Skylight Installation
Natural Light Without the Leaks

Bring the Sky Inside

Natural overhead light changes a room in a way that vertical windows can't match. A 2x4 foot skylight admits about the same amount of daylight as a 4x8 foot wall window — three to four times more efficient per square foot because the light comes straight from above instead of at an angle through the eaves. A kitchen that felt cramped at noon becomes open. A hallway that ran its LED strip from dawn to dusk doesn't need it anymore. A guest bath turns into something that feels like a spa instead of a utility closet. And in the East Bay's 260+ sunny days a year, you get that free light far more often than almost anywhere else in the country.

We've installed VELUX and Fakro skylights across the East Bay since the late 1980s — back when the technology really was just a plexiglass bubble on a painted metal curb. The flashing kits, the glass packages, the solar-powered options, and the Title 24 compliance story are all dramatically better now. What hasn't changed is the core rule of skylight installation: it's the flashing, not the glass, that determines whether it leaks. We'll come back to that.

What We Install

We work with the two brands that genuinely dominate the residential skylight market, plus two specialty tubular lines.

VELUX is the industry leader, and for good reason. Their product families break down into FCM (fixed deck-mount, the most common residential unit), VS (manual venting, pole-operated), VSE (electric venting, hardwired, remote controlled), and VSS (solar-powered venting, no wiring required, rain sensor standard). VELUX also makes the Sun Tunnel TMF (flexible tube) and TGR (rigid tube) for small-space daylighting. Every VELUX unit ships with a matched flashing kit specific to your roofing material — composition shingle, tile, metal, or flat — and we buy it every time.

Fakro is the European alternative and a strong choice when the owner wants a more architectural look. Their FTU (U6 triple-glazed) and FTP (P2 tempered-laminated) are direct competitors to the VELUX FCM. Fakro's flashing kits aren't as refined as VELUX's, in our honest opinion, but they're still factory-engineered and we install them according to spec.

Solatube TDD and VELUX Sun Tunnel are the tubular options — a 10-14 inch reflective tube that channels sunlight from a small roof dome down through the attic to a ceiling diffuser. No rafters get cut. No light shaft gets framed. It installs in 3-5 hours and delivers surprisingly bright light to small rooms, closets, hallways, and bathrooms where a traditional skylight won't fit or isn't worth the framing work.

When You Need This

A skylight is the right call when a room is dark during the day, when the existing vertical windows don't face the sun, when you can't add a wall window because of structure or privacy, or when you want ventilation at the highest point of the room for heat release. It's also the right call during a roof replacement if you've ever thought about adding one — the incremental cost during a re-roof is roughly half the cost of a standalone install.

It's the wrong call when your roof is more than 15 years old and approaching replacement. You'll pay for the flashing work twice. It's also the wrong call when the room is already bright, when the roof has structural conditions that make cutting an opening expensive, or when condensation management on a cathedral ceiling would require additional venting infrastructure you don't want to build.

Our Installation Process

Step 1: Consultation. We visit the home, walk through the space, check the attic (if there is one), look at the roof from above, and talk through what you're trying to accomplish. Placement matters more than most homeowners realize — a skylight 18 inches east or west changes the daylight pattern significantly. We pick the size and model, and we confirm the roof and framing are compatible.

Step 2: Permit and ordering. Most East Bay jurisdictions require a permit for skylight installation under CRC R905.13. We pull it. We also order the unit and the matched flashing kit; VELUX units typically arrive in 5-10 business days.

Step 3: Rough opening. We cut the opening from below — through the drywall, the insulation, and the roof deck. Any rafters that need cutting get properly headed off with doubled lumber and Simpson Strong-Tie hangers. We install GAF StormGuard ice and water shield around the entire opening perimeter before anything else goes on.

Step 4: Curb or deck-mount setup. Deck-mount units (VELUX FCM, Fakro FTU) sit directly on the roof deck with a low profile. Curb-mount units sit on a pressure-treated wood curb that raises the skylight above the roof plane — standard for flat roofs, tile roofs, and some architectural applications.

Step 5: Flashing kit installation. This is the part that determines whether it leaks for 30 years or for 3. The manufacturer's flashing kit includes apron flashing at the downslope edge, step flashing along both sides (interleaved with the shingle courses), and saddle flashing (sometimes called a cricket) at the uphill edge to divert water around the unit. Nothing is field-fabricated. Nothing is caulked into place as a substitute for proper metal.

Step 6: Unit set and seal. The skylight sits onto the curb or deck frame, gets fastened per spec, and the factory weather seal engages. We don't handle the glass in the field — it's sealed at the factory and stays sealed.

Step 7: Interior light shaft. The shaft from the roof deck to the ceiling is framed, insulated (critical for condensation control), drywalled, and finished. We can splay the shaft walls to spread light outward or keep them vertical for a focused beam, depending on what works for the room.

Step 8: Cleanup and walkthrough. Magnetic nail sweep, tarp removal, interior dust containment broken down, and a walkthrough with you to confirm everything looks right.

Code Requirements

CRC R905.13 governs skylight installation — flashing, curb height, and attachment requirements. CRC R308 covers the glazing — Category II safety glazing (laminated or tempered) is required for skylights. Title 24 (California Energy Code) sets U-factor and SHGC limits; current code for most California climate zones requires U-factor ≤ 0.55 and SHGC ≤ 0.30 for skylights, and the VELUX and Fakro units we install meet or beat both numbers without upgrades.

CRC R807 governs attic access and needs to be maintained when a skylight's rough opening reduces clearance. And Chapter 7A of the California Building Code applies in WUI fire zones — parts of Oakland, Berkeley, Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette, Danville, Alamo, San Ramon, and the San Rafael hills — requiring Class A fire-rated assembly and ember-resistant construction at the curb and flashing.

Most East Bay jurisdictions require a permit. Contra Costa County unincorporated goes through the ePermits Center in Martinez. Oakland, Berkeley, and the Alameda County cities permit through their own building departments. Fees typically run $150-$400 depending on city and scope. We handle the paperwork.

Pricing and Timeline

Tubular / Sun Tunnel: $1,200-$2,200 installed, half-day work. Fixed skylight (VELUX FCM, Fakro FTU): $1,800-$3,500 installed, full-day work. Manual venting skylight: $2,800-$4,500 installed, full-day. Electric venting skylight: $3,200-$5,500 installed, full-day. Solar-powered venting (VELUX VSS): $3,500-$6,500 installed, full-day, plus 30% federal tax credit.

Complex framing (cutting multiple rafters, structural header work) adds 1-2 days. Cathedral ceilings with condensation considerations may add a day for additional insulation and vapor barrier work.

Timeline from signed contract to completed install is typically 2-3 weeks — that's permit pull, unit order and delivery, and scheduling. Most actual installation work happens in a single day.

The One Thing I Want You to Remember

Most of the leaking skylights I've inspected over the years weren't failing because the skylight was bad. They were failing because the original installer skipped the flashing kit and tried to caulk or tar the perimeter, or because they used a generic flashing assembly that didn't match the roof material, or because they reused old flashing from a previous unit during a replacement.

Buy the manufacturer's flashing kit. Pay for it. Make sure whoever installs it uses it. If an installer tells you the kit is unnecessary or that they can fabricate something better on-site, walk away. We've been cleaning up after that exact conversation for 35 years.

East Bay Cities We Serve

Skylight installation across all 38 East Bay cities in our service area, with highest volume in Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda, Alamo, Danville, Piedmont, Berkeley Hills, Montclair, Rockridge, and Oakland foothills neighborhoods where cathedral ceilings and mid-century designs create a lot of opportunity for overhead daylight. Full city list on our locations page.

Free Skylight Consultation

Call (925) 722-4916 or request a consultation online. We'll walk the property, look at the roof and framing, and give you an honest recommendation — including whether a skylight makes sense at all. No pressure, no upsell. C-39 licensed (CA #987654), GAF Master Elite, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster, BBB accredited, 4.9 stars across 527 reviews, and based at 2310 Bates Ave #AA in Concord since 1988.