What are skylight blinds & solar control?
Across Hertfordshire, our skylight blinds & solar control work covers electric blinds, blackout and solar-control upgrades for rooflights. Survey first, fixed price second, fitting third.
Larger gardens in much of the South East mean deeper rear extensions, and deeper rooms need light from above rather than only from the doors. 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 Hertfordshire
Specification options in Hertfordshire
- Solar-control glass replacement
- Electric pleated or roller blinds
- Integral blinds within the glass
- Blackout blinds
- Insect screens on opening units
- Blackout for bedrooms and nurseries
- Cuts summer heat gain
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.
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. 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.
Guide prices
Guide prices for skylight blinds & solar control in Hertfordshire 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.
Will I need planning permission in Hertfordshire?
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.
