Each glazing bar on a roof lantern has a top capping that clamps the glass onto gaskets. Send photos from Barnstaple (EX31) and we'll tell you which it is — with the price agreed in writing before any work.
What you might be seeing
- Gasket rubber poking out, cracked or missing
- Water running down one glazing bar inside
- Rattling or whistling in wind
Common causes we find
Gasket shrinkage
Rubber gaskets shrink back from the ends over time, leaving a gap at the ridge or eaves.
Fixings working loose
Screws and clips that hold the capping relax with thermal movement, so the clamp on the glass weakens.
Covering Barnstaple 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.
Barnstaple is around 34 miles from Exeter, and both are within our Devon coverage.
Neighbouring places we cover include Bideford (8 miles), Tiverton (28 miles), Exeter (34 miles).
How much should it cost?
Guide price for glazing bar and capping repairs: £165–£395 ex VAT (£198–£474 inc VAT), per lantern. 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 England?
Most lantern repairs in England need no approval at all. Where a job turns into a replacement, the Building Regulations 2010 apply and we confirm how the work will be signed off before we start. Listed buildings need listed building consent from the local council for alterations, and conservation areas can have extra controls; like-for-like repairs are treated differently from changes, so check with the council's conservation officer first.
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.
Glazing bar and capping repairs in Barnstaple: questions
Can you repair a lantern someone else installed in Barnstaple?
Yes. We repair lanterns whoever fitted them. If yours is still under the installer's warranty, contact them first so you don't affect it.
Which places near Barnstaple do you cover?
As well as Barnstaple, we cover nearby Bideford, Tiverton, Exeter and the rest of Devon.
Can a capping just be clipped back on?
Sometimes, if nothing underneath has failed. We check the gaskets first, because clipping a capping over a perished gasket doesn't stop the leak.
Do you repair uPVC and timber lantern bars too?
Yes. Timber lanterns use different beads and cappings, and we repair those as part of timber lantern repairs.
Other lantern repairs in Barnstaple
- Roof lantern leak repairs in Barnstaple
- Slipped glass panel repairs in Barnstaple
- Solar control and self-cleaning glass upgrades in Barnstaple
- Condensation diagnosis and fixes in Barnstaple
- Orangery lantern repairs in Barnstaple
- Commercial roof lantern repairs in Barnstaple
Glazing bar and capping repairs near Barnstaple
More about glazing bar and capping repairs · All roof lantern repairs in Barnstaple