In Kirkwall, as everywhere, flat rooflights fail in the same places as lanterns: the seal to the upstand, the roof junction and the glass unit. Send photos and we'll tell you what we think has failed.
What you might be seeing
- Water around the rooflight edge
- Misted glass
- Ponding on the glass (not enough fall)
What usually causes it?
No fall
Flat glass needs a slight fall to shed water; ponding stresses seals.
Unit failure
Edge seals fail and the unit mists.
Covering Kirkwall and nearby
Western and upland parts of the UK get more rain and more wind-driven rain than the east, and that's what finds weak cappings and blocked eaves first. Lanterns here benefit from a check of the bars on the most exposed face and a clear eaves channel before winter.
Near the coast, salt in the air is hard on aluminium finishes and fixings; washing the frame occasionally and touching in chips keeps corrosion away.
We cover Kirkwall by arrangement: island work is planned around ferry access, and any travel or access costs are set out in your written quote before you commit.
How much should it cost?
Most flat rooflight and skylight repairs jobs come in between £195 and £595 ex VAT (£234–£714 including VAT), per rooflight. Towers or scaffold, where needed, are priced into the quote. Your fixed price is confirmed in writing before any work starts.
Do you need permission in Scotland?
In Scotland, like-for-like repairs to a roof lantern don't usually involve building control. A full replacement or a bigger opening is controlled under the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004, so we set out the route in writing first. Listed buildings in Scotland need listed building consent from the planning authority for alterations, with Historic Environment Scotland guidance; check before changing a lantern on a listed property.
How does it work?
- Send photosWhatsApp or upload a few photos and tell us when it leaks.
- Guide priceWe reply with a guide price and whether a visit is needed.
- Fixed price in writingYou approve the price and the date before anything starts.
- Repair and testWe fix what's failed, water-test where it matters, and send photos.
Flat rooflight and skylight repairs in Kirkwall: questions
Do you cover Kirkwall?
Yes, by arrangement. We cover Kirkwall, including the KW15 postcode area, as part of Highlands and Islands. Send photos by WhatsApp or the form for a free guide price, and we'll confirm the fixed price in writing before any work starts.
How do I get a price for flat rooflight and skylight repairs in Kirkwall?
Send a few photos of the lantern and the problem, with your Kirkwall postcode. We'll reply with a guide price and tell you whether a visit is needed before we can fix the price.
Do you replace walk-on rooflight glass?
Walk-on glass is a specialist structural unit; we can measure and specify a replacement from the right manufacturer.
Can you fix a Velux-style roof window?
Our focus is flat rooflights and lanterns; pitched roof windows are a different trade and we'll say so if that's what you have.
Other lantern repairs in Kirkwall
- Flat roof junction and flashing repairs in Kirkwall
- Misted glass unit replacement in Kirkwall
- uPVC roof lantern repairs in Kirkwall
- Opening vent and actuator repairs in Kirkwall
- Roof lantern replacement in Kirkwall
- Orangery lantern repairs in Kirkwall
More about flat rooflight and skylight repairs · All roof lantern repairs in Kirkwall