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“Skylight” covers four quite different products, and choosing well is mostly about matching the product family to your roof and room — before you ever compare brands. Here’s the UK field in 2026, with costs, and how to pick.
The four families
1. Roof windows (pitched roofs). Opening, weather-rated windows fitted in the slope of the roof — what most Brits mean by “a Velux”. The default for lofts and any pitched-roof room. Made by VELUX and several credible rivals, in manual, electric and solar versions. From ~£650 fitted; full price breakdown here.
2. Flat-roof skylights. Sealed glazed units on an insulated upstand — the standard way to light kitchen extensions and flat-roofed rooms. Fixed units are cheapest; opening (usually electric) versions handle ventilation. Standard sizes are affordable; made-to-measure gets expensive fast.
3. Roof lanterns. A pitched glazed structure sitting proud of a flat roof, adding height and architectural drama over dining and kitchen spaces. Pricier than flat glass for the same opening, and a style statement as much as a light source.
4. Sun tunnels. A roof-mounted collector piping daylight down a reflective tube to a ceiling diffuser — the answer for windowless hallways, bathrooms and walk-in wardrobes where a full skylight is impossible. Cheap, effective, underused.
What they cost fitted (2026)
| Product | Typical installed cost |
|---|---|
| Pitched roof window | £900–£2,500 (small manual from ~£650) |
| Flat-roof skylight | £1,000–£3,000 |
| Roof lantern | £2,000–£5,000+ |
| Sun tunnel | £500–£1,200 |
Component-level detail — labour rates, flashing, scaffolding, the lot — is in our installation cost guide, or get a configured range from the cost calculator. The short version: the glass is only half the bill, and access (scaffolding) is the surprise line item.
Choosing: roof first, room second, brand last
Your roof decides the family. Pitched roof → roof window. Flat roof → flat glass skylight or lantern. No practical roof access at all → sun tunnel.
Your room decides the spec. Moisture rooms (kitchens, bathrooms) need opening units and moisture-proof finishes. Bedrooms want blackout blinds and quieter glazing — rain on a roof window is romantic until 3am. South-facing rooms need solar-control glazing or awnings against summer overheating; north-facing glazing gives the soft, even light architects favour. Rooms you sleep or work in justify the glazing upgrade; landings don’t.
Brand comes last. For roof windows the VELUX-or-alternative question is real but secondary — a well-fitted budget window beats a badly fitted premium one. For flat-roof products, the installer’s upstand and waterproofing detail matters more than whose glass sits on top.
The practicalities
Planning permission usually isn’t needed — permitted development covers most skylights in houses (150mm projection limit; flats, listed buildings and conservation areas excepted). Building regulations always apply to a new opening; use a competent-person-scheme installer and it’s handled. Expect a straightforward roof-window install to take a day; flat-roof and lantern projects run longer with structural work. And whatever you buy, it should last 20–30 years — so buy for the room you’ll live in, not the cheapest quote.
Frequently asked questions
What types of skylight are there?
Four families for UK homes: opening roof windows for pitched roofs (VELUX and similar), flat-roof skylights on upstands, roof lanterns (pitched glazed structures over flat roofs), and sun tunnels that pipe daylight into windowless spaces through a reflective tube.
How much does a skylight cost in the UK?
Fully fitted in 2026: pitched-roof windows £900–£2,500, flat-roof skylights £1,000–£3,000, roof lanterns £2,000–£5,000+, sun tunnels £500–£1,200. A small manual roof window starts around £650 installed.
Which is better — a skylight or a roof lantern?
For flat roofs: a flat glass skylight is cheaper, more thermally efficient and flush; a lantern adds height and drama at a premium. For pitched roofs the question doesn't arise — you want a roof window.
Do skylights cause condensation?
Cheap or badly installed ones do. Condensation risk is driven by glazing spec, insulated upstands/collars and room ventilation — specify laminated low-energy or triple glazing in kitchens and bathrooms, and choose an opening unit where moisture is generated.
Keep reading
Bespoke rooflights cost £1,000–£4,000+ supplied versus a few hundred for standard sizes. When made-to-measure is worth it — and when it isn't.
Most UK skylight installations cost £900–£2,500 per window in 2026, fully fitted. Full breakdown: supply, labour, scaffolding, flat roofs and lanterns.
Fakro, Keylite, RoofLITE+, Roto and Dakea compared against VELUX on 2026 prices, guarantees and quality — and which alternative fits which job.