What Skylight Installation Involves
Skylight installation starts with a site assessment. We check your roof deck, attic insulation, and the pitch of your roof to determine if a skylight will perform well. Not every roof is a good candidate—low slopes or heavy tree cover can cause problems.
We cut the opening, then frame it with doubled rafters and headers. The skylight unit sits in a curb or direct-deck mount. We use self-adhered ice and water shield around the entire perimeter, then install step flashing that interlocks with your shingle courses. Every seam gets hand-sealed with urethane caulk.
Inside, we build a light shaft and finish it to match your ceiling. The result is a room that feels bigger and brighter, with no drafts and no leaks.
When You Need Skylight Installation
You might need skylight installation if your hallway or bathroom has no windows, if you want to cut electric lighting costs, or if you're replacing an old, leaking unit. A new skylight can also improve ventilation in a stuffy attic space.
During a roof replacement, adding a skylight is often cheaper than doing it later. We can coordinate both jobs at once, saving you labor costs and avoiding a second tear-off.
How We Install Skylights
Here's our step-by-step process:
- Measure the roof pitch and mark the opening from inside the attic.
- Cut the roof deck with a circular saw, careful not to hit rafters.
- Frame the opening with header and trimmer rafters, using ring-shank nails.
- Install the skylight unit, leveling it with shims.
- Apply self-adhered underlayment, then step flashing and a counter-flashing apron.
- Shingle up to the skylight, starting with a starter course and staggered field courses.
- Seal all exposed fasteners and test with a water hose.
Most installations take one to two days. We clean up every nail and scrap, and we walk you through the warranty before we leave.
Cost of Skylight Installation
Skylight installation costs $1,800 to $4,500 per unit in South Brunswick, depending on the size, type (fixed or venting), and whether we need to modify your roof structure. A fixed skylight on a simple gable roof runs on the lower end; a venting skylight with a motorized blind and a curb mount pushes the price up.
We give you a free, itemized estimate before any work begins. No hidden fees, no surprise charges.
Choosing the Right Skylight
We install Velux and Fakro units—both carry strong warranties. For energy efficiency, choose a double-pane, low-E glass unit with argon gas. In South Brunswick's hot, humid summers and cold winters, that extra insulation pays off in lower utility bills.
If you're worried about ice dams in winter, we recommend a venting skylight with a built-in rain sensor. It closes automatically when snow or rain hits the glass.
We also offer tubular skylights for smaller spaces like hallways and closets. These use a reflective tube to bring in light without a full-size opening.
Why South Brunswick Homeowners Trust Us
We've been serving Kendall Park, Monmouth Junction, Dayton, Franklin Park, and Kingston since 2005. We know the local building codes and the weather patterns—Nor'easters, heavy rain, and snow buildup. Our installations are built to handle all of it.
We're GAF Master Elite certified, which means we meet the highest standards for installation and business practices. We also carry full liability insurance and workers' comp.
Every skylight we install comes with a workmanship warranty, and we register the manufacturer's warranty for you. If anything leaks, we fix it fast.
