How Much Does It Cost to Install a Skylight?

Installing a skylight is often an excellent financial and aesthetic choice. A skylight often increases property value, and the beauty of natural light is hard to beat. However, sometimes skylight installation can get too pricey to be worthwhile.

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Installing a skylight will likely cost you between $1000-$2000. The large price range is due to the variety of skylight types and the variety of installation procedures that different situations require.

Many building modifications are highly personal. Your building’s makeup and your preferences will significantly impact skylight installation costs.

As a general rule, if you want a fixed or tubular skylight, expect to fall closer to $1000 than $2000. If you desire a ventilating skylight that will open and fill your property with fresh air, expect to pay more.

Replacing a skylight is cheaper than installing a skylight because a replacement requires less labor. It is easier to replace a window filling a hole in a roof than it is to create a hole and place a window.

If you are looking to replace a skylight, then expect to pay somewhere between $500-$1500 dollars.

Related: Help! My Skylight Is Leaking!

Three main factors determine the cost of a skylight:

1. The installation
2. Skylight type
3. The glass and framing

Installation cost is the wildcard of skylight expenses. Most installations will usually run between $250-$500, but some installations require extensive labor that costs more. For example, the work needed to place a skylight in a home with an attic is far more than that of a typical installation.

As previously mentioned, there are three main classes of skylight—fixed, tubular, and ventilating. Fixed skylights are like windows placed on the ceiling, tubular skylights are glass encapsulated vents, and ventilating skylights are like sunroofs. Fixed and tubular skylights are cheaper than ventilating, but some are willing to pay a premium for fresh air.

The materials that comprise your skylight will affect its cost. Just like windows, different types of glass will have relative advantages and disadvantages along with varying price points. Glazing or tinting can manipulate insulation and light penetrability, but the fancier the glasswork, the higher the cost.

Skylights also have various framing options that can affect the price. Certain metal frames will cost more than others, and the same is true for wooden frames.

Adding or replacing a skylight may be an excellent decision. As a skylight shopper, you have a variety of choices. What you want and what you are willing to pay will determine the precise cost of your installation. To get an accurate account of prices, you should contact a local roofing specialist with expertise in skylight installation to give you a quote after assessing your property and needs.