What are flat rooflights?
Our flat rooflights service in East Sussex covers fixed double or triple glazed rooflights for flat roofs and extensions. We survey every job before fixing the price.
Orangery-style extensions with lanterns are popular across the South East, and solar-control glass makes a big difference on south-facing gardens. Period cottages and conservation-area streets are common in the South East, so slim conservation rooflights are often the right choice.
Towns in East Sussex
Options we can specify
- Rain sensor if paired with an opening unit
- Integral or fitted blinds
- Double or triple glazing
- Plastered or lined internal reveal
- Insulated kerb or timber upstand built to suit
- Slim sightlines from inside — mostly glass, little frame
- Pairs with an opening unit where you also need ventilation
Planning and building rules in England
Most rooflights on English houses do not need planning permission, provided they keep within 150 mm of the roof surface and below the ridge line. A rooflight on a side-facing slope must be obscure-glazed, and fixed shut unless the opening part is more than 1.7 m above the floor.
Under Approved Document L, a rooflight added to an English home must achieve at least 2.2 W/m²K (horizontal plane), and a roof window 1.4 W/m²K or Window Energy Rating Band B. Replacing a rooflight or roof window can be self-certified by an installer registered with an authorised competent person scheme; otherwise building control approval is needed.
Guide prices
Guide prices for flat rooflights in East Sussex are the same as anywhere we work — what changes the price is the job: access, structure, scaffold and finishing.
| Option | Guide price inc VAT | Ex VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Large or triple glazed (1500 × 2500 mm and up) | £2,395 – £4,195 | £1,995 – £3,495 |
| Mid-size double glazed (1000 × 2000 mm) Typical | £1,675 – £2,395 | £1,395 – £1,995 |
| Small double glazed (up to 1000 × 1000 mm) | £1,195 – £1,795 | £995 – £1,495 |
How the job runs
- Tell us about the roof. Send the postcode, rough sizes and a photo or two through the form, WhatsApp or the guide-price tool.
- Free survey. For new installations a surveyor measures the opening, checks the roof build-up and talks through glass and options.
- Fixed written quote. You get the product, the work and the price in writing. Nothing is ordered or paid for until you agree.
- Fitting and handover. We fit, seal and make good, then hand over product data, warranties and any certificate paperwork.
Flat rooflights in nearby areas
Common questions
Will it make the room too hot?
A big unglazed-to-sky area can add solar gain in summer. Solar-control glass, a blind, or pairing a fixed unit with an opening one keeps it comfortable.
How long does it take?
Fitting into a prepared upstand usually takes a day. Forming a new opening in an existing roof, including making good inside, is often two to three days.
Do flat rooflights leak?
A well-fitted flat rooflight should not leak. Leaks almost always come from the upstand or membrane detailing, not the glass unit, which is why the upstand height and the way the roof covering is dressed up and under the frame matter more than the brand.
Can you fit into my existing flat roof?
Yes. We form a new opening, trim the joists, build and waterproof an upstand and make good the ceiling. A survey confirms the joist direction and roof build-up first.
Do you fit flat rooflights across East Sussex?
Yes. We survey and fit flat rooflights across East Sussex, including Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings.
