About Our Skylight Installation & Repair Service
A skylight brings natural light into a dark room — but it's also a hole cut into your roof, and the difference between a skylight that lasts 25 years and one that leaks in two is entirely in the flashing. We install, replace, and repair skylights with proper step-and-counter flashing integrated into the roof system, not the caulk-and-hope approach that causes most skylight leaks.
Why Skylights Leak (and How We Prevent It)
Almost every leaking skylight we're called to fix has the same root cause: it was sealed with caulk instead of flashed properly. Caulk dries out, cracks, and fails within a few years — and once it does, water finds the gap between the skylight curb and the roof. A correctly installed skylight uses a flashing kit integrated into the shingle courses, the same step-and-counter principle that keeps chimneys dry. Done right, the skylight is as watertight as the roof around it and stays that way for the life of the unit.
Installing a New Skylight
Adding a skylight is part carpentry, part roofing. We frame the opening properly, install the appropriate curb- or deck-mounted unit, integrate the manufacturer's flashing kit into the surrounding roof, and finish the interior light shaft. Placement matters — we'll advise on the best location for the light you want while avoiding valleys and other detail-heavy areas of the roof where penetrations are riskier.
- Fixed skylights: the most common and most leak-resistant — light without ventilation.
- Vented (operable) skylights: open for ventilation, ideal over kitchens and bathrooms.
- Tubular skylights: compact light tubes for closets, hallways, and small interior rooms.
Replacing an Old Skylight
Older skylights — especially the plastic-domed units common on NJ homes built in the 1980s and 90s — yellow, craze, and eventually leak. Modern skylights use insulated glass with better seals, lower-E coatings, and far better flashing systems. If you're already replacing your roof, replacing aging skylights at the same time is the smart move: the flashing integrates cleanly into the new roof, and you avoid cutting into a fresh roof later.
Re-Flashing a Leaking Skylight
If your skylight unit itself is sound but it's leaking, the fix is usually re-flashing rather than replacement. We strip the failed caulk and old flashing, install a proper flashing kit woven into the shingle courses, and seal it the way it should have been done originally. We diagnose whether you have a flashing failure (repairable) or a failed unit (replace) before recommending anything.
What's Included
- New skylight installation (fixed, vented, tubular)
- Skylight replacement & glass upgrades
- Re-flashing leaking skylights
- Curb-mounted & deck-mounted systems
- Integration with roof replacement projects
Skylight Installation & Repair — Common Questions
How much does skylight installation cost in NJ?
A new skylight installation typically runs in the four-figure range per unit, depending on the skylight type (fixed, vented, or tubular), size, glass package, and whether framing and interior shaft finishing are needed. Re-flashing an existing leaking skylight costs considerably less. We quote per unit after seeing the roof and the interior.
Why is my skylight leaking?
Nine times out of ten it's failed flashing or caulk — not the skylight itself. Skylights sealed with caulk instead of proper integrated flashing leak within a few years as the caulk dries and cracks. We re-flash with a proper kit woven into the shingles, which is the permanent fix. Occasionally the unit's own seal has failed, in which case replacement is the answer.
Should I replace my skylights when I replace my roof?
If your skylights are more than 15 years old, yes — almost always. The flashing integrates cleanly into the new roof, you avoid cutting into a fresh roof to replace a failed skylight later, and modern units are far more energy-efficient. Replacing aging skylights during a roof replacement is one of the best-value upgrades available.
Will a skylight make my room too hot or cause glare?
Modern skylights with low-E coatings and proper placement add light without the heat and glare problems of older units. Vented skylights actually help cool a room by releasing hot air. We advise on placement, glass package, and whether a shade or vented unit makes sense for the specific room so you get the light benefit without the downsides.