves.
Controls and sensors
A wall switch is the simplest control. A handheld remote costs a little more, and a keypad or a link to a home system costs more again. A rain sensor is a separate part on many units, and on some solar units it is already in the frame, which affects how two quotes compare. Our answer on how a rain sensor works covers what it does and what to read on the specification.
Some quotes include a temperature sensor, which opens the vent when the room warms. That is a further line and it only suits rooms where overheating is a real problem, such as a south facing kitchen extension. We would sooner price it as an option than fold it into the unit and hide it.
Wiring, roof work and the finish inside
The wiring is priced as its own line, because the length of the run and the state of the ceiling decide it. A new circuit from the consumer unit costs more than a spur from a nearby supply, and a cable chased through a finished room costs more than one laid before the plaster goes on.
The kerb or upstand, the roof covering dressed around it and any joist work are the same costs you would see on a fixed rooflight, and they can be a large part of the total on a roof that needs reworking. Where a new opening has to be formed, the Building Regulations class the roof work as building work, and exchanging a whole rooflight, frame and glass, also needs notifying. Building Control receives its notification from us on any notifiable job, and the quote displays it so nothing is hidden.
Inside, the plaster reveal or lining is made good after the work. The quote states how the reveal is left, ready for decorating.
Why the price needs a survey
Two electric rooflights of the same size can be far apart in price once the motor, the sensors and the cable route are counted, and the roof and ceiling decide much of it. A figure given unseen would be a guess, which explains the free survey and the written quote that itemises each part of each option.
- Unit, motor and controls priced separately
- Wiring shown as its own line
- Maker's lead time stated for each option
Where the ceiling is finished and the cable route is awkward, we price a mains unit and a solar one together, because that is the case where the cheaper unit may not give the lower total. If you would like to set those two against a manual opener, our guide to manual and electric rooflights compares them on upkeep and reach. To get prices for the opening and wiring on your own roof, book a free survey and the units that suit it are priced next to each other.
Related questions
Is a solar rooflight cheaper than a mains one?
The unit costs more, but there is no cable to run, so the total can come out lower when the ceiling is finished and the route is awkward. Both get a price whenever both suit the opening.
Do I pay extra for a rain sensor?
On many units it is a separate part and shows as its own line. Some solar units already include one, and the quote marks which is which.
Does the quote include an electrician?
The wiring is a line of its own on the quote, which shows what the supply to the rooflight costs and lets you compare it with a quote that leaves it out.
Can I turn a manual rooflight into an electric one?
Sometimes, if the maker offers a motor kit for that frame. We check the model at the survey and say whether the swap is worth pricing against a new unit.