Skylights

[Chris Padilla]

So moving on with the living room remodel in our home, we are going to get 3 Velux Skylights for our vaulted ceiling.

Our rafters are 24" on center and we are spacing the skylights out on every other rafter bay.

Roof is a 3:12, 15-degree pitch.

Anyway, they want $650 each to install each skylight.:eek: Just curious what the collective here thinks about that. I'm having a new roof installed as well and may see what the roofing company wants to install 'em for me or I think I may just do the darn things myself. They don't appear that difficult to do.

Cheers

[Jim Becker]

The "roof intersection" is critical relative to making your skylights as leak-resistant as possible...talk to the roofers even if you plan on doing the interior work. Let them physically install the skylights as part of the job. IMHO, of course.

[David G Baker]

What Jim said.

[Peter Lyon]

If you get the flashing kit with the skylights, installing them is not too difficult (assuming you understand the basics of how to roof and flash). IMHO, the real challenge is the interior mudding and texturing to seamlessly blend it in after you've framed the interior opening (assuming a flat ceiling). This is not only messy, it's hard to make it not look like an afterthought.

[Mike Cutler]

So moving on with the living room remodel in our home, we are going to get 3 Velux Skylights for our vaulted ceiling.

Our rafters are 24" on center and we are spacing the skylights out on every other rafter bay.

Roof is a 3:12, 15-degree pitch.

Anyway, they want $650 each to install each skylight.:eek: Just curious what the collective here thinks about that. I'm having a new roof installed as well and may see what the roofing company wants to install 'em for me or I think I may just do the darn things myself. They don't appear that difficult to do.

Cheers

They are not hard to install Chris, but they do require some forethought.
In your case it sounds as if the skylights will fit between roof rafters and joists. Is this correct?
If so there are a lot of things you don't have to worry about. Frame in the rough openening, install per Velux directions and make sure that you get the correct flashing kit for your roof pitch. There is more than one kit. 3:12 is not a very steep pitch.
If you are going to redo the roof anyway, wait to to install the flashing, or the roofer will just have to take it off. In fact there is a "Water & Ice" underlayment that has to be laid in a very specific manner. You may want to coordinate both activities with the roofing company.
I don't know if I would have the roofers install the window,and do the rough work. They may not have that skillset, or experience.
It's really not a hard job.

[Andy Hoyt]

Mike is right about the flashing kit and a 3/12 pitch, which is rather shallow. Not sure what Velux calls 'em, but I'm pretty sure Andersen ferers to them as an Incline Curb Flashing kit.

The weakest part of your new roof will be where you're intentionally punching a bunch of big holes into it. Don't scrimp - be sure it's done right. And get the installer's home number in advance.

[Joe Mioux]

if it was me, and you need a new roof anyway. get a carpenter up there let them set the skylights. and the roofers do the roofing and any additional flashing. you can always do the finish and trim work on the inside.


btw, did you ever give smc a tour of your garage? if not......? how about a tour.

does anyone remember those famous curtains?;)

joe

[Greg Cole]

Me being umm... me. I'd install them with the kit rec'ed by the manufacturer. Then again, being me... I'd be the schmuck on the roof from start to finish. It's not the most difficult work 'round, but it's a whole bunch of umm...well.... "exercise". I did about 16 or so squares on my house last year in 2 days including stripping and clean up..... hindsight says that 3 days would have been more appropriate for time allotment. 6am to 8pm on a roof is a looooooong day, especially on day 2 :cool:.
FWIW, some of the tube style "skylights" are worth looking into as well. They provide alot of light without the huge hole in the roof deck and eventual water penetration issues. I've yet to see a skylight that hasn't been a problem eventually...... and installation of this style "skylight" can be done before new roof or 'bout as easily after new roof install.

Cheers,
Greg

[Chris Padilla]

These skylights come with a separate flashing kit that is supposed to make it pretty fool proof so I'm fairly certain I can handle it. 2 grand for install is a bit much, IMO.

The skylights will fit between the rafters since they are 24" OC so nothing will happen to the framework other than a 2x6s to box in the skylight between the rafters. I may need additional material to fill in space across the width of the skylight.

Since I have the interior walls pretty torn up (upgraded all my insulation since this room is rather cold in the winter and hot in the summer) and we plan to have the "popcorn" ceiling scraped, I'm not too worried about the interior finish work to blend the skylights in. I will hire that out (have a buddy) for sure.

The roofers said they can install skylights but suggested I may not like their price! haha I'll call them and ask them anyway just for a comparison.

Oh, I'm in the SF Bay Area of California...not too much ice to worry about! ;)

Joe, them curtains are LONG gone and I haven't really done much of a tour lately as I've been off the SMC radar screen for a while...just busy with other stuff in my life but I could post a little ditty on my new roof and skylights when they are done! It could be interestin'!

[Brian Weick]

If that price of $650 includes the interior finishing than yes-not including the painting, if not it's a little high to me. Make sure what ever you do that you get the proper flashing kit with that velux unit, ice & water shield from the field up the curbs and you will be in good shape. You said you are getting a new roof installed- you may be better off going with one company, providing they know what there doing. If it were me, I would do these myself , plot out your cut outs from inside, use a 18" 1.2" spade bit drill up through the ceiling and the roof sheathing, cut out it all out, install your jack rafters,install the skylights to the roof sheathing , use Ice & water shield then all the roofing Co, has to do is flash the units with the flashing kit and what ever shingles you are using and have it over with along with saving yourself some money-.
My 2 cents :)
Brian

[Chris Padilla]

I should add that I currently have a wood shake roof and will be going to an asphalt shingle roof so that means they'll need to add plywood sheathing to the rafters since it is skip-sheathing right now.

If anyone cares to dig further, we are getting this Velux Skylight (3 of 'em):

FS-112 Skylight (fixed, deck-mounted skylight, low-e glass/laminated, ~21" x 71")
EDL Step Flashing to match above skylight and new asphalt shingled roof
Solar Battery Powered LightBlock Shade (no wiring!!)

[Chris Padilla]

If that price of $650 includes the interior finishing than yes-not including the painting, if not it's a little high to me. Make sure what ever you do that you get the proper flashing kit with that velux unit, ice & water shield from the field up the curbs and you will be in good shape. You said you are getting a new roof installed- you may be better off going with one company, providing they know what there doing. If it were me, I would do these myself , plot out your cut outs from inside, use a 18" 1.2" spade bit drill up through the ceiling and the roof sheathing, cut out it all out, install your jack rafters,install the skylights to the roof sheathing , use Ice & water shield then all the roofing Co, has to do is flash the units with the flashing kit and what ever shingles you are using and have it over with along with saving yourself some money-.
My 2 cents :)
Brian

The price include ZERO interior work. I'm fairly certain I'll install these myself so thanks everyone for your comments!

[Greg Cole]

Chris,
I'd definately do it myself for the price you were given.
the area I live in here in Kansas City is LOADED with shake roofs.... we're in a rather "windy" area to say the least and lighting storms abound. Never understood the "must have this roof in this neighborhood" considering that must have roof isn't very good in high winds (aka tornadoes) nevermind it being a bunch of tinder for lightning....:confused: I think it's finally not legal for neighborhood associations to mandate shake roofing anymore....

BTW, the roofing on a flat pitch like yours is a PITA, DAMKHIT... especially for tall blokes like me at 6'3".. it's a long way down to that roof decking.

Greg

[Ken Garlock]

Hey Cris, how goes it.:)

If you need new sheathing, have them install the type that has one side of aluminum foil. (Foil side goes down.)

Good luck with the project.

[Jim Becker]

Chris, you need to wait to install the skylights until the new sheathing is in place. If you want to do the skylight install, then work it out with your roofer such that you have the time to do so between when they rip off the old roof and put down the plywood and when they lay the shingles. You may want to arrange for some temporary tar paper at first that they replace with the good stuff, such as the self-stick membrane and heavy paper. This way, you have some protection from rain while you do the carpentry in your copious free time. My roofers and framers handled things this way for some of the roof on the addition due to time frames. A few rolls of thinner paper gave some weather protection between the sheathing going on and the final roof getting laid.

[Chris Padilla]

Ken, Good idea...I'll ask about the material details. I got a very fair price to get the roof redone so I have no problem upgrading the materials if it is reasonable as well.

Jim, Yeppers and a big 10-4 on that! :)


Get this, I got a quote from a local place but I found a place online, in PA (millworkforless.com), that can get them to me cheaper than my local guy. Their prices are just a smidge cheaper but the real bonus from this outfit in PA: no sales tax and shipping included! I'm saving a good $170 buying from PA versus my local guy 10 miles away! :eek: Delivery time is about a week longer but no biggie...roofer is on a 2.5 week wait anyway.

I think I'll still get a quote from the roofers on the install but odds are good I'll just plop these babies in myself.

[TYLER WOOD]

Just remember there are only two types of skylights. Those that leak........and those that will. :D

Sheath, caulk, flash, roofer's cement, shingles, roofer's cement. Get as many layers of protection as possible. It's inevitable that one or more of the weather proofing systems will fail.

[Chris Padilla]

Hey Chris, how goes it.:)

If you need new sheathing, have them install the type that has one side of aluminum foil. (Foil side goes down.)

Good luck with the project.


Ken,

What have you heard in regards to this kind of sheathing? My roofer thinks it is a waste of money as it adds about $20 per square (I have 26 squares). I'd love to read up on some studies or even stuff that may question the validity of such a product.

Thanks!

[Chris Padilla]

Skylights arrived!! I was wondering how they got here so fast when I ordered them the day before Thanksgiving from a place in Pennsylvania...they were shipped from Reno!!

I also found a guy who will install them for me for $800 (this is the guy my roofers "sub-contract"). It includes zero interior finishing work.

So each window includes one skylight, one flashing kit, and one shade kit...and I have triplets of everything! Everything you see here came to $1928.37 including shipping and tax (which there was none). My local outfit wanted $2004 + $165.33 in tax. I saved $240.96 ordering outside of California.

The local outfit also wanted $650 a pop to install the skylight PLUS another $75 per skylight to install the shade! :eek: That comes to $2175 for labor to install everything! Installing this shade...my wife could do it!!

The shade runs on solar for opening and closing and it gets installed after the skylight is installed and after any interior finish work (sheetrock, insulation, mud/tape, painting, etc.).

Okay, so the skylights are here and ready...now to figure out about insulating my rafter bays...see the "New Roof" thread I have going.

Edit: Oh, that first pic is my cathedral ceiling with two cardboard mock-ups of two different sizes of skylights. I did this to get a feel for how the size looked in the room. My wife and I thought the smaller one was what we wanted until I tacked a longer size up there and we knew right away the longer one looked better. It will also bring in more light as this room is quite dark (this room faces West).

[Chris Padilla]

Well, the skylights are in!! We are amazed and how much brighter the room is. I keep thinking a light or two has been left on in the room!

Unfortunately, the new roof isn't due for another 2 weeks or so so I ended up stuffing some insulation in and around the inside of the skylights and putting some plastic over them on the outside of the roof just in case it does actually rain in California.

I went ahead and resecured the drywall around the skylights with some screws. I'm going to wait for the new roof to be done and for the possible expanding foam insulation to be put in before doing the interior finish work for the skylights.

Yes, I end up doing the spray foam insulation, I will go ahead and remove all the drywall and batt insulation I already installed but it'll be worth it in the end when this room is much more comfortable year-round.

[Chris Padilla]

:mad: Lovely, it is raining...wifey just called me at work...skylights are leaking despite my best efforts to seal 'em off.

I can only hope it doesn't rain too hard for too much longer or I may be replacing sheetrock on my ceiling--gosh darn it!! :mad:

I could care less about the carpet...I have a nice maple floor going down when all the interior work is done.

Well, the semi-bright side? It will only be leaking in these 3 rafter bays...and perhaps the two in-between so any drywall damage will be localized.... :o

[Chris Padilla]

I thought I'd update this thread with some more pics! :)

Since the skylights are narrower than my rafter span, there was a need to fill in the space to bring out the final piece of sheetrock nice and square/plumb with the skylight. There was a groove cut into the skylight's wooden frame that can accomodate either 1/2" or 5/8" drywall nice and snugly. I then flushed up the drywall to the ceiling and it was time to call in my mud/tap/texture guy to perform his magic.

[Chris Padilla]

...and the final product. They came out quite sharp!

[Mitchell Andrus]

I put two skylight over the bed when I raised the roof back when I had more energy. I'll naver do that again. Tight as a drum, never a leak but the cold air wafts down on you in the winter.

Does make the room nice and bright, though.

[Steve Clardy]

:mad: Lovely, it is raining...wifey just called me at work...skylights are leaking despite my best efforts to seal 'em off.

I can only hope it doesn't rain too hard for too much longer or I may be replacing sheetrock on my ceiling--gosh darn it!! :mad:

I could care less about the carpet...I have a nice maple floor going down when all the interior work is done.

Well, the semi-bright side? It will only be leaking in these 3 rafter bays...and perhaps the two in-between so any drywall damage will be localized.... :o


Ah. What about the leaks Bro Chris?

[Chris Padilla]

Ah. What about the leaks Bro Chris?


We are all buttoned up. That only happend because the roof wasn't finished yet thus the skylights weren't flashed. All's good now. :)

[Steve Clardy]

We are all buttoned up. That only happend because the roof wasn't finished yet thus the skylights weren't flashed. All's good now. :)


Good good. ;)

Looking at your post date on the leaks, I was wonderig if Ma had a wet head :eek: all this time. She gets awful grumpy when her head is wraped up in a towel all time. Or at least she used too. ;):D

[Mark Singer]

Chris,
I do a lot of stuff myself. I really like the idea that they are responsible and will do the work

[Jim Becker]

Those look great, Chris. They can be really transformational to the room as I'm sure you're already finding out!

[Chris Padilla]

The light output is incredible to say the least. For the first month of having them in, I kept thinking lights were left on!! Thanks for the kudos, we are quite pleased with them.