No longer are skylights considered a luxury in a home. With the right professional doing the job for you, a skylight can be an affordable addition to your home. There is a misconception that skylights can be different from roof lights. All skylights are essentially fixed onto a roof and are basically glazed windows. They can be shaped like a dome or flat. They can be fixed or vented skylights. Some are motor operated while others must be handled manually.

Installing roof skylights

This can be done in three primary ways. The first is to hire a reliable window contractor who specializes in installing skylights. You will find that some of the most famous suppliers of skylights will have professionals on board that can take care of the installation.

You could also choose to have a carpenter or your general contractor come in to install your skylight. Experienced handy men too can do the job if they are familiar with the process. In most cases, the window installer will end up outsourcing the job of handling the framing and putting in the dry wall to an independent contractor. You can do the same and save yourself a good amount on installation. The quality of work done will be the same.

The third option is to do it yourself. If you are comfortable with carpentry, heights, have done regular window installation before and can work on dry walling, then you can consider taking up the job yourself. If you decide to use skylights that are motorized, you will also need to have a bit of electrical experience. However, it would be best to ensure that you have a professional come over and do the job for you.

A fixed skylight, much like a window, cannot be opened once installed. These are often installed in offices. The vented skylight is a model, which allows you to let in some fresh air. There are several plus and minus points to both forms. The fixed skylight is the original weather-proof ceiling window. One of its plus points is that you don't have to worry that you may forget and leave it open, which would drench your place far worse than any window. The vented skylight is a more modern version that can be opened and closed. Having a vented skylight will allow you to cool the room when you need to by simply opening the vent. This is not an option with fixed lights.

When you go to make your choice, here are your options:

A fixed skylight
Skylight with manual venting
Electric venting
Tube skylight

Budgeting your Skylights

Skylights are relatively cheaper these days, and there are several versions of cheap skylights. You can get them for under $300, and for the high end ones the price tag can be up to $400. These prices are generally inclusive of the lumber as well as the drywall, paint and other associated paraphernalia. Finding the right professional may take some looking, but it would be worth the effort to get the best there is.