What Skylight Installation Involves on Your Roof
We cut a framed opening through the roof deck and the sheathing, build a curb when the unit calls for one, and set the skylight so it sheds water exactly like the shingles around it. The unit is half the job.
Flashing, underlayment, and sealant decide whether that opening stays waterproof for twenty years or drips into your insulation by year three.
- Fixed skylights do not open, cost less, and have no hinge gasket to wear out.
- Vented skylights move air out of a bathroom or stairwell, and the hinge seal is the first part that fails.
- Solar-powered blinds run off a small panel so you can dim a bright room without covering the glass.
- Sun tunnels bend around a rafter and drop daylight into a hallway with no attic room for a full unit.
- VELUX and Solatube each ship a factory flashing kit, and using that kit is what keeps the warranty intact.
Around the opening we run a self-adhered ice-and-water shield, then synthetic underlayment over whatever roofing felt or tar paper is already there. Step flashing seals the sidewalls, counter-flashing caps it, and the drip edge keeps water off the fascia at the eave.
Matching the Unit to What Is Already on Your Roof
A skylight is only as good as the material it sits in. We match the flashing kit to your existing surface instead of forcing one kit to fit everything.
- Asphalt shingle roofs, whether three-tab shingle or architectural shingle, take a standard step-flash kit and new field course shingles blended into the surrounding rows.
- Wood shake and cedar shake need a taller curb and a cricket uphill of the opening so debris cannot dam water against it.
- Slate, clay tile, and concrete tile are brittle, so we lift and reset each piece by hand and keep spare tile on the truck.
- Metal panel, standing-seam panel, and corrugated panel get a curb flashed to the ribs with butyl sealant instead of surface caulk.
- Low-slope sections with a membrane, TPO, EPDM, or PVC membrane take a prefabricated curb and a heat-welded flashing detail.
- Built-up roof and modified bitumen get a cut-in flashing set in hot asphalt, tar, or bitumen, then a coating over the lap.
- A steep pitch on a mansard or gambrel sometimes makes a rooftop or canopy unit the better call than a cut.
Signs the Skylight or Its Flashing Is Failing
Most leaks we pull apart did not start with the glass. They started with a flashing detail that was caulked instead of built.
- Brown rings on the ceiling or a soft patch in drywall point to water wicking along the sheathing.
- Daylight at the edge of the frame means the seal has peeled and the gasket has started to rot.
- Condensation on the inside pane in the morning points to a broken thermal seal or missing insulation at the curb.
- Granule loss on the shingles uphill of the unit usually means water is backing up behind a clogged gutter or downspout.
- Lifted or cracked step flashing, apron flashing, or boot flashing means metal has oxidized and pulled off the substrate.
- Ice dam buildup at the eave after a cold snap pushes meltwater sideways into the frame.
- Staining near a chimney, pipe boot, or vent boot gets blamed on the skylight when that flashing failed first.
Our Step-by-Step Process
We schedule around your weather window, not ours. Foggy mornings mean we start the tear-off after the roof has dried, because a wet substrate traps moisture under new work.
- Free roof inspection and written roof estimate: we walk the roof, check the decking for rot, and photograph what we find.
- Design consultation: we compare fixed and vented units, glass tint, and where the light lands in the room.
- Permit pull: a framed opening is a building code matter in Contra Costa County, and we handle the paperwork.
- Tear-off and framing: we strip the field course shingles, cut the sheathing, and frame against the rafter or truss without cutting a joist or ridge beam.
- Installation: set the curb, run self-adhered ice-and-water shield, seal with step flashing and counter-flashing, then re-shingle in staggered courses.
- Interior finish: trim the shaft, add insulation and a vapor barrier, caulk the reveal, and patch drywall where it cracked.
The truck carries a nail gun, air compressor, pry bar, and roofing shovel for the tear-off, and a torch only on flat membrane work. We fasten with ring-shank nails set to depth so nothing is overdriven.
What This Work Costs in San Ramon
Most residential jobs here land between $1,800 and $4,500 installed, and a sun tunnel usually runs $700 to $1,400. Odd framing, a tile roof, or a second-story pitch pushes the number up.
- Unit size and glass type drive material cost more than anything else on the invoice.
- Roof pitch and access matter, since a steep gable over a two-story entry needs more scaffold time than a low hip.
- Roof replacement alongside the unit saves money because the flashing is folded into the same tear-off.
- Interior finish work such as drywall, paint, and trim is separate from the roofing side of the bid.
- A roof estimate should list materials, labor, permit, and dump fees as separate line items so you can compare bids honestly.
Warranty, Permits, and Insurance Claims
We are licensed & insured, and we register the manufacturer warranty on the unit so coverage follows the glass as well as the labor. Our workmanship warranty covers the flashing and sealant details we install ourselves.
If a storm opened the roof, we document everything for an insurance claim with dated photos and a line-item estimate. We can meet the adjuster on-site and file a supplemental claim when the first scope misses rotted decking.
Daylight, Energy, and Green Roofing Choices
A well-placed unit cuts the electricity you burn lighting a dark hallway, and that is the energy efficiency gain homeowners actually notice.
- Roof coating with a reflective finish lowers attic heat, the cheapest efficiency upgrade on a flat or low-slope section.
- Solar-powered blinds and a ridge vent work together, since the blinds cut glare while soffit vent and attic fan airflow keep the attic cooler.
- Roofing technology has improved the kits, and modern step flashing and counter-flashing arrive pre-stamped rather than hand-bent on site.
- Green roofing decisions such as cool-rated shingles and recycled underlayment matter most at roof replacement, not at a single unit swap.
- Roof maintenance tips we give every neighbor: clear the gutter and downspout twice a year, and check the soffit vent for nests.
Why Homeowners Here Call a Local Roofer
Hot, dry summers bake the sealant on a curb until it flakes, and fog that settles in some mornings wicks into any flashing lap that was caulked instead of built. We see it on 1970s stucco homes and newer tract houses alike.
As a local roofing contractor we handle roof repair and roof replacement on the same visit when the decking has rotted. We also take on gutter repair, gutter installation, roof maintenance, chimney flashing, roof coating, storm damage repair, and commercial roofing on flat sections above shops.
Steep pitches get an anchor point, and homes with a parapet, dormer, or long valley need the flashing laid out differently than a plain gable. A lifting rake or verge edge, a scupper or coping detail, or a snow guard row in the wrong spot all change the plan.
Signs You Need Skylight Installation
Brown Rings on the Ceiling
Water wicks along the sheathing and stains the drywall long before it drips. Hot, dry summers here can hide that source for months because it only runs during winter rain.
Curling Shingles at the Frame
Shingles that lift and curl around the opening let water sit against the metal edge. Look for granule loss in the gutter below, which is the first clue the field course is giving up.
Daylight at the Edge of the Glass
A visible sliver of light means the sealant has peeled and the gasket has started to rot. That gap will leak in the next heavy storm, even though the room stays dry today.
Foggy Morning Condensation
Coastal moisture settles on a failing unit and shows up as fog between the panes or water on the inner frame. A broken thermal seal cannot be resealed, only replaced.
Lifted Step Flashing
Metal that has oxidized and pulled off the substrate leaves the sidewall exposed. We see this most on original flashing from the 1970s, before self-adhered underlayment was standard.
Clogged Gutters Uphill
Debris in the valley or a blocked downspout pushes water sideways under the shingles. Cleaning the gutter twice a year is the cheapest way to keep the opening dry.
What's Included
- ✓ A free roof inspection with a photo report and moisture readings taken at the curb.
- ✓ A flashing kit matched to your material, including step flashing, counter-flashing, and a new drip edge.
- ✓ Permit pull and final inspection coordination so the opening meets Contra Costa County building code.
- ✓ Manufacturer warranty registration for the unit, plus our written workmanship warranty on flashing and sealant.
- ✓ Insulation, vapor barrier, and ventilation work at the shaft so the opening does not become a cold spot.
- ✓ Interior trim, caulk, and drywall patching finished the same week as the roof work.
- ✓ Debris haul-off with dump fees included and a magnetic sweep for nails across the yard and driveway.
Related Services
Ready to get started? Call us today at 9257239025 for a free estimate.
☎ Call 9257239025
