What do skylight blinds & solar control involve?
Our skylight blinds & solar control service in Greater Manchester covers electric blinds, blackout and solar-control upgrades for rooflights. We survey every job before fixing the price.
The North West gets more rain than most of England, so upstand height, membrane detailing and rain sensors on opening units are not optional extras. Stone and brick terraces are typical across the North West, and roof windows in rear slopes are a common way to light attic rooms.
Towns in Greater Manchester
What you can choose
- Insect screens on opening units
- Solar-control glass replacement
- Solar-powered remote blinds
- Electric pleated or roller blinds
- Integral blinds within the glass
- Blackout for bedrooms and nurseries
- Retrofit to most rooflights
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.
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.
Guide prices
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 |
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.
Blinds & solar control in nearby areas
Common questions
Do blinds work on roof lanterns?
Lantern blinds exist but are complex; solar-control glass is often the better answer.
Are electric blinds worth it?
For high rooflights you cannot reach, yes. Solar-powered models avoid new wiring.
Can I get full blackout?
Blackout fabrics in side channels give near-total darkness.
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.
Do I need to be at home for the survey in Greater Manchester?
Yes — someone needs to let us into the room below and, where possible, show us how the roof is reached.
