Sun tunnels & tubular skylights for St Albans: the essentials
For St Albans homes and buildings we offer sun tunnels & tubular skylights: light pipes that bring daylight to halls and bathrooms with no window. 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. Typical uses for sun tunnels & tubular skylights include small internal rooms where a full rooflight will not fit.
We work across Hertfordshire, including St Albans, and in neighbouring towns such as Harpenden and Hatfield. Access, parking and how the glass reaches the roof are all checked at the survey.
Specification options
- Pitched or flat-roof flashings
- Ventilation adaptor
- Integrated electric light
- Insulated tube sections
- Rigid (brighter) or flexible tubes
- Works on pitched and flat roofs
- Daylight where no window is possible
What to check first
- Not a substitute for a habitable-room window
- Light output falls with tube length and bends
Do you need permission in St Albans?
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. 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.
Building Regulations Approved Document L sets a limiting U-value of 2.2 W/m²K for new or replacement rooflights in existing homes, measured in the horizontal plane; roof windows need 1.4 W/m²K or a Band B energy rating. 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 Albans
Prices below are shown including and excluding VAT. In St Albans, as elsewhere, making good inside and access equipment are the main variables.
| 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 |
From enquiry to finished job
- Send the details. Postcode, rough size and a photo of the roof and room.
- Free site visit. For new installs we survey free, measure and confirm the roof detail.
- Written price. You receive a fixed price listing the unit, the work and the lead time.
- Fit and make good. We fit, seal, test and finish the reveal, then hand over the paperwork.
Nearby towns
Other services in St Albans
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.
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.
Can it go through a flat roof?
Yes, with a flat-roof flashing and upstand.
How do I book a survey in St Albans?
Send your postcode and, if you can, a photo of the roof and the room. We offer a survey date when we reply.
Do you fit sun tunnels & tubular skylights in St Albans?
Yes. We survey and fit sun tunnels & tubular skylights in St Albans and across Hertfordshire. Send your postcode and we will offer a survey date when we reply.
