- How big of a skylight do I need? Every skylight is sized to fit a particular room according to many different factors. First, understand that most people, being disappointed with a dark room, oversize their skylight causing too much heat loss in the winter and too much heat gain in the summer. Many contractors install a standard 2x4 skylight, without considering all the different factors. We look at which direction the skylight will face, how large the room is, how reflective the materials are in the room, how deep the shaft will be, along with many other factors.
- How much does a skylight cost? Standard skylight installations vary from room to room. Many factors go into the estimating process, including skylight size and style, house type and existing construction conditions, location, etc. An average installation including the skylight, weatherproofing, all interior finish except for interior painting averages about $1,350.00. Keep in mind, some will cost more and some will cost less. Additionally, if you install more than one skylight, the price per each goes down.
- How much light will I get in the room? We are told that a skylight brings in eight times more light than the same size window. The biggest difference however is in the quality of light. An example would be for you to stand in your room, with your back to the largest window looking into the dark part of the room. (It helps if you don't stare at the bright window while you walk into the room to start this experiment) You should notice that the room really isn't as dark as you thought. The reason for this is that your eyes have to adjust, just like a camera does, between the bright light and the dark corners of the room. In doing so it makes the room seem darker than it really is. Light from a skylight brings the light down from the ceiling, lighting up all corners of the room evenly. A window can cause "shadows" in your room, but a skylight typically cannot because the light is coming from overhead.
- Do I need one that opens? Operable skylights work best in bathrooms, kitchens, rooms that have high cathedral ceilings, or rooms without any other ventilation. They have the same leak proof warranties as the "fixed" or nonoperable skylights do and do not have any long term problems. In most cases you will not need an operable skylight, except to solve ventilation problems in the examples above. And do not plan on venting the whole house with just one skylight. A whole-house fan works better, with proper ventilation of the attic space.
 5. How long does it take to install? We typically figure one day per skylight for the installation. If we are installing more than one in a vaulted ceiling, we may put enough workmen on the job to do all in one day. After the installation, the drywaller will come in, either the same day or we will schedule another day. He typically does not need an entire day to do his job.- 6. Do they lose much heat in the winter? A well designed and sealed skylight does not lose so much heat to make a difference in your heating bill. In fact, the suns rays help heat the room at times. You should never feel a cold draft from a skylight.
- Do they gain heat in the summer? A skylight that has the proper glazing (that lets the light in) and is sized correctly will never let too much heat into the home. There are many glazing products that are designed to let the light in but block the harmful UV rays that can cause heat gain and interior damage.
- Do I need to be home from work the whole day while the installation is being done? Typically, most people will need to be home to let us in and to be available during the layout of the skylight opening in the ceiling. After that the homeowner is free to come and go at will.
- Do we need to use a shade? Typically, a skylight installed with the correct size will not need a shade unless it is the bedroom. A shade is usually required in a bedroom because of moon light and early morning light. You can always install a shade after we have completed the skylight installation.
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