What do glass links & glass box roofs involve?
Glass links & glass box roofs in the West Midlands means frameless glass links joining old and new buildings. Every quote follows a survey of the roof and the room below.
Older terraced streets in Midlands towns often have back additions and side passages that suit a ridge rooflight or long flat rooflight. Industrial and commercial units around Midlands towns often still have their original rooflight sheets, which are due for replacement.
Towns in the West Midlands
Specification options in the West Midlands
- Concealed gutters and drainage
- Frameless sliding or pivot doors
- Structural glass beams and fins
- Solar-control and low-iron glass
- Frameless or slim-framed glass
- Designed around the existing building
- Bright circulation space
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. 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. 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.
What do glass links & glass box roofs cost in the West Midlands?
Prices below are shown including and excluding VAT. In the West Midlands, 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
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.
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.
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.
Will I need planning permission in the West Midlands?
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.
