UK roof-window guidance

Skylights and roof windows, explained without the sales pitch

What a skylight or Velux really costs to fit, what a flat-roof rooflight runs to, how a skylight compares with a roof lantern, and when you need planning permission. Every figure is a range, with its source.

£900–£2,600 typical fitted skylight£800–£1,500 flat-roof rooflightNo permission usually needed (permitted development)
Cited sourcesPlanning Portal, trade cost guidesRanges, not promisescosts depend on your roofVetted installerschecked & introduced

In 40 seconds

Fitting a skylight or roof window in the UK usually costs roughly £900–£2,600 per unit installed, with most standard Velux roof windows landing around £1,100 supply and fit and a flat-roof rooflight typically £800–£1,500. The price is driven by the unit you choose, your roof type and access, and whether scaffolding is needed — third-party scaffolding can add around £500, and flashing kits roughly £80–£180. For most homes a skylight is permitted development and needs no planning permission, provided it sits no more than 150mm proud of the roof slope and not above the ridge; the main exceptions are listed buildings and conservation areas. The honest answer is always a range, because it depends on the rooflight, the roof and the access.

Most skylight guidance is published by firms supplying or fitting them, so the numbers tend to be optimistic and the planning rules glossed over. The pages below give honest cost ranges, separate Velux, flat-roof and lantern pricing, and set out exactly when planning permission applies — before you take a single quote.

~£1,100
typical fitted Velux
£800–£1,500
flat-roof rooflight
+£500
scaffolding if needed
No permission
usual permitted development

Cost & pricing

What a skylight or roof window actually costs to fit in the UK.

Cost

How much does a skylight cost to fit in the UK?

Typical installed prices per unit, what supply and labour each cost, and how scaffolding, flashing and roof type move the number.

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Brand & unit pricing

What a Velux roof window costs, supply and fitted.

Velux cost

How much does a Velux window cost in the UK?

Velux supply-only prices by size, the typical fitted cost, and why Velux is priced as a brand rather than a generic rooflight.

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Flat-roof pricing

What a flat-roof rooflight costs, and why it differs from a pitched one.

Flat-roof cost

How much does a flat-roof skylight cost in the UK?

Typical installed prices for a flat-roof rooflight, why they differ from pitched-roof units, and what glazing and kerb work add.

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Comparison & choosing

Skylight or roof lantern — how they compare and what each costs.

Vs roof lantern

Skylight vs roof lantern — what's the difference and cost?

How a flush skylight differs from a raised roof lantern, what each costs, and how to weigh light, looks and budget for your room.

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Process & regulations

When a skylight is permitted development and when permission applies.

Planning

Do you need planning permission for a skylight?

The permitted-development rules for rooflights, the 150mm and ridge limits, and the listed-building and conservation-area exceptions that need permission.

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How it works

Guidance first. Quotes only if you want them.

We publish honest, sourced answers on skylight and roof-window costs, the Velux and flat-roof differences, how a skylight compares with a roof lantern, and the planning rules, then — if you'd like prices — match you with a vetted roof-window installer who measures your roof and quotes on a clear specification. Costs are always shown as ranges that depend on your property. No obligation, and you decide whether to proceed.