Skylight installation
Island Light, Done Properly
Few upgrades change a Vineyard home like a skylight. A dark hallway in a Vineyard Haven cape becomes bright at noon; a low-ceilinged Oak Bluffs bedroom feels twice the size; a West Tisbury studio gets the north light artists chase. And on an island where winter days are short, that free daylight matters more than most places.
The catch — and the reason skylights have a bad reputation with some homeowners — is that a skylight is a planned hole in your roof. Done casually, it leaks. Done properly, it’s as watertight as the roof around it. We’re roofers first, which is exactly why our skylights don’t leak: every unit goes in with the manufacturer’s flashing kit, ice & water membrane lapped correctly around the curb, and shingles woven back so water never gets a chance to sit.
Installation, Replacement & Repair
- New installation — fixed, manual-venting and solar-powered models cut into the roof exactly where the light should fall. We handle the framing, flashing and interior finish coordination.
- Replacement — fogged double panes, yellowed acrylic domes and drafty 1990s units swapped for modern, energy-efficient glass that keeps heat in during winter and out during August.
- Leak repair — we diagnose whether the problem is the unit, the flashing or condensation (they look identical from below), then fix the actual cause. No blind caulking.
Every installation covers the details that make daylight livable, not just possible: a properly framed and finished light shaft so the ceiling opening looks intentional, condensation channels for damp island mornings, and — on venting models — rain sensors that close the unit automatically when the first drops of a squall arrive. If a bedroom gets too bright in July, factory blinds solve it without a single screw through the frame. Small things, but they’re the difference between a skylight you love and one you tolerate.
Why VELUX — and When Something Else
Skylight repair and replacement is a specialty of ours, and we work with VELUX and other major brands. VELUX earns its reputation: excellent glass, reliable flashing systems, solar-powered venting models that qualify for federal tax credits, and rain sensors that close the unit before a squall arrives. But the right unit depends on your roof pitch, the room below, and your budget — so we recommend from experience, not from a catalog.
The Smartest Time to Do Skylights
If a roof replacement is in your future, that’s the moment to add or replace skylights — the flashing integrates perfectly with the new roof system and you save real money doing it once. Already had storm damage nearby? We check skylights as part of every storm damage inspection, and we make sure your gutters are moving water away from the whole assembly.
Skylight FAQs
Do skylights always leak eventually?
No — that reputation comes from bad installation, not from skylights. A quality unit that’s flashed correctly with a manufacturer flashing kit, ice & water membrane and proper shingle integration will stay dry for decades, even in island weather. Most “leaky skylights” we see were flashed with caulk and hope.
Which skylight brands do you install?
Skylight work is a specialty of ours. We install and service VELUX and other major brands — fixed, manual and solar-powered venting models — and we’ll recommend the right unit for your roof pitch, room and budget.
Should I replace my skylights when I replace my roof?
Almost always yes. The flashing has to come off during a reroof anyway, so replacing an older unit at the same time costs far less than doing it later — and a 15+ year old skylight rarely outlives a brand-new roof around it.
