Sun tunnels & tubular skylights for St Austell: the essentials
Thinking about sun tunnels & tubular skylights in St Austell? The short answer: light pipes that bring daylight to halls and bathrooms with no window. The longer answer depends on your roof, which is why we survey before we price.
Holiday lets and second homes across the South West often want roof windows with blinds and remote opening for when the house is empty. Sun tunnels & tubular skylights suit windowless hallways, landings and bathrooms.
We work across Cornwall, including St Austell, and in neighbouring towns such as Bodmin and Truro. Access, parking and how the glass reaches the roof are all checked at the survey.
Specification options
- Diffusers in several sizes
- Pitched or flat-roof flashings
- Insulated tube sections
- Integrated electric light
- Rigid (brighter) or flexible tubes
- Low maintenance
- Small ceiling opening, quick fit
Before you order: points to check
- Tube runs need insulation in cold lofts to limit condensation
- Gives light, not a view
Do you need permission in St Austell?
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.
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.
See our building regulations guide for U-values, glazing limits and self-certification.
Guide prices for St Austell
These are typical supply-and-fit ranges. For an address in St Austell, scaffold, a hoist for heavy glass, or a new structural opening can move the figure, which is why we survey first.
| Option | Guide price inc VAT | Ex VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Large rigid tunnel, long run | £1,675 – £2,275 | £1,395 – £1,895 |
| Standard rigid tunnel Typical | £1,315 – £1,795 | £1,095 – £1,495 |
| Compact flexible tunnel | £1,075 – £1,435 | £895 – £1,195 |
How the job runs
- Get in touch. Use the form, WhatsApp or the guide-price tool with your St Austell address.
- Measure and check. A surveyor visits St Austell, measures and checks structure and access.
- Written price. You receive a fixed price listing the unit, the work and the lead time.
- Installation day. Usually one day into a prepared opening, longer for new openings.
Nearby towns
Related work in St Austell
Common questions
Do sun tunnels need planning permission?
Usually not on a house, provided the dome does not project too far and the property is not listed. Check if you live in a conservation area or a flat.
Rigid or flexible tube?
Rigid tubes carry much more light. Flexible tubes are easier where the loft is cluttered, but lose light faster.
How much light does a sun tunnel give?
A good rigid tunnel on a bright day lights a hallway well. Output depends on tube diameter, length and the number of bends.
Do I need to be at home for the survey in St Austell?
Yes — someone needs to let us into the room below and, where possible, show us how the roof is reached.
Will I need planning permission in St Austell?
In England a rooflight on a house is usually permitted development under Class C if it projects no more than 150 mm beyond the roof slope and sits no higher than the ridge.
