We have recently worked on three homes in and around York: nine existing roof windows upgraded with solar power and blinds in YO19, twin CABRIO balcony windows in a YO1 terrace, and 15 conservation windows replaced in Helmsley. This page sets out what those jobs involved and what they mean for other York homes.
Skylight Fitters is a VELUX® Pro Partner Ambassador working nationwide. We don’t have premises or staff based in York; our own accredited fitters travel to each job, so York visits are booked in advance and planned around the roof, the access and the parts needed.
Our jobs in and around York
Each of these was a different kind of job, on a different kind of house.
Nine high windows upgraded rather than replaced – York YO19
At a seven-bedroom detached new-build in YO19, the roof windows were sound but sat just too high to open without ladders. We kept them and fitted nine VELUX KSX 100K solar upgrade kits, nine white solar blackout blinds (DSL MK06 1025K) and one VELUX App Control kit.
The owners can now open, close and schedule the windows and blinds from a phone instead of reaching for the operating bar.
Twin CABRIO balcony windows in a slate-roofed terrace – York YO1
Gareth, Steven and Stuart fitted two triple-glazed VELUX CABRIO balcony windows (GDL SK19 2066) side by side in the natural slate roof of a terraced house in YO1, using an SK19 EKL 2021M combination flashing kit.
The hardest part was getting the heavy units up three flights of narrow stairs. We plastered around the windows, then came back to fit VELUX 1085 light beige blackout blinds.
15 conservation windows on a slate roof – Helmsley
North of York, on the edge of the North York Moors, a Helmsley property had 15 old VELUX GVT 154 windows in a slate roof. Gareth, Steven, Stuart and Dave replaced them with VELUX GGL CK04 2570H conservation windows, EDL CK04 2500 slate flashings, underfelt collars and insulation collars.
The new windows were upgraded to solar operation and linked to VELUX App Control, keeping a traditional look on the roof.
York houses and their roofs
York’s housing changes quickly from the walls outwards. The roof covering, the age of the window and how you reach the room all shape what we recommend:
- City-centre terraces and older streets – often natural slate, with tight internal access. The YO1 job shows both: a slate roof needing the right flashing, and heavy windows carried up three narrow flights of stairs. We ask for photos of the staircase as well as the window.
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces in areas such as The Groves, Clifton and South Bank – often slate, sometimes with loft rooms added later. Ageing roof windows here usually call for a like-for-like replacement with a slate flashing, or a conservation-style window where the street’s appearance matters.
- Inter-war and post-war semis in suburbs such as Acomb, Heworth and Tang Hall – often concrete or clay tiles, which need a flashing kit made for profiled tiles rather than slate.
- Modern estates and new-builds on the outskirts – like the YO19 house, these often have roof windows that still work well but are mounted high over stairwells or vaulted rooms. Solar upgrade kits, solar blinds and App Control can solve the reach problem without replacing sound windows.
Whatever the house, we check the code on each window’s identification plate first. It tells us the size and type, and whether a blind, solar kit or new glazing unit will fit.
Conservation areas and listed buildings in York
According to City of York Council, York has 35 conservation areas and over 1,500 listed building entries, including the large York Central Historic Core Conservation Area. The council notes that installing a roof light in a conservation area may need planning permission, depending on conditions, and listed buildings need listed building consent for alterations. Some areas also have Article 4 directions that remove permitted development rights.
Before you commit, check with City of York Council’s planning team. We can tell you which VELUX conservation windows suit your roof and give you the product details to include with an enquiry or application. The Helmsley job shows the conservation-style finish on a slate roof; Helmsley itself is outside the City of York area, so a different planning authority applies there.
VELUX services in York
Roof window replacement
For failed, rotten or leaking windows, a full VELUX window replacement with a new flashing kit is usually the lasting fix. On York’s slate roofs, the flashing has to suit slate; for listed properties or conservation areas, a conservation window may be the better choice, as in Helmsley.
Balcony and multi-window installations
Our YO1 job shows what a twin CABRIO installation involves: combination flashing for two windows side by side, plastering inside and careful handling through a narrow house. Ask us about replacement and new installations, including balcony windows.
Repairs and leaks
We repair VELUX roof windows of every type, including leaks, worn seals, broken hinges and electric or solar faults. We find the cause on site before quoting, and 24/7 emergency call-outs for leaks are available on 01565 364369.
Glass replacement
If a pane has misted, cracked or lost its insulation but the frame is sound, VELUX glass replacement can avoid disturbing plaster and decoration – useful in older York homes where the inside finish is hard to match.
Blinds, solar upgrades and App Control
As at YO19 and on the YO1 return visit, we supply and fit genuine VELUX blinds – manual, electric and solar – including blackout blinds for bedrooms and loft rooms. Solar upgrade kits and App Control can be added to compatible existing windows.
Servicing and commercial work
Regular servicing keeps seals, hinges and flashings in order. Schools, offices and managed buildings can arrange planned maintenance through our commercial & schools service.
VELUX Sun Tunnels in York
Plenty of York homes have a room that never gets proper daylight, but has no wall or roof slope where a window could go. A VELUX Sun Tunnel brings daylight in through a small dome on the roof. The light travels down a highly reflective tube and spreads into the room through a round ceiling diffuser. There is no view out, which also makes it a good fit for bathrooms.
Dark landings, hallways and inner rooms in terraces and semis
In York’s Victorian and Edwardian terraces, the stairs and landing often sit in the middle of the house, away from the front and back walls. Many inter-war and post-war semis have the same problem on the landing or in a box-room bathroom. Where there is a loft or roof space above the ceiling, a sun tunnel can often take daylight straight down to the landing, hallway or inner room below.
Internal bathrooms and en-suites in new-builds
Newer houses on the edge of York often have internal bathrooms, en-suites or dressing areas with no outside wall, and rely on extractor fans and electric lighting. If the room is on the top floor and there is a clear route through the loft, a sun tunnel can give daylight during the day while keeping full privacy.
Pitched slate and tiled roofs
VELUX makes pitched-roof domes for standard tiled and slate roofs, so the same approach works on a natural slate roof like our YO1 job or on the concrete and clay tiles common on York’s suburban semis. The dome is sealed with a flashing made for the roof covering. Because the tube usually passes between the rafters, rafters do not normally need cutting.
Flat-roof rear extensions
Kitchen and dining extensions at the back of York terraces and semis can leave the middle of the original house darker than before. Where the extension has a flat roof, a flat-roof dome sits on a small kerb on the roof covering. Here the tunnel is often short, which is when sun tunnels give their best light.
Rigid or flexible, and which size
- TWF rigid sun tunnel – gives the most light, and suits a short, straight route where the dome is almost directly above the ceiling.
- TWR flexible sun tunnel – bends around loft obstacles and timbers, with a slight loss of brightness.
- Diameter – 35 cm, 45 cm or 60 cm, chosen to suit the room size and ceiling height.
- Roof direction – a south-facing dome captures the most daylight, but north-facing domes still perform well.
We check the roof, the loft route and the ceiling position before quoting. A sun tunnel installation is usually done in a day.
Sun tunnels in conservation areas and on listed buildings
A sun tunnel dome is a visible addition to the roof. City of York Council’s conservation areas guidance says that installing a roof light in a conservation area may need planning permission, subject to certain conditions. Some areas also have Article 4 directions that remove permitted development rights. For a listed building, protection covers the whole building, inside and out, so alterations need listed building consent. Check with City of York Council before you commit, especially if the dome would be on a roof slope facing the street. We can give you the product details to include with an enquiry.
Example sun tunnel job: Harrogate, not York
We haven’t yet published a sun tunnel job in York. For a real example, our nearest one is in Harrogate HG1, where we fitted two VELUX Sun Tunnels in a concrete interlocking tile roof to bring daylight down to an upstairs landing above the stairs.
The two domes are sealed with grey flashing, and two round diffusers light the landing ceiling. It was a new installation, not a replacement.
York postcodes we cover
We work across all of these York postcode districts, as well as nearby villages. Our two York jobs were in YO1 and YO19.
| District | Main areas |
|---|---|
| YO1 | York city centre |
| YO10 | Fishergate, Fulford, Heslington, Osbaldwick, Tang Hall |
| YO19 | Dunnington, Escrick, Wheldrake, Murton, Riccall, Stillingfleet, Warthill |
| YO23 | South Bank, Bishopthorpe, Copmanthorpe, Rufforth |
| YO24 | Acomb, Dringhouses, Woodthorpe |
| YO26 | Acomb, Leeman Road area, Upper and Nether Poppleton |
| YO30 | Bootham, Clifton, Skelton |
| YO31 | Heworth, South Huntington, The Groves, Layerthorpe |
| YO32 | Haxby, North Huntington, Wigginton, New Earswick, Strensall |
Beyond the city, our Helmsley job was in YO62, on the edge of the North York Moors. Not sure whether we cover your address? Send us your postcode.
What customers say on Trustpilot
Two recent reviews of Skylight Fitters from Trustpilot, quoted exactly as posted. Neither names the town where the work took place, so we don’t present them as York jobs.
5 out of 5 stars
Had a broken VELUX skylight glass replaced this morning
Smooth sailing from start to finish at a reasonable price
Town not stated in the review. The job described is a VELUX glass replacement.
5 out of 5 stars
Great fitters
Great fitters, Gareth and Steven were extremely professional and got the job done with no messing around. They did not stop until everything was complete and cleaned. Had other trades who spend half the time on the phone or getting a sit down lunch. Thank you
Town not stated in the review. Gareth and Steven are also two of the fitters on our York YO1 CABRIO job; the review does not say which job it relates to.
Independent customer reviews of Skylight Fitters are published on Trustpilot and Google.
Read our reviews on Trustpilot All review links
York VELUX questions
Which parts of York do you cover?
We cover the whole of York, including the YO1, YO10, YO19, YO23, YO24, YO26, YO30, YO31 and YO32 districts, and the surrounding villages. Our fitters are based throughout the UK rather than at a York office, so we book each visit in advance and bring the windows, flashings and blinds for the job.
My house is in a York conservation area. Can I still replace my roof windows?
Often, yes, but check first. York has 35 conservation areas and over 1,500 listed building entries, and roof window changes can need planning permission or listed building consent. Ask City of York Council before you commit; we can supply VELUX conservation window details for an application.
Do I have to replace high roof windows that are hard to reach?
Not always. At the York YO19 house we kept nine existing windows and added VELUX solar upgrade kits, solar blackout blinds and App Control. We check the identification code first, because not every older window takes the same kits.
Can you get large windows into a narrow York terrace?
Access is something we plan before the day. At the York YO1 terrace, the heaviest part of the job was carrying two CABRIO balcony windows up three flights of narrow stairs. Send us photos of the stairs and the room and we will plan it.
Which flashing do you use on a slate roof?
It depends on the window and the layout. In Helmsley we used VELUX EDL slate flashing kits for single windows, and in York YO1 a combination flashing kit joined two CABRIO windows side by side in natural slate.
Can you fit a VELUX Sun Tunnel in a York terrace, semi or extension?
Often, yes, if there is a route from the roof to the ceiling of the dark room. On a pitched slate or tiled roof we fit a pitched-roof dome with a matching flashing, and on a flat-roof extension a flat-roof dome sits on a small kerb. A rigid tunnel gives the most light on a short, straight route; a flexible tunnel goes around rafters and other loft obstacles. If the house is listed or in a conservation area, check with City of York Council first.
What do you need from me for a quote?
Your postcode, how many roof windows you have and what is wrong. A photo of each window and the code from its identification plate help us quote accurately.
Get a free quote in York
Tell us how many roof windows you have, what the problem is and your postcode. A photo or the VELUX code from the window’s identification plate helps us quote quickly and accurately.
Elsewhere in North Yorkshire? See our North Yorkshire page, our Harrogate page or all the areas we cover.