What Skylight Installation Involves
Skylight installation starts inside the attic, not up on the roof. We check rafter spacing, look for wiring and ductwork, and confirm the opening lands between two trusses before anyone climbs a ladder.
Above the roof deck, the work is mostly flashing and patience. The curb is framed, squared, and sheathed so the unit has a flat seat. Then we tie it into the field course with step flashing, counter-flashing, and sealant at every lap.
- Fixed skylights never open, which makes them the least leak-prone choice for a bathroom or stairwell.
- Vented skylights crank or motor open to release the heat that builds under a Dallas roof by mid-July.
- Solar-powered blinds run off a small panel and cut summer glare without new wiring in the attic.
- Sun tunnels push daylight down a reflective shaft to brighten a hallway with no headroom for a full unit.
- The curb is framed from lumber and sheathed with plywood or OSB so fasteners bite into solid wood.
- Ice-and-water shield runs along the low side of the curb as backup against wind-driven rain.
- Synthetic underlayment has replaced tar paper on most re-roofs, though roofing felt still meets code on uneven decks.
How Your Roof Type Changes the Curb Detail
The roof covering decides how much the curb has to be built up and how carefully the surrounding material gets lifted. We quote the roof type first, then the unit.
- Asphalt shingles, whether architectural shingle or three-tab, get lifted and re-nailed around the curb, and color match matters more than most people expect.
- Metal panel roofs, including standing-seam and corrugated profiles, need a curb built to the rib height, often over batten and counterbatten strips.
- Clay tile, concrete tile, slate, and cedar shake are brittle or heavy, so we reset them by hand instead of running a pry bar through them.
- Low-slope membrane decks use TPO, EPDM, or PVC membrane, and a curb there is flashed in the same sheet goods rather than shingles.
- Built-up roof and modified bitumen systems need a torch or mastic detail at the curb, because tar and bitumen do not self-heal around a fastener.
- On a parapet roof, the curb sits clear of the scupper and coping so ponding water still drains off the deck.
Warning Signs Your Skylight Is Failing
Leaks around a skylight rarely start at the glass. Water wicks through a failed sealant bead or a corroded curb flashing, then shows up as a ceiling stain weeks later.
- Brown rings on the drywall beneath the unit mean water has already wicked through the sheathing above.
- Daylight showing around the frame usually points to a shifted curb or a fastener that pulled loose.
- Condensation on the interior pane in winter signals warm air escaping past the insulation and sealant.
- Granule loss on the shingles downhill from the curb tells us runoff has been scouring that slope for months.
- Cracked or peeling sealant at the curb corners is the first stage of a slow, steady roof leak.
- Loose or missing shingle tabs beside the unit let wind-driven rain slip under the step flashing.
How Our Crew Installs a Skylight
Every install follows the same order, and skipping a step is how a rooftop opening becomes a recurring problem. We start with a design consultation in the room you want to brighten.
- We inspect the attic and the roof, measure the pitch, and confirm the opening clears rafters, joists, and wiring.
- We pull the decking inside the curb line, cut the opening with a pry bar and roofing shovel, then frame and sheathe the curb.
- We set ice-and-water shield and synthetic underlayment around the curb, lapping each layer downhill.
- We replace drip edge and the starter course wherever the job touches an eave, rake, or valley.
- We fasten the unit with the manufacturer's screws, ring-shank nails, and hand-sealed fasteners at the corners.
- We flash the curb with step flashing and counter-flashing, then reseal the chimney flashing or pipe boot if we disturbed it.
- We hose-test the unit, sweep the yard for nails, and haul the debris out to the dumpster.
What Skylight Work Costs in Dallas
Pricing depends on unit type, curb height, roof pitch, and how much of the surrounding shingle work the opening disturbs. A sun tunnel on a simple gable roof sits at the low end of the range.
A vented unit with solar-powered blinds on a steep hip roof sits at the high end, and custom tile or slate work adds hand labor on top.
- A basic sun tunnel with a standard ceiling diffuser typically runs $600 to $1,200 installed, including flashing and trim.
- Fixed skylights on a straightforward roof generally land between $1,200 and $2,500 depending on size and glazing.
- Vented skylights with solar-powered blinds push past $2,500 because of the motor, remote, and extra flashing detail.
- Curb work on clay tile, slate, or cedar shake adds labor, since those materials must be lifted and reset by hand.
- A re-roof that includes two units is quoted per roofing square, which spreads the flashing labor across the whole job.
Warranty, Insurance, and Storm Damage
Dallas County gets hail in spring and hard UV through August, and both shorten the life of the sealant and flashing around any rooftop opening. We register the manufacturer warranty on the unit and warrant our flashing work in writing.
- Manufacturer warranties cover the glass unit and frame against seal failure, and we walk you through the terms before you sign.
- Our workmanship warranty covers the flashing, underlayment laps, and sealant we install at the curb.
- Hail damage to the shingles around a unit is often covered by homeowners insurance, minus your deductible.
- We document the storm date with photos and a line-item estimate, then meet the adjuster on the roof.
- Interior water damage from a failed unit is a separate claim, so report a ceiling stain before it spreads.
Why Dallas Roof Master for Skylight Work
We work Dallas County roofs most weeks, from 1950s ranch homes in Casa View to Tudor Revival houses near Highland Park where the roofline hides three different pitches. That history matters when a curb has to sit square on an uneven deck.
Adding a unit changes attic ventilation, so we check the ridge vent, soffit vents, and any attic fan while we are up there. A deep overhang or a canopy over the entry shades the shaft more than most people expect.
We are licensed and insured, estimates are free, and we pull the permit for the framing and the electrical tie-in, because the building code treats a new roof opening as a structural change. Call 214-286-5623.
Signs You Need Skylight Installation
Ceiling Stains Below the Unit
A brown ring on the drywall under a skylight usually means water is wicking past the curb flashing. Dallas hail in spring dents the metal and loosens the sealant bead that keeps it tight.
Daylight Around the Frame
Light at the edges of the interior trim points to a shifted curb or a loose fastener. Summer heat cycles the wood, and a fastener that backs out lets the unit move.
Condensation on the Pane
Moisture on the inside glass in winter means attic air is escaping past the insulation and sealant. That same gap costs you cooling capacity in July.
Granules in the Gutter
Granule loss on the shingles downhill from a unit tells us runoff has been scouring that slope. Left alone, the shingle erodes to the mat and the leak moves indoors.
Cracked Sealant at the Corners
Sealant peels and cracks first where the curb meets the shingle. Recaulking early is a small repair, while waiting usually means pulling shingles and resetting flashing.
Loose or Missing Shingle Tabs
High winds from spring storms lift the tabs beside a curb and let rain slide under the step flashing. We reset the field course and check the ice-and-water shield while the roof is open.
What's Included
- ✓ Free attic and roof inspection before anything is quoted, with photos of the framing and decking.
- ✓ A written roof estimate that separates the unit, the curb, the flashing, and the interior trim.
- ✓ Permit pull for the structural opening, since local building code treats it as a change to the roof deck.
- ✓ Curb framing, sheathing, ice-and-water shield, synthetic underlayment, step flashing, and counter-flashing.
- ✓ Manufacturer warranty registration on the unit so the glass seal is covered in your name.
- ✓ Daily cleanup, a magnetic nail sweep of the yard and driveway, and dump fees included.
- ✓ Interior trim and sealant finished before we leave, plus a walkthrough of how the unit operates.
Related Services
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