Skylight Repairs London

When a skylight leaks, most people assume the window itself has failed.

Often it hasn't — the actual problem is the flashing around it, the metal or membrane detail where the skylight meets the surrounding roof covering. That junction takes more weather stress than almost any other point on a roof, and it's exactly where we look first, not last.

We handle skylight leaks, cracked glazing, and failed flashing as part of the roofing work we already do — repairs, replacements, and re-roofs.

If your skylight needs a proper structural fix, a reseal, or new flashing, that's squarely what we do. If what you actually need is a full VELUX-specific installation, an electric or remote-control upgrade, or original manufacturer glazing, we'll tell you honestly and point you toward a certified VELUX specialist rather than take a job that's not really our specialism.

Leaking around the frame — almost always a flashing problem, not the glass itself. Water tracks in along a failed seal between the skylight upstand and the surrounding roof covering, then shows up somewhere else entirely inside the room below.

Cracked or damaged glazing units — where the outer pane has cracked from impact or age, we can replace the unit or refer you for manufacturer-specific glazing depending on what your skylight actually needs.

Condensation between the panes — a sign the seal between the glass layers has failed, not something a clean or a wipe will fix. This usually means the glazing unit itself needs replacing.

Failed or perished surrounding flashing — lead or membrane flashing around the skylight degrades over time just like any other flashing on the roof, and it's often the actual source of a "skylight leak" that has nothing to do with the window itself.

Skylights damaged during other roof work — where a re-roof or repair elsewhere on the roof has disturbed the seal or surround of an existing skylight, we'll put it right as part of the same job.

We're the right call if: your skylight is leaking, the flashing or surround has failed, the glass has cracked, or a skylight needs attention as part of a wider roof repair or replacement.

This is roofing work, and it's squarely what our team does every week.

A certified VELUX or Roto specialist is the better call if: you need a full new unit installed from scratch, electric or remote-control conversion, manufacturer-specific replacement glazing, or blinds and accessories fitted to an exact model spec.

That's a genuine specialism with manufacturer training behind it, and pretending otherwise wouldn't serve you well. We'll say so rather than take the job anyway.

My skylight is leaking — is it the window or the roof around it? More often the roof around it. Flashing failure at the junction between the skylight and the surrounding roof covering is the most common cause of a "skylight leak," not the glazing unit itself.

Can you replace a cracked skylight pane? Yes, for a straightforward like-for-like glazing replacement. For manufacturer-specific units requiring exact original specification, a certified VELUX or Roto specialist may be the better fit — we'll tell you honestly which applies to your situation.

Do you install new VELUX windows from scratch? Not as a core specialism — that's genuinely better handled by a certified VELUX installer with manufacturer-specific training. What we do well is the roofing side: flashing, surrounds, leaks, and skylight repairs carried out as part of general roof work.

Why has condensation appeared between the panes of my skylight? This means the seal between the glass layers has failed, which typically requires the glazing unit to be replaced rather than repaired — it's not something cleaning or ventilation will fix.

Can you fix a skylight while doing other roof work? Yes — this is often the most cost-effective time to deal with it, since scaffolding and access are already in place for the wider job.

How old does a skylight need to be before flashing typically fails? Commonly somewhere past the 15-20 year mark, though exposure and installation quality both affect this. If your skylight is in that range and you've noticed any dampness nearby, it's worth a check.

Skylight units themselves are built to last — most modern units are rated for decades of use. The flashing around them is a different story.

It's a smaller, more exposed piece of metal or membrane sitting at a junction between two different roof surfaces, and junctions are always where a roof is weakest.

On an older skylight, especially one fitted more than 15-20 years ago, the flashing has usually degraded well before the glass unit itself needs replacing.

This is why a leak "at the skylight" so often turns out to be a five-minute conversation about reflashing rather than a full unit replacement — and why we check the surround properly before assuming the window is the problem.