Skylight blinds & solar control in Reading: what is involved?
For Reading homes and buildings we offer skylight blinds & solar control: electric blinds, blackout and solar-control upgrades for rooflights. We measure first, specify to the opening and confirm any planning or building-control points before quoting.
Across the South East, single-storey kitchen extensions on 1930s semis and post-war detached houses are where most flat rooflights and lanterns go. In Reading, as anywhere, skylight blinds & solar control are the usual choice for bedrooms, nurseries and south-facing kitchens.
Reading is the main town we list in Berkshire; we also cover nearby Earley and Henley-on-Thames.
Options we can specify in Reading
- Solar-control glass replacement
- Solar-powered remote blinds
- Integral blinds within the glass
- Electric pleated or roller blinds
- Insect screens on opening units
- Cuts summer heat gain
- Electric or solar-powered operation
Before you order: points to check
- Retrofit blinds depend on reveal depth and access
- Integral blinds are specified with a new glass unit
Planning, building control and Reading
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. 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.
See our building regulations guide for U-values, glazing limits and self-certification.
What do skylight blinds & solar control cost in Reading?
The ranges below are typical for straightforward jobs; your fixed price follows a survey of your roof.
| Option | Guide price inc VAT | Ex VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Integral blind in a new glass unit | £715 – £1,435 | £595 – £1,195 |
| Electric or solar blind Typical | £595 – £1,075 | £495 – £895 |
| Manual pleated or blackout blind | £355 – £595 | £295 – £495 |
From enquiry to finished job
- Tell us what you have. Send the RG1 postcode, a rough size and a couple of photos.
- Measure and check. A surveyor visits Reading, measures and checks structure and access.
- Fixed quote. Product, work and price in writing — nothing is ordered until you agree.
- Fit and make good. We fit, seal, test and finish the reveal, then hand over the paperwork.
Skylight blinds & solar control near Reading
Related work in Reading
Questions about skylight blinds & solar control in Reading
Do blinds work on roof lanterns?
Lantern blinds exist but are complex; solar-control glass is often the better answer.
Will a blind stop a rooflight getting hot?
An internal blind helps with glare but some heat still gets in behind it. Solar-control glass or an external shade does more for heat.
What is an integral blind?
A blind sealed between the panes of the glass unit. It never gets dusty or damaged, but is ordered with the unit.
How do I book a survey in Reading?
Send your postcode and, if you can, a photo of the roof and the room. We offer a survey date when we reply.
Can you work alongside my builder in Reading?
Yes. On new extensions we fit once the opening and upstand are ready and coordinate dates with your builder.
