The answer
Fitting one VELUX window is a job measured in hours, and a day or two covers a standard skylight or rooflight with the inside finished. New openings, several windows or awkward roofs add time. The survey comes first, so you know the plan, and the quote is fixed in writing before any work begins.
The fitting itself
The day starts with protecting the room, then the old unit comes out. The opening is checked, the new window is set, levelled and fixed, and the flashing is dressed into the roof covering so the water runs away from the frame. Inside, the lining is fitted and finished, and we clear up before we go.
For one window in an existing opening, that is hours, not weeks. A standard rooflight needs a day or two once everything is on site. Roofs run to their own timetable, though, and weather matters. We never open a roof when rain is on its way.
What stretches the time
Several things change the length of a job, and none of them is a surprise if you know to look.
- A new opening needs rafters cut and trimmed, which takes longer than a like for like swap into an existing hole.
- Two or more windows on one slope are done together, so the work grows with the count.
- A steep or high roof needs more access equipment.
- A flat rooflight on an upstand needs the upstand built or checked before the glass goes on.
Our guide to VELUX window replacement explains the difference between a straight swap and a change to the opening.
Before the day: survey, quote and lead time
The fitting is the short part. First comes the free survey, when we measure the opening, read the size code on the frame and look at the roof covering and the room below. What you are quoted is written down and stays the same on the day.
After that the window is ordered. Made-to-size units take time to arrive, and electric or special-glass models can take longer than a standard one. We agree a date with you once we know when the window will be here, so nobody is waiting under a roof with a hole in it. If you are unsure of the code, our size code guide shows how to read it.
Building Control and the paperwork
Some roof work is notifiable under the Building Regulations, and some is not. Where it is, Building Control is told by us, and the window goes in to current Building Regulations. That sits alongside the fitting and does not add a day on your roof.
If you are wondering about planning, the council's rules, any listing and any Article 4 direction on your street come first. Our planning permission guide for Milton Keynes covers where to start.
Weather, access and the unexpected
Roofs hide things. Once the old window is out we sometimes find a rafter that has moved, a rotten batten or a flashing buried under the covering. Most of these are put right within the same visit, but a larger repair to the timber can add time, and we tell you before carrying on. That is why the survey looks at the loft side as well as the glass.
Wind matters as much as rain. A large sash is awkward to lift onto a roof in a gale, so a calm day is worth waiting for. We keep a spare date in mind and tell you if the forecast looks wrong, so you are never left guessing.
Where a day goes
Think of the day in four parts. The first is access and protection: dust sheets down, furniture moved, the ladder or scaffold in place. The second is the roof: the old window and its flashing come out, and the covering is opened just enough. The third is the new unit, set square in the opening, fixed to the rafters and sealed. The fourth is the inside, where the lining goes in and the edges are made good.
A tidy site makes this shorter. If the loft or the room beneath is clear before we arrive, we start straight away instead of moving boxes. A skylight over a staircase or in a high ceiling needs different access, so mention it early and the right kit comes with us. Light from straight overhead is worth that bit of planning, because the view upward is the one nothing in the street can block.
What the room looks like when we leave
A good install is judged at the end of the day. The window should open and shut smoothly, the lining should be neat, and the floor and furniture should be clear of dust. The lining and the plaster edge are done by us, so no patch of bare plaster waits for another trade.
The work carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee in writing. A skylight is meant to be forgotten, apart from the moment you look up and see sky. The VELUX windows hub lists the options for glass, blinds and opening.
| Job | What it involves | Time effect |
|---|---|---|
| Like for like swap | Same opening, same size | Shortest |
| Larger window | Rafters trimmed, new lining | Longer |
| Two windows | Fitted in one visit | Grows with the count |
| Electric model | Wiring or solar unit set up | A little longer |
Related questions
Do I need to be at home while the window is fitted?
Someone should be there at the start to show us the room and at the end to check the finish. In between, the work happens on the roof and in the ceiling space, and we tell you in advance which rooms to clear. You can ask anything on WhatsApp at 07880 284133.
Can the window be replaced in bad weather?
We do not open a roof into rain. If the forecast turns, the date moves, because a covered roof is worth more than a kept appointment.
How do I know the window will fit?
The survey confirms it. Read how a replacement is judged in when a VELUX window should be replaced.
