3 months ago
I had a great experience with Scarlet Roofing. Their team was extremely knowledgeable, professional, and easy to work with from start to finish. They took the time to answer my questions, explain the work being done,…
Skylight Replacement
A Skylight Should Bring In Light, Not Water.
A well installed skylight transforms a dark hallway, bathroom or loft. A badly flashed one becomes the most reliable leak in the house. Most of the skylight leak calls we take across Surrey, Vancouver, Richmond and Coquitlam have the same story: the skylight itself is fine, but the flashing around it was never done properly, or it has simply aged out.
We replace skylights, install new ones in existing roofs, and repair the ones worth saving. Every job centres on the flashing kit and how it integrates with your roofing material, because that is where leaks start. We are a licensed, bonded and insured roofing contractor based in Surrey with more than ten years working on Lower Mainland roofs, and skylights are part of almost every reroof we do.
This page covers the signs yours needs attention, when repair makes sense, your options, what it costs around here, and how we install them so they stay dry.
Warning Signs
Signs Your Skylight Needs Replacing
Skylights rarely fail all at once. They give warnings. Here is what to look for, from inside the house and from the roof.
Fogged or cloudy glazing
If the glass looks hazy or you see condensation trapped between the panes, the seal has failed. The unit has lost its insulating value and the glazing needs replacing.
Cracked or yellowed domes
Acrylic domes yellow and go brittle with UV exposure. A cracked dome is a leak waiting for the next rain.
Recurring leaks
A leak that keeps coming back after repairs usually means the flashing system has failed or the curb has deteriorated. At that point, replacement with a proper flashing kit costs less than another round of patching.
Stained or soft interior trim
Water marks on the drywall around the skylight shaft mean water is getting past the flashing. Check whether the drywall feels soft, which signals ongoing damage behind the paint.
Drafts
If you feel cold air around the skylight in winter, the seals are gone. You are losing heat every day the heating runs.
Age
A skylight past 15 to 20 years old owes you nothing. If your roof is being replaced, the skylights should go with it. More on that timing below.
Honest Advice
Repair or Replace? An Honest Guide
We repair skylights when repair is the right answer, and we will tell you straight when it is not. Here is how we think about it.
Repair makes sense when the unit itself is in good shape and the problem is limited: a failed seal that can be renewed, flashing that has lifted but the curb is solid, or a cracked dome on an otherwise young skylight where just the dome can be swapped. These are half day jobs that add years of life.
Replace when the skylight is past 15 to 20 years, when leaks recur after repair, when the glazing is fogged, when the curb is rotted, or when you are already replacing the roof. A new unit with a full flashing kit, integrated with new underlayment, is the only way to get a truly watertight result that lasts.
The grey area is a mid life skylight with a flashing leak and a solid unit. We can often rebuild the flashing and curb without replacing the skylight itself. We will show you photos of what we find and give you both options with honest pricing for each, so the decision is yours with full information.
Your Options
Skylight Options: Fixed, Venting and Sun Tunnels
Not every skylight is the same, and the right type depends on the room, the roof and what you want from it.
| Type | What it is | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed skylight | Non opening unit that brings in daylight | Living rooms, hallways and stairwells | Simplest and most affordable; no ventilation |
| Venting skylight, manual | Opens with a handle for fresh air | Kitchens and bathrooms where moisture builds up | Needs reachable placement |
| Venting skylight, electric | Opens at the touch of a button or sensor | High ceilings and lofts | Can include rain sensors that close it automatically |
| Sun tunnel | Reflective tube carrying daylight from the roof to a ceiling diffuser | Dark hallways, closets and bathrooms with no direct roof access | Much less invasive to install than a full skylight |
| Curb mounted vs deck mounted | Curb mounted sits on a raised wood curb; deck mounted sits flush on the roof deck | Curb mounted suits most replacements; deck mounted gives a lower profile on new installs | We match the mount to your roof type |
For brands, we install quality units including Velux, which is the name most homeowners ask about. We are not tied to one manufacturer, so we recommend what suits your roof and budget rather than what we happen to stock.
Pricing Guidance
What Skylight Replacement Costs in the Lower Mainland
Skylight pricing has two parts: the unit and the installation. The ranges below are general market guidance for the Lower Mainland, not a quote from us.
| Item | Typical market range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed skylight unit, standard size | $400 to $900 | Larger or custom sizes run higher |
| Venting skylight unit | $700 to $1,500 | Electric models at the top of the range |
| Sun tunnel kit | $500 to $1,000 | Includes tube and diffuser |
| Installation with flashing kit | $800 to $1,800 per skylight | Includes curb work, underlayment integration and interior trim |
| Curb rebuild | $200 to $500 | When the existing curb is rotted or out of square |
| Adding a new skylight, all in | $1,500 to $3,500 | Unit, structural framing, flashing and interior finish |
Market ranges only. Roof pitch, access, the number of skylights and interior finish work all move the number. Your written itemized quote from us comes after we see the roof and the interior, with labour and materials broken out, so there are no surprises. Nothing here is a binding price.
Doing skylights as part of a roof replacement costs noticeably less per unit than a standalone job, because the roofing is already open and the flashing integrates cleanly. If your roof is within a few years of replacement, it is worth pricing both together.
The Real Culprit
The Flashing Kit: Why Most Skylight Leaks Are Not the Skylight
Here is something most homeowners never hear: the majority of skylight leaks we investigate are flashing failures, not skylight failures. The unit is watertight. The metal and membrane system that is supposed to carry water around it is not.
A proper skylight flashing kit is a step flashing system that weaves into the roofing material course by course, backed by ice and water shield on the curb and around the opening. Each piece overlaps the one below so water always sheds outward and down. It is fussy, layered work, and it is exactly where rushed installers cut corners: reusing old flashing, skipping the ice and water shield, or face sealing with caulking that fails within a couple of seasons.
Caulking is not flashing. If a previous repair tried to stop your skylight leak with a tube of sealant, that explains why it came back. When we replace a skylight, the flashing kit is new, the curb is inspected and rebuilt if needed, and everything ties into your roofing system properly. That is what keeps it dry for decades, not years.
How We Work
Our Replacement Process
01
Assessment
We inspect the skylight, the curb, the flashing and the surrounding roofing, plus the interior shaft and trim. You get photos and an honest repair or replace recommendation.
02
Unit selection
We help you choose fixed, venting or sun tunnel, sized to the existing opening or the new one we will frame.
03
Interior protection
Drop sheets and dust control around the shaft. We treat your home like it is ours.
04
Removal
The old unit comes out and the curb is exposed. Any rotted wood is replaced and the curb is squared up.
05
Flashing and underlayment
Ice and water shield on the curb and around the opening, then the step flashing kit woven into your roofing.
06
Setting the unit
The new skylight is set, levelled and secured to manufacturer specification.
07
Interior trim and water testing
Trim finished, the area cleaned, and the installation water tested before we leave.
Smart Timing
Adding a Skylight During a Roof Replacement
If you are replacing your roof, that is the ideal moment to add a skylight or replace aging ones. The roofing is already off, so cutting the opening, framing it and integrating the flashing adds far less cost than a standalone job later.
There is a technical reason too, not just a cost one. Flashing integrated with a brand new roof system, with fresh underlayment and ice and water shield, is simply more watertight than flashing retrofitted into an existing roof. If you have ever wanted more daylight in a dark hallway or a venting skylight in a steamy bathroom, mention it when we quote the roof. We will price it as part of the same project.
The reverse is also true: if your roof is near the end of its life and your skylights are the same age, replacing the skylights alone now means paying for flashing work twice. We will give you the honest math on both paths.
Beyond Looks
Energy, Light and Ventilation Benefits
Daylight is the obvious win. A skylight can transform a hallway that used to need the lights on all day, and natural light changes how a room feels in a way no fixture matches.
Venting skylights do quiet work against moisture. Bathrooms and kitchens generate a lot of humid air, and in our climate that moisture feeds mold and condensation problems all winter. A venting skylight that opens, especially an electric one you can operate easily, gives that moisture a direct exit.
On energy, modern glazing has come a long way. Double glazed units with low emissivity coatings lose far less heat than the single pane domes of twenty years ago. If your skylights are old, replacement usually means a warmer room in winter as well as a drier roof.
Warranty
Warranties on Skylights and Installation
Two warranties cover your skylight: the manufacturer's warranty on the unit and our workmanship warranty on the installation and flashing. Manufacturer terms vary by product and we register the warranty for you.
Our workmanship warranty covers the flashing kit, curb work and integration with your roofing. If a leak traces to our installation, we return and fix it. What it does not cover is damage from other causes, like a tree branch impact or interior condensation from inadequate bathroom ventilation, which we will help you tell apart from a real leak. Everything is in writing before we start.
Skylight FAQs
Questions About Skylight Replacement
As general market guidance, a standard fixed skylight typically runs $400 to $900 for the unit plus $800 to $1,800 for installation with a proper flashing kit. Venting units and sun tunnels vary as shown in our pricing table above. These are market ranges, not a quote. Your written itemized quote follows an inspection.
Repair when the unit is sound and the issue is limited, like a failed seal or lifted flashing on a solid curb. Replace when the skylight is past 15 to 20 years, leaks keep returning, the glazing is fogged, or the curb is rotted. We show you photos and give you both options with honest pricing.
In most cases we investigate, the leak is a flashing failure, not a skylight failure. Old, reused or improperly installed flashing lets water past the unit. A proper step flashing kit integrated with ice and water shield is the lasting fix.
Yes. We cut the opening, frame it, install the unit with a full flashing kit and finish the interior shaft and trim. It is very doable, though doing it during a roof replacement costs less and integrates better.
Yes, in almost every case. Skylights usually age at the same rate as the roof, and new flashing integrated with a new roof system is far more watertight. Doing them separately means paying for the flashing work twice.
We install quality units including Velux, the brand most homeowners ask about. We are not tied to a single manufacturer, so we recommend based on your roof type, the room and your budget.
A straightforward replacement usually takes half a day to a full day per skylight, including interior trim and water testing. Adding a brand new skylight with framing and interior finishing can run one to two days.
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