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Skylights & Roof Windows

Skylight Installation in Toronto & the GTA

A dark hallway, a kitchen that needs lights on at noon, a bathroom with no window — these are the rooms that send people looking at skylights. Done well, a new skylight changes a room more than any renovation of similar cost. Done badly, it is a leak you installed on purpose, which is why skylights have a reputation they do not deserve when the flashing and insulation are handled properly.

A skylight cut-in has three parts that matter. The opening: rafters get headered off cleanly, and if a structural member has to be cut, that is engineered and may need a building permit — a straight cut between rafters usually does not, but structural framing changes always do under the Ontario Building Code. The flashing: manufacturer kits plus ice and water membrane lapped correctly, because freeze-thaw at a roof penetration punishes shortcuts. The shaft: framed, insulated and vapour-sealed, or the skylight becomes a condensation machine every January.

We quote deck-mount and curb-mount units, fixed or venting, including velux installation and other roof window installation on both shingle and flat roofs. If your roof has five years left, we will suggest waiting and doing both together — cutting a new hole into a dying roof wastes flashing work you will pay for again at replacement. That timing advice is free and it is the most useful thing on this page.

What this covers

  • Layout between rafters and clean framing of the roof opening, headered to carry the load
  • Structural review and permit guidance where a rafter or truss has to be modified
  • Deck-mount or curb-mount skylight installation to the manufacturer's spec
  • Full flashing kit plus ice and water shield lapped into the surrounding roof
  • Framed light shaft, insulated and vapour-sealed against winter condensation
  • Interior drywall-ready finish on the shaft, or full finishing where quoted
  • Shingle or membrane tie-in so the roof around the unit looks and sheds water like it was never opened
  • Site cleanup, including magnet sweep for nails below the work area

What affects the price

  • Skylight size and type — fixed, manual venting, or powered with rain sensors
  • Deck-mount versus curb-mount, and shingle versus flat-roof membrane tie-in
  • Roof pitch and height; steep or high roofs slow everything down safely
  • Depth of the light shaft between roof and ceiling — a deep attic shaft is real framing work
  • Whether structural framing must be altered, with engineering and permit costs where required
  • Glazing options: laminated glass, triple glazing and coatings for west-facing sun
  • Interior finishing level, from drywall-ready to fully painted

Every home is different, so we don’t publish flat prices — the quote is free and based on your actual job.

Skylight Installation near you

We take quote requests across the GTA. Local pages:

TorontoEtobicokeNorth YorkScarboroughEast YorkYorkMississaugaBramptonCaledonVaughanMarkhamRichmond HillAuroraNewmarketKingWhitchurch-StouffvilleEast GwillimburyGeorginaPickeringAjaxWhitbyOshawaClaringtonUxbridgeOakvilleBurlingtonMiltonHalton HillsHamiltonSt. CatharinesNiagara FallsGrimsbyNiagara-on-the-LakeBarrieInnisfilBradford West GwillimburyNew TecumsethKitchenerWaterlooCambridgeGuelphOrangeville

Common questions

Do I need a permit to install a skylight in Ontario?
It depends on the framing. A skylight that fits between existing rafters without cutting structure typically does not need a permit. Cutting a rafter or truss to make a bigger opening is a structural change and does require a municipal building permit — trusses in particular should never be cut without an engineer's design. We flag which situation your roof is in before you commit.
Do skylights always leak eventually?
No — that reputation comes from old acrylic bubbles and from units installed with tar instead of proper flashing. A modern skylight flashed with the manufacturer's kit over ice and water membrane should stay dry for the life of the unit. When we get called to "leaking" skylights, the water is more often condensation from an uninsulated shaft than an actual roof leak.
What's the best time of year to install a skylight?
Spring through fall is easiest, since the roof is open to the weather for part of a day. That said, winter installs happen routinely in dry cold — the membrane and sealants just need suitable temperatures, and we watch the forecast harder. If your ceiling will be open for other renovation work, align the skylight with that schedule rather than the season.
Should I get a fixed or venting skylight?
Bathrooms and kitchens benefit from venting units — dumping moist air at the ceiling is exactly what those rooms need, and it reduces condensation on the glass. For hallways and living rooms, fixed units cost less and have fewer parts to age. Powered venting models with rain sensors are worth it on shafts too tall to reach; otherwise a manual rod does the same job.
Will a skylight make my room cold in winter or hot in summer?
A cheap unit or a badly insulated shaft will do both. A double- or triple-glazed low-E skylight with a properly insulated, vapour-sealed shaft performs close to a good window. For south and west exposures we suggest heat-blocking coatings or a blind, because July sun through overhead glass is serious. The shaft insulation matters as much as the glass — that is where budget installs cut corners.

Ready to sort out your skylight installation?

Tell us what your roof needs — one small repair or a complete replacement — and get a free quote.

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