The ridge is where the hip bars and glazing bars meet at the top of a lantern, usually under a moulded or pressed end cap. Send photos from Kirkwall (KW15) and we'll tell you which it is — with the price agreed in writing before any work.
Is it time for ridge and hip repairs?
- Drips near the centre or top of the lantern
- A cracked or faded ridge end cap
- Staining along the hip bars inside
Common causes we find
UV-damaged end caps
Plastic ridge end caps become brittle and crack, especially on south-facing lanterns.
Poor original sealing
Ridge details are fiddly. If the original sealing was rushed, it's often the first place to leak.
About Kirkwall and the KW15 area
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.
Coastal wind drives rain hard against lanterns, so cappings and ridge seals on the seaward face take the most punishment.
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.
Guide prices for ridge and hip repairs in Kirkwall
Guide price for ridge and hip repairs: £195–£445 ex VAT (£234–£534 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 Scotland?
Straightforward repairs — resealing, gaskets, cappings, eaves and like-for-like parts — don't normally need building regulations approval in Scotland. Replacing the whole lantern or enlarging the opening is different and falls under the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004; we confirm in writing which route applies before any replacement. 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.
Ridge and hip 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.
Can you repair a lantern someone else installed in Kirkwall?
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.
My ridge cap is a different colour from the frame — does that matter?
Faded or chalky caps are a sign of UV damage. Colour alone isn't a leak, but brittle caps crack, so we check them.
Can you replace just the ridge cap?
Yes, if a compatible cap is available and the seals underneath are sound.
Other lantern repairs in Kirkwall
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- Misted glass unit replacement in Kirkwall
- uPVC roof lantern repairs in Kirkwall
- Opening vent and actuator repairs in Kirkwall
- Leak investigation and inspection in Kirkwall
- Roof lantern replacement in Kirkwall
More about ridge and hip repairs · All roof lantern repairs in Kirkwall