What do glass links & glass box roofs involve?
Across Greater London, our glass links & glass box roofs work covers frameless glass links joining old and new buildings. Survey first, fixed price second, fitting third.
Party walls are a fact of life in London terraces, and rooflights close to a shared wall need detailing that keeps the neighbour's side dry too. Victorian and Edwardian terraces with narrow side returns are typical of much of London, and a glass roof or long flat rooflight is the usual way to keep the back rooms bright once the return is built over.
Towns in Greater London
What you can choose
- Frameless or slim-framed glass
- Heated glass on some systems
- Concealed gutters and drainage
- Frameless sliding or pivot doors
- Solar-control and low-iron glass
- Visually light connection between buildings
- Keeps period walls on show
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.
For English homes the energy rules ask for rooflights of 2.2 W/m²K or better and roof windows of 1.4 W/m²K (or WER Band B); most modern double glazed units meet both. 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.
Glass links & glass box roofs prices in Greater London
Guide prices for glass links & glass box roofs in Greater London 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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
Can a glass link be warm enough to use all year?
With insulated glass units, solar control and good detailing, yes — though it will always be brighter and more exposed to temperature swings than a solid room.
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.
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.
Who designs it?
Your architect, or we produce a survey-based design that the glass manufacturer engineers.
Will I need planning permission in Greater London?
In England a rooflight on a house is usually permitted development under Class C if it projects no more than 150 mm beyond the roof slope and sits no higher than the ridge.
