What do rooflight upstands & kerbs involve?
Across Kent, our rooflight upstands & kerbs work covers insulated kerbs built and waterproofed to suit your rooflight. Survey first, fixed price second, fitting third.
Many South East homes have been extended more than once, and an old dome over an earlier extension is often due for replacement. Across the South East, single-storey kitchen extensions on 1930s semis and post-war detached houses are where most flat rooflights and lanterns go.
Towns in Kent
What you can choose
- Raised upstands for deep green or ballasted roofs
- Timber upstands with insulation
- Internal plaster-box linings
- Upstands to suit single-ply, felt, GRP or liquid roofs
- Proprietary insulated kerbs
- Built square to the rooflight size
- Correct height above the finished roof
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. 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.
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. In an extension, glazing including rooflights is normally limited to 25% of the new floor area plus any windows or doors the extension covers, unless a whole-house calculation shows otherwise.
What do rooflight upstands & kerbs cost in Kent?
Prices below are shown including and excluding VAT. In Kent, as elsewhere, making good inside and access equipment are the main variables.
| Option | Guide price inc VAT | Ex VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Large or raised upstand | £715 – £1,195 | £595 – £995 |
| Standard insulated upstand Typical | £475 – £715 | £395 – £595 |
| Small upstand on new roof | £355 – £475 | £295 – £395 |
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.
Upstands & kerbs in nearby areas
Common questions
Why is my rooflight cold around the edge?
Usually an uninsulated upstand. Insulating the kerb and lining the reveal fixes most cold spots.
Can I build the upstand myself?
Your builder can, to our drawing. We check it before the rooflight is fitted, because the unit must sit square and level.
What roof coverings do you work with?
Single-ply, EPDM, felt, GRP and liquid-applied systems — or we coordinate with your roofer.
Does every rooflight need an upstand?
Flat and dome rooflights do. Pitched roof windows use flashing kits instead.
Do you offer rooflight upstands & kerbs across Kent?
Yes. We carry out rooflight upstands & kerbs across Kent, including Maidstone, Gillingham, Chatham.
