Hear From Our Clients
You get mornings without checking the ceiling for new water stains. You stop worrying every time a storm rolls through Northwest Harbor, wondering if this is the one that finally floods your upstairs bedroom or ruins the hardwood below.
A proper roof skylight replacement means the leak is actually fixed, not just patched over with tar until next season. You’re not calling someone back in six months because the same problem showed up again.
Energy bills drop because you’re not heating the outdoors through a drafty, single-pane skylight from 1995. Natural light floods the room without turning it into a sauna in July or an icebox in January. And if you ever sell, buyers see quality work that protects one of the most vulnerable spots on any Long Island roof.
You’re done with the cycle of temporary fixes and crossed fingers. The skylight works the way it’s supposed to—quietly, efficiently, and without drama.
We’ve spent over a decade working on homes across Suffolk County, including plenty in Northwest Harbor where coastal weather and freeze-thaw cycles make skylight failures a regular issue. We’re licensed, insured, and we’ve seen what happens when skylight replacement gets done cheap or done wrong.
We know the difference between a skylight that needs a $600 repair and one that needs full replacement. We’ll tell you which one you’re dealing with, show you why, and give you options that make sense for your home and your budget.
Most of our work comes from referrals or repeat clients who’ve learned that doing it right the first time costs less than doing it twice. We’re not the cheapest option in Northwest Harbor, and that’s intentional. You’re paying for materials that last, installation that doesn’t leak, and a team that shows up when they say they will.
We start with an inspection of the skylight, the surrounding roof, and the flashing system. We’re looking for the actual source of the problem—not just the visible symptoms. You’ll get photos, a clear explanation of what’s failing, and an honest recommendation on whether you need a repair or full replacement.
If replacement makes sense, we walk you through options. Velux skylights are what we install most often because they’re built for Long Island weather, come with integrated flashing systems, and include warranties that actually mean something. We’ll talk through vented versus fixed, energy ratings, and whether features like solar-powered blinds or rain sensors make sense for how you use the space.
Once you approve the plan, we schedule the work around weather and your availability. The old skylight comes out carefully to avoid damaging the roof deck. New flashing goes in with multiple waterproof barriers. The new unit gets installed, sealed, and tested. We clean up completely, and you’re left with a skylight that works right.
The whole process typically takes one day for a standard replacement. You’ll know the timeline before we start, and if anything changes, you’ll hear about it immediately.
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You’re getting the skylight unit itself—usually a Velux model with double-pane, Low-E glass that’s ENERGY STAR certified for this climate zone. That means it’s designed to handle Northwest Harbor’s temperature swings without turning your room into an oven or an icebox.
The flashing system is just as important as the skylight. We use integrated flashing kits engineered specifically for the skylight model and your roof pitch. This isn’t generic step flashing or a roll of peel-and-stick membrane. It’s a complete waterproofing system with multiple layers of protection against Long Island’s freeze-thaw cycles and coastal storms.
Installation includes removing the old skylight, inspecting and repairing any roof deck damage, installing new flashing, setting and sealing the new unit, and interior finishing work to match your existing ceiling. If there’s rot or structural damage underneath, we’ll catch it during removal and let you know what it’ll take to fix it properly.
You also get manufacturer warranties on the skylight itself—typically 10 years on glass, 20 years on the frame—plus our workmanship guarantee on the installation. If it leaks because of something we did wrong, we come back and make it right. That’s standard, not an upsell.
For a standard residential skylight replacement in Northwest Harbor, you’re looking at $2,000 to $5,300 depending on skylight size, type, and roof access. A basic fixed Velux skylight in an easy-to-reach spot runs closer to $2,000 to $3,000 installed. A larger vented model with solar-powered blinds and rain sensors can push toward $4,500 to $5,300.
The unit itself is usually 25-30% of the total cost. The rest is labor, flashing materials, and the skill required to make sure it doesn’t leak. Installation on a steep roof or a skylight that’s hard to access adds to the labor time and cost.
If we find rotted roof decking when we pull the old skylight, that’s additional repair work. Same goes if your interior ceiling needs more than basic patching. We’ll give you a full breakdown before starting so there aren’t surprises. Most Northwest Harbor replacements we do fall in the $2,500 to $3,800 range for a quality Velux skylight with proper flashing and standard installation conditions.
If your skylight is under 10 years old and the leak is coming from damaged flashing or a failed seal that can be accessed and fixed properly, repair makes sense. You’re looking at $450 to $1,000 for a solid repair that actually solves the problem.
If the skylight is over 15 years old, has condensation between the panes, shows cracks in the frame, or has leaked multiple times despite previous repair attempts, replacement is the better move. Older skylights are often single-pane or have outdated flashing systems that weren’t designed for the freeze-thaw cycles we get in Northwest Harbor. You can keep repairing it every few years, or you can replace it once and be done.
We’ll inspect the skylight, the flashing, and the roof deck and tell you honestly which option makes sense. If a $600 repair buys you another 8-10 years, we’ll say so. If you’re throwing money at a skylight that’s going to fail again in two years, we’ll tell you that too. The goal is to fix the actual problem, not just sell you the most expensive option.
A quality skylight installed correctly should last 20 to 30 years in Northwest Harbor’s climate. Velux skylights come with 20-year warranties on the frame and 10-year warranties on the insulated glass, which gives you a realistic expectation of lifespan.
The flashing system is what usually fails first, not the skylight itself. Cheap flashing or improper installation can lead to leaks within 5 to 7 years, even with a brand-new skylight. That’s why we use integrated flashing kits designed specifically for Long Island weather—they’re built to handle freeze-thaw expansion, coastal humidity, and the temperature swings that cause most skylight failures.
If you’re replacing an old skylight that lasted 15 years, you’re likely upgrading to better materials and better installation methods than what was standard back then. Expect the new one to outlast the old one, especially if it’s an ENERGY STAR model with modern seals and Low-E glass. Regular roof inspections every few years help catch small issues before they become leaks, which extends the life of both the skylight and the roof around it.
Yes, if you’re replacing an older single-pane or poorly sealed skylight. ENERGY STAR certified skylights can cut heating and cooling costs by up to 13% compared to older models, according to Department of Energy testing. That’s because modern skylights use double-pane Low-E glass with argon or krypton gas fills that insulate far better than the single-pane units common in homes built before 2000.
In Northwest Harbor, where we see cold winters and hot, humid summers, an old leaky skylight is basically a hole in your roof from an energy standpoint. Heat pours out in winter. Solar heat pours in during summer. Your HVAC system runs longer and harder to compensate.
A properly installed Velux skylight with Low-E coating reflects heat back into the room during winter and blocks solar heat gain in summer. Vented models also let you release hot air naturally, which reduces the load on your AC. The energy savings won’t pay for the skylight in a year, but over 15-20 years, the reduced utility costs add up. More importantly, the room becomes more comfortable year-round, which is the real benefit most Northwest Harbor homeowners notice first.
A fixed skylight doesn’t open. It’s sealed permanently and only provides light. A vented skylight opens to let in fresh air, either manually with a pole or automatically with a remote, wall switch, or even a rain sensor that closes it when moisture is detected.
Vented skylights cost more—usually $400 to $800 more than a comparable fixed model—but they add real functionality if the skylight is in a bathroom, kitchen, or upper-level room that gets stuffy. Opening the skylight creates natural ventilation and helps pull hot air out during summer, which can reduce cooling costs and improve indoor air quality.
In Northwest Harbor homes with moisture issues or rooms that don’t have great airflow, a vented skylight makes sense. If you’re just looking to add light to a hallway or a room with plenty of windows, a fixed skylight does the job for less money. We’ll ask how you use the space and recommend what fits. Some clients want the option to vent even if they don’t use it often. Others want to keep it simple and save the money. Both are valid choices depending on your priorities.
Yes, but it’s weather-dependent. We can replace a skylight in winter as long as temperatures are above freezing and there’s no active rain or snow. The sealants and flashing materials need specific temperature ranges to cure properly, and we’re not going to leave your roof open overnight in January if a storm is coming.
Winter replacements are actually common in the roofing industry because it’s the slower season, and some contractors offer better availability or pricing. If your skylight is leaking now and causing water damage, waiting until spring might cost you more in interior repairs than just getting it done in February.
We tarp and protect the interior, work as quickly as conditions allow, and make sure everything is sealed and watertight before we leave each day. Most skylight replacements are completed in a single day, so exposure time is minimal. If the forecast looks bad or temperatures drop too low, we’ll reschedule rather than risk a poor installation. The goal is a leak-free skylight, and that requires doing the work in conditions that allow materials to perform the way they’re designed to.
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