In Rochester, as everywhere, each glazing bar on a roof lantern has a top capping that clamps the glass onto gaskets. Send photos and we'll tell you what we think has failed.
What you might be seeing
- A capping visibly higher than its neighbours
- Water running down one glazing bar inside
- End caps missing at the bottom of a bar
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.
Roof lanterns in Rochester
Sun and UV do more damage than rain on many lanterns here: brittle ridge caps, chalky finishes and hardened gaskets. They're cheap to replace before they let water in.
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.
Rochester is around 8 miles from Maidstone, and both are within our Kent coverage.
Neighbouring places we cover include Chatham (1 mile), Strood (1 mile), Gillingham (2 miles).
Guide prices for glazing bar and capping repairs in Rochester
Most glazing bar and capping repairs jobs come in between £165 and £395 ex VAT (£198–£474 including 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 Rochester: questions
Do you need to visit to price glazing bar and capping repairs?
Not always. Clear photos are often enough for a guide price. Where the cause isn't obvious, a visit to inspect and water-test is charged from £145 ex VAT, confirmed before we come.
Which places near Rochester do you cover?
As well as Rochester, we cover nearby Chatham, Strood, Gillingham, Gravesend and the rest of Kent.
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 Rochester
- Roof lantern resealing in Rochester
- Cracked lantern glass replacement in Rochester
- Opening vent and actuator repairs in Rochester
- Flat rooflight and skylight repairs in Rochester
- Urgent leak make-safe in Rochester
- Commercial roof lantern repairs in Rochester
Glazing bar and capping repairs near Rochester
More about glazing bar and capping repairs · All roof lantern repairs in Rochester