The short answer
A stocked skylight in a standard size usually arrives soonest, and a made-to-order rooflight in a special size, colour or glass takes longer. The maker sets the range for each unit, and your written quote states the maker's typical range beside each option so you can compare dates as well as prices.
Stock units and made-to-order units
Most of the wait comes down to one question: does the maker already hold the unit, or does it have to be built for you? Standard roof windows in common sizes are the kind of unit makers stock in numbers. Flat rooflights in set sizes and many sun tunnels sit in the same group. A unit cut to the exact opening, in a made-to-measure frame or with a coated pane, is built after you order, and that adds time.
| Item | Often sooner | Often longer |
|---|---|---|
| Size | A standard size from stock | Made to the exact opening |
| Colour | The maker's standard colour | A special colour, or a different colour inside and out |
| Glass | Plain double glazing | Triple glazed, coated or laminated |
| Opening | Fixed, or a manual vent | Electric vent with rain sensor |
| Shape | A rectangular unit | A lantern, a curved or an unusual shape |
The ranges are the maker's typical ones, not ours, and they can move with the maker's workload. That is why the quote states them as the maker's typical range and does not promise a fixed delivery date.
What lengthens the wait
Colour is the change people overlook. A grey or black frame in a maker's standard range is usually quick, while a special colour or a different finish inside and out is made specially. Glass works the same way: a coated, triple glazed or laminated pane is made to order more often than plain double glazing.
Electric opening units add another step, because the motor, the rain sensor and the controls come as a kit and the wiring has to be arranged before fitting. Our page on electric opening rooflights covers the parts and the survey checks.
Many roof lanterns are made to order for the opening, so they often sit towards the longer end. Our guide to roof lanterns compares the frames and shapes.
How a side-by-side quote shows it
Each written quote lays out several suitable options together, and the lead time is one of the rows beside glass, frame, opening and price. A unit that costs a little more can be the better buy if it is in stock and the one that costs less is made to order. Seeing the two lead times on the same page lets you make that choice with the dates in front of you.
Several makers feature among the options whenever the roof permits, since no single manufacturer holds us. Makers differ in what they hold and in how they build to order, so the same size and glass can carry different lead times from different makers.
Our page on comparing your options shows the rows a quote uses, and the answer on replacement cost covers what pushes the price up or down.
From order to fitting day
The maker's lead time is one stage of the wait. Before it, the survey measures the opening and the quote is agreed. After it, the unit arrives, is checked against the order, and the fitting date is booked around the roof work involved.
Survey
We measure the opening, check the roof and note anything that affects the unit, such as the covering or the structure around it.
Quote and order
You choose from the options side by side, and the order goes to the maker once the quote is agreed.
Delivery
The unit is checked when it arrives, because an error found then costs less time than one found on the roof.
Fitting
The fitting date is arranged with you, with weather taken into account for roof work.
Weather matters for the last stage. Roof work is done in dry conditions, so a date can move even when the unit is on site. We tell you early if that is likely.
Building Control and planning checks
Two checks can run alongside the maker's lead time without adding to it. Building Control is notified by us for any work that is notifiable. A new opening also gets its permission position checked by us for your address, against the tests in our rooflight planning guide, and the council makes the final call. Starting both checks early is the most reliable way to keep the date steady.
- Maker's typical range stated for each option
- Stock and made-to-order units marked as such
- Fitting date arranged after delivery
To see how the dates compare for your roof, book a free survey. The full range of work is on our home page.
Related questions
Can you give me a fixed delivery date before I order?
Against each unit, the quote gives the typical range stated by its maker. The maker controls the build and delivery, so the range is the figure to plan around.
Is a stocked unit lower quality than a made-to-order one?
A stocked unit is the same product, made earlier and held until sold. The difference is that it is a standard size and specification, so it suits an opening that matches.
Does the fitting date change if the weather turns?
It can, because roof work needs dry conditions. We tell you early and rebook around the forecast.
Which units are usually the quickest to get?
Standard roof windows in common sizes and set-size flat rooflights are the usual ones, though the maker's current stock decides it.