What are glass links & glass box roofs?
Across Cornwall, our glass links & glass box roofs work covers frameless glass links joining old and new buildings. Survey first, fixed price second, fitting third.
Stone cottages, slate roofs and conservation areas are common in the South West, and conservation-profile rooflights keep the roofline quiet. Barn and chapel conversions in the South West often need bespoke or shaped rooflights to suit the original structure.
Towns in Cornwall
Specification options in Cornwall
- Frameless sliding or pivot doors
- Concealed gutters and drainage
- Structural glass beams and fins
- Heated glass on some systems
- Solar-control and low-iron glass
- Can include frameless doors
- Designed around the existing building
Planning and building rules in England
English householder permitted development (Class C) normally covers rooflights that stand no more than 0.15 m proud of the roof plane and stay below the highest part of the roof. Listed buildings need listed building consent, flats have no householder permitted development rights, and an Article 4 direction can remove the rights in some conservation areas.
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. The Future Homes and Buildings Standards, published in March 2026, apply from 24 March 2027 and keep the 2.2 W/m²K limit for rooflights.
What do glass links & glass box roofs cost in Cornwall?
Prices below are shown including and excluding VAT. In Cornwall, as elsewhere, making good inside and access equipment are the main variables.
| Option | Guide price inc VAT | Ex VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Fully frameless link with glass beams | £20,395 – £35,995 | £16,995 – £29,995 |
| Glass roof and glazed sides Typical | £13,195 – £20,395 | £10,995 – £16,995 |
| Glass roof between existing walls | £9,595 – £13,195 | £7,995 – £10,995 |
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.
Glass links in nearby areas
Common questions
Who designs it?
Your architect, or we produce a survey-based design that the glass manufacturer engineers.
Do glass links need planning permission?
Often, yes — and listed building consent if either building is listed. We can provide drawings and product data for your application.
Is structural glass safe?
Structural glass is laminated so it stays in place if a ply breaks. The manufacturer designs it for the loads involved.
How is the glass joined to the old wall?
Usually by a slim channel or flashing set into the masonry, sealed and weathered so the old wall can move without cracking the glass seal.
Will I need planning permission in Cornwall?
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.
