Hear From Our Clients
You stop checking the ceiling every time a storm rolls through. No more towels on the floor, no more water stains spreading across your drywall, no more wondering if this is the year it finally gets worse.
When your skylights are installed correctly with modern materials, your home stays dry. Your energy bills drop because you’re not losing heat through old, inefficient glass. And you get natural light without the constant anxiety that comes with aging, leaking units.
Most homes around Stony Brook were built in the 60s and 70s. If your skylights are original or even 15 years old, they’re costing you more than you think. Replacing them now means you’re done dealing with it for the next 20 years, especially if you time it with roof work.
Home Team Construction has been working on Long Island homes for years. We know what happens to skylights when they sit through decades of freeze-thaw cycles, coastal humidity, and ice dams that form along the North Shore.
We’re not a national franchise. We’re local contractors who understand Suffolk County building codes, weather patterns, and the specific challenges that come with older homes in neighborhoods like Stony Brook, Setauket, and the surrounding Brookhaven area.
When you call us, you’re talking to someone who’s seen your exact problem a hundred times and knows how to fix it without the runaround.
First, we come out and actually look at your skylight. Not every leak means you need a full replacement, but most of the time, if your unit is over 15 years old, replacement makes more sense than patching it again.
We measure the opening, check the framing, and make sure there’s no hidden rot or structural damage. If you’re replacing your roof at the same time, this is when we coordinate timing so you’re not paying for duplicate labor or dealing with two separate projects.
Once we pull the old skylight, we inspect the roof deck and flashing area. Any damaged wood gets replaced. Then we install the new unit with proper flashing, seal everything according to manufacturer specs, and make sure the interior trim is clean and finished.
You get a walkthrough when it’s done. We show you what we did, explain how the new skylight operates if it’s operable, and answer any questions about maintenance or warranty coverage.
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You’re getting a full skylight window replacement, not just a quick swap. That means removal of the old unit, inspection and repair of any underlying roof damage, installation of a new VELUX or comparable skylight with updated flashing systems, and proper sealing for Long Island weather.
We use storm-rated materials designed for high wind and heavy snow loads. Around Stony Brook, that matters. Homes near the university and along Route 25A deal with nor’easters, lake-effect snow, and coastal wind patterns that put serious stress on roof penetrations.
If you’re upgrading to a newer model, you’re also getting better energy efficiency. Modern skylights have low-E coatings that reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter. That’s a real difference on your electric bill, especially if you’re replacing multiple units.
And if you qualify, there are federal tax credits available for energy-efficient skylights through 2025. We’ll point you in the right direction so you’re not leaving money on the table.
If your skylight is leaking and it’s over 15 years old, replacement almost always makes more sense. Here’s why: even if we can patch the leak temporarily, the seals, gaskets, and glazing are all aging at the same rate. You’ll be back in the same spot in a year or two, and you’ll have spent money on a repair that didn’t solve the root problem.
Skylights installed in the 80s, 90s, or early 2000s don’t have the energy efficiency or weather resistance of modern units. The glass technology alone has improved dramatically. If you’re dealing with condensation, drafts, or visible wear on the frame, those are signs the whole unit is at the end of its lifespan.
The one exception is if your skylight is relatively new and the leak is clearly from improper installation or a specific flashing issue. In that case, a targeted repair might work. But for most Stony Brook homes with original or aging skylights, replacement is the smarter investment.
Yes. If you’re already replacing your roof, this is the time to replace your skylights too. Here’s what happens if you don’t: the roofing crew works around your old skylight, installs new shingles up to the flashing, and moves on. Then two years later, your skylight starts leaking because the seals finally gave out.
Now you need to find a skylight contractor, pay for a separate job, and hope they can match the flashing to your new roof without causing issues. Nine times out of ten, you end up paying more in the long run, plus dealing with the headache of coordinating another project.
When you replace both at once, the skylight gets integrated properly with the new roofing system. The flashing is fresh, the seals are new, and everything is designed to last together for the next 20 years. You also save on labor costs because the roof is already open and the crew is already on site. It’s the most cost-effective and logical time to do it.
Repairing a skylight usually means addressing a specific issue like replacing a cracked pane of glass, resealing flashing, or fixing a broken operator on an operable unit. It’s a targeted fix that can work if the skylight itself is still in good shape and relatively new.
Replacing a skylight means removing the entire unit, inspecting the roof deck and framing, and installing a brand new skylight with updated flashing and sealing systems. You’re starting from scratch, which gives you the opportunity to upgrade to a more energy-efficient model, fix any underlying rot or damage, and ensure the installation meets current building codes.
For most homes in Stony Brook with skylights that are 15+ years old, replacement is the better move. You’re not just fixing today’s problem, you’re preventing the next five problems from happening. And if your skylight has leaked before, there’s a good chance there’s hidden damage in the roof deck or framing that you won’t find until you pull the old unit out.
Most residential skylight replacements take one day, assuming we’re replacing a standard fixed or operable skylight and there’s no major structural damage underneath. We pull the old unit in the morning, address any framing or decking issues, install the new skylight with proper flashing, and finish the interior trim by the end of the day.
If we find rot or water damage in the roof deck, that adds time. We’re not going to install a new skylight over compromised wood, so we’ll replace any damaged framing or sheathing first. That might push the job into a second day, but it’s necessary work that protects your investment.
If you’re replacing multiple skylights or doing the work as part of a larger roof replacement, the timeline adjusts accordingly. But for a single skylight replacement on a home in Stony Brook, you’re looking at a one-day project in most cases. We work efficiently, but we don’t cut corners just to finish faster.
Yes, especially if you’re replacing an old skylight that’s 15+ years old. Older units don’t have the low-E coatings, insulated glass, or advanced sealing systems that modern skylights use. That means you’re losing heat in the winter and gaining unwanted heat in the summer, which makes your HVAC system work harder.
New VELUX skylights, for example, come with low-E coatings that reflect heat while still letting in natural light. That keeps your home cooler in summer without blocking the daylight you want. In winter, the insulated glass reduces heat loss, so you’re not literally watching your heating costs go out through the roof.
The other benefit is natural light itself. When your skylights are clean, efficient, and properly placed, you use less artificial lighting during the day. That’s a smaller impact on your electric bill, but it adds up over time. And if you’re replacing an old, cloudy skylight with a new clear one, you’ll notice the difference in how much brighter your space feels without flipping a switch.
Yes. VELUX is one of the most reliable skylight brands for Long Island homes, and we install them regularly in Stony Brook and throughout Brookhaven. They’re built to handle the weather we get here, from heavy snow loads to high winds during nor’easters, and they come with strong warranties that actually mean something.
VELUX also offers a range of options, from fixed skylights to solar-powered operable units that open and close with a remote. If you want ventilation, that’s an option. If you just want light, we can install a fixed unit that’s simpler and more affordable. Either way, you’re getting a skylight that’s designed to last and backed by a company that’s been doing this for decades.
We’re not locked into one brand, though. If you have a specific skylight in mind or a budget that calls for a different option, we’ll work with you. But when homeowners ask what we recommend for durability and performance in this climate, VELUX is usually the answer.
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