Skylight Installation & Replacement
Greg's Construction Co installs new skylights, replaces old ones and fixes skylight leaks for homes in North Reading and across the North Shore. We're roofers first, so the part that keeps water out, the curb, flashing and ice and water shield, gets done properly. Estimates are free.
Get a Free Skylight Estimate
What goes into installing a new skylight?
A skylight is a hole in your roof, so the job is really two jobs. Outside, we frame the opening between the rafters, set the unit on its curb, lay ice and water shield around it, and install a flashing kit that ties into the shingles or metal around it. Inside, the opening needs a finished light shaft and trim so it looks like it was always part of the room.
The photos on this page are from one interior. The ceiling is knotty pine plank, so the skylight was trimmed out in new wood to match instead of drywall. When the ceiling is drywall, we can frame the shaft and finish it in drywall too.
- Fixed and venting skylight options
- Velux and other leading brand installs
- Full curb and flashing kit included
- Ice and water shield underlayment
- Shaft framing and drywall finishing available
- Interior trim to match wood or painted ceilings
Fixed or venting skylight: which do you need?
A fixed skylight doesn't open. It's the simplest option, it has fewer moving parts, and it works well anywhere you just want daylight: a hallway, a stairwell, a family room with a cathedral ceiling, or a room with no good spot for a window.
A venting skylight opens, either with a hand crank, a pole or a motor. Because warm, moist air rises, an opening skylight near the top of a room is one of the best ways to let it out. That makes venting units a good fit for bathrooms, kitchens and upstairs bedrooms that get stuffy in summer.
Size and placement matter as much as type. A skylight has to fit between the rafters or have the framing modified, and it should be positioned so it lights the part of the room you actually use. Greg will look at the roof and the room together during the estimate and give you options.
Why is my skylight leaking?
When a skylight leaks, the glass is rarely the problem. Most of the time water is getting past the flashing, or past shingles that were never lapped over the flashing correctly. The usual causes:
- Flashing that was caulked in place instead of properly lapped with the roofing
- No ice and water shield around the curb
- Ice dams backing water up the roof slope and into the uphill side of the skylight
- Old seals or a cracked unit that has simply aged out
- Condensation dripping from the glass, which looks like a leak but isn't one
That last one matters. Condensation on a skylight in January means warm, damp air is hitting cold glass. It's a ventilation problem, not a roofing one, and we'll tell you if that's what we find. For a leak that really is a leak, we re-flash the existing unit when it's in good shape, or recommend replacing it when it isn't. Staining around the opening is also one of the signs you may need a roof repair. For leaks elsewhere on the roof, see our roof repair page.
Should you replace skylights when you replace the roof?
In most cases, yes. The flashing around a skylight is built into the roofing around it. When the old roof comes off, that flashing comes off with it. Putting an old skylight back into a brand-new roof means your new roof depends on the oldest part of the job.
Replacing it during the reroof costs less than doing it later, because the roof is already open. There's no cutting into new shingles, no patching and no second setup. The new unit gets a new curb, fresh ice and water shield and a flashing kit lapped in as the roofing goes on, which is how it should be done.
If your skylights are fairly new and in good shape, we can re-flash and reuse them instead. Whether you're going with asphalt shingles or metal roofing, the flashing details are planned ahead. It's also the time to re-flash the chimney, since it has the same weak point where roof meets curb.
Plan Skylights With Your RoofSkylight questions we get asked
Can you add a skylight to a room that doesn't have one?
Usually, yes. We check the rafters, the roof pitch and what's in the attic space between the roof and the ceiling. A room with a cathedral ceiling is the most direct install. A room with an attic above needs a light shaft built through the attic.
Can a leaking skylight be repaired, or does it need replacing?
If the unit itself is sound and the leak is at the flashing, re-flashing often fixes it. If the seals have failed, the glass is fogged or cracked, or the frame is damaged, replacement is the better value. We'll show you what we find.
Can a skylight go in a metal roof?
Skylights work with shingle and metal roofs alike, but the flashing is detailed differently on metal. If you're planning a metal roof, bring up skylights at the estimate so the opening is planned around the panel layout instead of added afterward.
Do you finish the inside too?
Yes. We handle shaft framing, drywall finishing and interior trim, so you're not hiring a second contractor to finish the ceiling.
How much does a skylight cost?
It depends on the size and type of skylight, whether it's new or a replacement, the roofing material, and how much interior finishing is needed. We give free written estimates after looking at the roof and the room.
Where do you install skylights?
We're based in North Reading and work across the North Shore, including Reading, Wilmington, Lynnfield, Andover, Burlington, Woburn, Wakefield, Stoneham and Peabody. Call (978) 423-3581 or request an estimate. See all our services or finished work in the gallery.
"Perfect job. Gutters, roof, areas around new skylights, flat roof — all done perfectly."
Richard Gallant, Google ReviewA skylight replacement
Before photos from a recent skylight replacement, taken from inside the house.
Roofing guides
Straight answers on leaks, repairs and roof replacement.
How It Works
Getting started with Greg's is easy. Here's what to expect.
Call or Request Online
Call Greg at (978) 423-3581 or fill out our contact form. We'll schedule a visit — usually within a day or two.
Free On-Site Estimate
Greg personally inspects and gives you a detailed written estimate. No pressure, no upselling.
Professional Installation
Our experienced crew handles the full job. We protect your property and keep you updated throughout.
Final Walkthrough
Greg walks the completed job with you. No open punch list — your satisfaction is the final sign-off.
Thinking about a skylight?
Free estimates — call or request online. Licensed & insured in MA.