Velux & Roof Window Installation Derby | Supply & Fit

Velux roof window installation in Derby is one of our most requested jobs. We supply and fit the window, install the correct flashing kit, repoint or relay the surrounding tiles, and leave the roof sealed against rain. You don’t need to arrange a separate glazier or builder — we handle it all.

Our roofers are experienced on every common Derby roof type. From the plain clay tiles found on period terraces in Normanton to the concrete interlocking tiles on post-war semis in Spondon, we match the right flashing kit to your tile profile before the job starts.
In Derbyshire, wind-driven rain finds any gap quickly — a correctly fitted flashing kit is not optional, it’s the difference between a dry loft and a damaged one.

Roof windows work in both new and existing roofs. Whether you’re adding light to a finished loft room or fitting windows as part of a conversion in progress, we can work around your build programme.

• Centre-pivot roof windows — the most common choice for loft bedrooms and studies
• Top-hung roof windows — better for low headroom spaces; opens to a full 45°
• Fixed (non-opening) roof windows — where ventilation isn’t the priority, such as stairwells
• Flat roof windows — for kitchen extensions and single-storey additions
• Sun tunnels — where a full roof window won’t fit but a room still needs daylight
• Conservation roof windows —
  for listed buildings and properties in Derby’s conservation areas
• Solar and electric roof windows —
  remote-controlled units that close automatically in rain

Why does the window type matter?
Each style suits a different roof pitch, room use, and rafter layout. We assess your roof at the free survey stage and recommend the right unit — not the most expensive one.

For the majority of Derby homes, a Velux roof window falls under Permitted Development Rights. This means no planning application is needed before we start work. The key rules are straightforward:

• The window must not project more than 150mm above the existing roof plane
• No part of the installation should sit higher than the roof’s highest point
• Side-facing windows need obscure glazing and must only open if 1.7m or more above floor level

Building Regulations apply to every installation — with or without planning permission. This covers glazing standards, insulation, thermal performance, ventilation, and structural loading. As a roofing contractor experienced in meeting Building Regulations, we carry out all work to the current required standard. You won’t need to manage separate sign-offs or inspections

.

There are situations where you will need to check with Derby City Council before we proceed:

• Your home is in a conservation area — including parts of the Cathedral Quarter or Friar Gate
• Your property is a listed building — listed building consent is required for any roof alteration
• An Article 4 Direction applies — this removes standard Permitted Development Rights in certain streets
• The window protrudes more than 150mm — for example, balcony-style Cabrio units

If you’re not sure whether your property has any restrictions, call us first on 01332-529704. We’ll give you a straight answer before you spend a penny.

Most single-window installations are complete within one working day. We arrive, strip the tiles around the opening, cut the aperture to size, fix the frame, fit the flashing kit, and relay the tiles. Before we leave, we check the seal from both inside and outside.

For homeowners in Chaddesden and Spondon with busy households, a one-day turnaround means minimal disruption. You don’t need to plan for days without a weather-tight roof. We tidy the work area before we go and take away any waste.

Larger jobs — such as fitting three or four windows as part of a loft conversion — may take two days. We confirm the programme with you before we start, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Tile strip and temporary weather protection while the aperture is cut
• Opening cut to window size —
  matched precisely to your rafter centres
• Frame installation, fixed and levelled
• Correct flashing kit fitted and bedded to your tile type
• Tiles relaid and pointed where needed
• Internal reveal checked, cleared of debris, and left ready for decoration
• Weathertight check from inside and outside before we leave

The right roof window depends on your roof pitch, your rafter spacing, and what you want the room to do. A bedroom loft in a Victorian terrace in Normanton will need a different unit to a flat-roof kitchen extension in Mickleover.

We assess your roof at the survey stage and recommend a window size and style that fits the existing rafter centres. Cutting into rafters can be done but adds time and cost — we always look at what fits cleanly first. For most Derby roofs with a pitch between 15° and 55°, a standard centre-pivot unit fits without structural alteration.

As a general guide, roof glazing should cover around 10–20% of the floor area of the room it serves. South-facing installations bring in more natural light than north-facing ones — worth considering when choosing position. We’ll talk you through this at the survey stage.

If a full roof window won’t work — perhaps the rafter spacing is too narrow or the ceiling height is very low — a sun tunnel is a practical alternative. Sun tunnels channel daylight from the roof into a room below without requiring a large opening in the structure.
They’re popular choices for Derby hallways, landing areas, and bathrooms with no direct roof access.

• Centre-pivot — loft bedrooms, studies, most standard pitches (15°–90°)
• Top-hung — limited ceiling height; opens outward for unobstructed views (15°–75°)
• Fixed — stairwells, bathrooms where ventilation comes from elsewhere
• Flat roof window — extensions, outbuildings, single-storey additions
• Sun tunnel — hallways, landings, bathrooms with no direct roof access
• Conservation style —
  period properties and Derby conservation area homes; flush-fit, low-profile design
• Solar/electric —
  hard-to-reach windows; rain sensor closes automatically

A repair is often possible and costs less than a full replacement. We check the frame condition, the flashing, and the glazing unit separately. If the frame is sound and the flashing is intact,
replacing just the glazing unit may be all that’s needed. If the frame has rotted or the original installation has failed, a like-for-like replacement is the straightforward fix.

Don’t leave a failing roof window over winter. Water ingress into a loft space causes timber rot, plasterboard damage, and insulation failure — repairs to those can cost far more than a new window.

• Fully insured roofing contractors — you’re protected throughout the job
• Loft conversion glazing packages available — multiple windows priced together

Derby Roofers proudly serves homeowners and businesses throughout Derby city and the wider Derbyshire area. Our local teams cover:

Derby City Areas:

Surrounding Derbyshire Towns & Villages:

• The Velux (or equivalent) roof window unit itself, supplied and fitted to match your chosen size and glazing spec
• The correct flashing kit for your specific tile or slate type, fitted and bedded to keep the join weathertight
• Stripping, cutting, and relaying the tiles or slates around the new opening so the finish matches the rest of the roof
• Fixing, levelling, and sealing the frame, plus a weathertight check carried out before we leave site
• Clearing the internal reveal of debris and leaving it ready for you to plaster or decorate
• Removal of all waste tiles, packaging, and offcuts from site on completion

• Cutting into rafters to fit a wider window than your existing rafter centres allow — possible, but it adds time and is priced separately once agreed at the survey
• Decorating or plastering the internal reveal — we leave it cleared of debris and ready for decoration, but painting and finishing the inside of the room is not part of the roofing job
• Scaffold towers or tracked scaffold systems, where ladder and anchor access isn’t safe for the property — this is confirmed and costed at the survey stage, not added on the day
• Planning application or listed building consent fees where these are required — in conservation areas, Article 4 streets, or on listed properties, any application costs and paperwork are yours to arrange, though we tell you upfront if you need one

1. Call or enquire: Tell us about the room, what you want the window for, and roughly where it sits on the roof. You can call us or use the contact form on our website and we’ll arrange a free survey.
2. Free on-site survey: A roofer visits to check your roof pitch, rafter centres, tile type, and access. This is also when we confirm whether your property falls under Permitted Development or needs a check with Derby City Council.
3. Itemised quote: You get a clear, no-obligation price covering the window, the correct flashing kit for your tile type, and labour. Anything that adds cost — rafter cutting, scaffold access, a conservation-spec unit — is listed separately, not buried in the total.
4. Installation day: Tiles are stripped around the opening, the aperture is cut to size, the frame is fixed and levelled, the flashing kit is fitted and bedded, and the tiles are relaid. A single window is normally finished within one working day.
5. Weathertight check and handover: Before we leave, the seal is checked from both inside and outside. The work area is cleared, waste is taken away, and the internal reveal is left ready for you to decorate.

Before that quote is written, we also check whether the job falls under Permitted Development or needs a planning application. This matters more on some streets than others: properties in the Friar Gate and Cathedral Quarter conservation areas, the Strutt’s Park and Duffield Road conservation areas, and parts of Chester Green and Darley Abbey (which sits within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site) can carry extra planning controls that a loft conversion in Chaddesden, Oakwood, or Mickleover typically wouldn’t run into. Checking this at the survey, rather than once the tiles are off, means work doesn’t stall partway through because a conservation area restriction turns out to apply. For a straightforward single window on a standard tiled roof outside those controlled areas, most homes are weathertight again within one working day, so the room isn’t left open overnight while you wait on a second visit.

A darker room, a damp loft ceiling, or a failing roof window doesn’t have to wait.

Derby Roofers carries out free, no-obligation surveys across Derby and Derbyshire. We’ll assess your roof, recommend the right window, and give you a clear, itemised quote — no jargon, no pressure.

Most installations are complete in a single day. Most properties need no planning permission. And one call is all it takes to get the ball rolling.

📞 Call us now on 01332-529704 ✉️ Or use the contact form on our website