How much does a roof lantern cost in the UK?
A roof lantern costs £2,800 on average in the UK. Most jobs fall between £1,200 and £5,500 per lantern, supplied and fitted. Size of lantern: Small lantern £1,200 to £2,200; Standard lantern £2,000 to £3,500; Large or premium lantern £3,500 to £5,500. Prices reviewed June 2026.
A roof lantern for a flat roof or extension is priced per lantern, and the size and glazing spec do most of the work. Most cost £1,200 to £5,500 supplied and fitted, with a standard extension lantern of around 2m by 1.5m landing near £2,800.
Roof lantern cost calculator
Use the calculator to price your roof lantern in 2026. Adjust the options and area for a UK cost range. Nothing is sent anywhere.
To price the whole job, use the conservatory roof replacement cost calculator.
Roof lantern cost breakdown
Typical roof lantern costs, by option:
| Size of lantern | Typical UK cost |
|---|---|
| Small lantern (up to 1.5m x 1m) | £1,200 to £2,200 |
| Standard lantern (around 2m x 1.5m) | £2,000 to £3,500 |
| Large or premium lantern (3m x 2m plus) | £3,500 to £5,500 |
What's included in the price?
Typical roof lantern prices include:
- The roof lantern unit, usually aluminium, with the glazing spec quoted
- Building or checking the timber upstand the lantern sits on
- Fitting the lantern, sealing and weatherproofing it
- Flashing where the lantern meets the flat roof covering
- Making good the internal reveal where it meets the ceiling
What changes the price?
The things that move roof lantern prices most:
Size of the lantern measured across the roof opening
Glazing spec, from standard double glazing to solar-control or triple
Aluminium or timber frame, and the brand you choose
Whether a new opening and upstand are formed or one is already there
Electric opening vent, blinds or self-cleaning glass added
How the price is built up
A fitter prices the lantern from the size and glazing spec you pick, adds the upstand and fitting labour, then the flashing and weatherproofing, and finally any making good inside. A small ready-opening job might be £1,200 to £1,800 all in, a standard extension lantern £2,000 to £3,500, and a large or premium unit, or one needing a new opening and scaffold, £3,500 to £5,500 or more. Materials are the bigger share. The lantern and its glazing are typically £1,000 to £3,000 depending on size and brand, while fitting, building or adapting the upstand and weatherproofing add £500 to £1,500 of labour. Forming a brand new opening in a finished flat roof adds more again.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Get the flat roof and upstand ready before the lantern arrives so the fitter is only fitting, not waiting or building.
- Buy the lantern yourself from a rooflight supplier and pay a fitter for labour only, which cuts the markup on the unit.
- Design the opening around a stock lantern size, as a bespoke size or premium brand costs far more for the same light.
- Get two or three quotes and check each includes the upstand, flashing and making good, not just dropping the lantern on.
Does where you live change the cost?
In London, a roof lantern typically costs around £3,600 per lantern, supplied and fitted, about 30% above the UK average of £2,800. In the North, Scotland and Wales the guide figure is nearer £2,600.
| Region | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midlands / East (UK average) | £1,200 | £2,800 | £5,500 |
| London | £1,600 | £3,600 | £7,200 |
| South East / South West | £1,400 | £3,200 | £6,300 |
| North / Scotland / Wales | £1,100 | £2,600 | £5,100 |
Guide prices per lantern, supplied and fitted, scaled with the same regional multipliers as the calculator. Not quotes.
Roof lantern cost in major UK cities
| City | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | £1,000 | £2,400 | £4,700 |
| Birmingham | £1,200 | £2,700 | £5,400 |
| Bristol | £1,300 | £3,100 | £6,100 |
| Cardiff | £1,100 | £2,600 | £5,200 |
| Edinburgh | £1,200 | £2,700 | £5,400 |
| Glasgow | £1,100 | £2,500 | £5,000 |
| Leeds | £1,100 | £2,600 | £5,100 |
| Liverpool | £1,100 | £2,600 | £5,100 |
| London | £1,600 | £3,600 | £7,200 |
| Manchester | £1,200 | £2,700 | £5,300 |
| Newcastle | £1,100 | £2,500 | £5,000 |
| Sheffield | £1,100 | £2,600 | £5,100 |
City guide estimates, scaled by local labour costs. Indicative averages for roof lantern, not quotes.
The gap is labour rather than the lantern itself.
Common questions
How much does a roof lantern cost supplied and fitted?
A standard extension lantern of around 2m by 1.5m typically costs £2,000 to £3,500 supplied and fitted. A small 1m by 1m lantern can start near £1,200, while a large 3m by 2m unit or a premium brand runs £3,500 to £5,500 or more.
What changes the price of a roof lantern?
Size does most of it, then the glazing spec and brand. A basic double-glazed aluminium lantern is the cheapest, while solar-control or triple glazing, an electric opening vent and premium brands like Korniche or Atlas all add cost. Forming a new opening and upstand, rather than dropping a lantern onto one that is already there, adds a few hundred pounds and often some building work.
Roof lantern or a flat rooflight, which is cheaper?
A flat rooflight that sits flush with the roof is usually cheaper than a lantern of the same size, often by £300 to £800, because there is no raised frame to build and glaze. A lantern gives more height, more light and a period look that suits orangeries and extensions. If you just want light, a flat rooflight does the job; if you want the shape and extra ceiling height, the lantern is worth the difference.
Can I fit a roof lantern myself?
Buying the lantern yourself saves the supplier markup, and many come as a kit that clips together. The hard part is the roof, not the frame: you are building a level, square upstand, getting the flashing watertight and working at height, and a leak here shows up on your ceiling. A confident DIYer can fit a lantern onto a well-built upstand, but forming the opening and weatherproofing is best left to a roofer or fitter.
How long does it take to fit a roof lantern?
Dropping a lantern onto an upstand that is already built and square is often half a day to a full day. If the opening and upstand are formed as part of the job, allow 1 to 2 days, and longer again when it is part of a wider flat roof or extension build.
Do roof lanterns leak, and how long do they last?
Most carry a manufacturer warranty of around 10 years and, kept an eye on, many go 20 years or more, with the sealed glass units on much the same clock as any other double glazing. But the lantern itself is rarely what fails. Leaks come from the upstand, which is the raised kerb that lifts the lantern above the flat roof so water drains away from it, and from the flashing where that kerb meets the roof covering. The usual causes are an upstand built too low, flashing that was never properly bonded to the roof membrane, or a frame not sitting level. Perimeter sealant also dries out, shrinks and cracks after years of freeze and thaw. There is a practical consequence when you compare quotes in the £1,200 to £5,500 range: ask what upstand is included and who builds it. A lantern is often priced as supply and fit of the unit while the kerb and the flashing are the flat roofer's work, and that gap between two trades is exactly where the leaks start.
Do I need planning permission or building regs for a roof lantern?
A roof lantern on an existing flat roof is usually permitted development, so planning permission is rarely needed unless you are in a conservation area or listed building. Building regulations do apply to the opening, the structure that trims it and the glazing, so a new opening should be signed off. Your fitter or building control will confirm what is needed.
These are independent guide prices based on typical UK jobs in 2026. Your actual cost depends on your property, spec, access and where you live. Always get at least three written quotes before committing.