Skylights & rooflights fitted in Bilston

What a terraced roof can take

Older terraces are often built with narrow rooms and timber that was cut for the job, so the first question on the survey is what the rafters will let us do. The gap between two neighbouring rafters sets the width of a standard roof window; a wider one needs a rafter trimmed, and the trimming needs support above and below. We look at the roof from inside the loft, note the rafter size and spacing, and tell you which of the roof windows fit as they are and which need structural work.

Old roofs can also surprise. Timbers may have shifted, the covering may have been altered over the years, and the lining under the tiles may be missing or torn. A roof window opens the covering, so we look at what lies under it and say what we find. That might change the choice of flashing, or it might be a reason to renew the covering round the opening while the tiles are off.

A terrace shares a roof line with its neighbours, and a window that suits one house may look odd on a row. We keep the new windows in line with any that already exist along the street, and match the colour of the frame to the tiles, which is the easiest way to keep the front of the roof calm.

Extensions behind the house

Flat-roofed extensions at the back of the house are the other big job in the town. The usual question is whether the room needs a lantern or whether a flat rooflight will do. A lantern gives height and a bright centre, but it costs more and needs a taller kerb. A flat rooflight sits flush, costs less, and suits a smaller or narrower roof. Our answer on a roof lantern or a flat rooflight goes through the choice, and the quote prices whichever the roof allows.

Whichever you choose, the glass matters as much as the frame. A kitchen under a south-facing rooflight can warm up quickly in summer, so we compare solar control glass, a blind or both on the quote, and show the winter figure for each option.

Blinds, ventilation and keeping the room usable

A roof window brings in more light than a wall window of the same size, and in a small loft room that can mean a lot of heat on a sunny afternoon. Shade fitted outside, such as an external blind or awning, catches the sun ahead of the glass and works better than an internal blind, which only deals with it once it is already inside. An internal blind still helps with glare and with sleeping, and a blackout version darkens a bedroom for a nap.

Ventilation matters in a roof room as well. A window that opens at the top lets warm air out, and a window lower in the slope lets cooler air in, so two windows on the same slope can move air through the room. A roof window with a trickle vent allows a little background air with the sash closed. None of these removes the need to look after damp in a loft, and we say plainly that a window helps the air but is not a cure for it.

Powered blinds and windows run from a small controller, and the choice between manual and powered is a matter of reach and budget. Our page on manual and electric rooflights compares them.

Conservation rooflights and older fronts

A conservation rooflight is a roof window with a slim, dark frame and often a single vertical glazing bar, built to sit low in the line of the covering. It has modern double glazing, and the maker's data says which Part L figure, rooflight or roof window, it is measured against, while its look is closer to the cast iron rooflights that older roofs used to carry.

Against a standard roof window of the same size it usually costs more, and the maker's typical range for delivery, stated on the quote, may run longer. For a front slope that faces the road, or a house the council has concerns about, it can be the unit that gets the answer you want. For a rear slope that no one sees, a standard window is often the sensible choice. Our page on conservation rooflight installation compares the finishes.