--- title: "Roof Lanterns & Rooflights in Essex | aluminium roof lantern | BDE" url: https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/roof-lanterns-essex/ description: "aluminium roof lanterns and flat rooflights for Essex extensions. Slim sightlines, low U-values, self-cleaning glass options. Family-fitted, 10-year guarantee." lang: en-GB --- Image: Large roof lantern over an Essex kitchen extension with sliding doors (https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/assets/MAIN-Dsl_Gbza.jpeg) Service # Roof Lanterns & Rooflights in Essex for kitchen extensions that fill with daylight. aluminium roof lanterns and Premium flat rooflights — slim sightlines, U-values from 1.2 W/m²K, and an in-house install team with extensive roof-glazing experience across Essex. Get a Free Quote: https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/contact/ 07903 632039: +447903632039 Over 10 years of trade experience · 10-year guarantee on products & installations · All fitting teams covered by Certass · Family-run, Co. No. 12684765 · Quote slots 7am–8pm seven days 10-Year Guarantee 10+ Years' Experience Own Fitting Team Family-Run Quotes 7am–8pm Certass-covered fitters Co. No. 12684765 Overview ## Roof Lanterns & Rooflights done properly across Essex A roof lantern transforms a single-storey extension. The right product, properly installed, delivers around three times the daylight of vertical windows alone — and on a clear day in summer, you barely need any artificial lighting in the room below. Across Essex we fit leading roof lantern and rooflight systems on rear extensions, kitchen-diner conversions and side-return infills. Most jobs are 2m × 1.5m to 4m × 2.5m lanterns — large enough to make a difference, small enough to fit standard structural openings without major steel work. Image: Stunning aluminium roof lantern aluminium roof lantern over a modern Essex kitchen extension, blue sky visible through slim sightlines, sunlight pouring onto a kitchen island (https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/assets/MAIN-Dsl_Gbza.jpeg) What goes wrong ## Why most roof lantern installs leak within five years The single biggest failure point on roof glazing is not the lantern — it's the upstand it sits on. A timber upstand built by a general builder without proper damp-proof course detailing, with insufficient height (we see 100mm upstands when the spec needs 150mm), and with poor lead or GRP flashing integration is the leading cause of leaks we get called to investigate. The lantern itself, if it's a a leading roof-lantern system unit, will perform for 25+ years. The leak is virtually always at the upstand-to-roof junction. We build upstands ourselves to spec, or we work with your builder's spec and check it before we sign off the install. Process ## How we deliver your roof lanterns & rooflights 1. 01 ### Survey & spec Visit your extension or planned opening, take accurate dimensions, advise on lantern vs flat rooflight, and check structural opening size against product range. 2. 02 ### Glass & finish spec Frame colour (anthracite, white, grey), glass spec (solar-control, self-cleaning, acoustic), and any opening sash for ventilation. 3. 03 ### Manufacture aluminium roof lantern lead time 4–5 weeks, leading rooflight 6–8 weeks. We coordinate with your builder's programme so the lantern arrives the day the upstand is ready. 4. 04 ### Install Lantern lifted in, sat on EPDM gaskets, mechanically fixed and sealed. Typically 1 day on site for a standard lantern, 2 days for larger units. 5. 05 ### Sign-off & weather test Hose-test the perimeter, check internal sightlines and finish, hand over warranty pack. Benefits ## What you get from a roof lanterns & rooflights job done right ### 3× the daylight Roof glazing delivers around three times the daylight of vertical windows for the same glazed area. Transformative on north-facing rooms and side-return extensions. ### Slim sightlines aluminium roof lantern corner posts as slim as 32mm — significantly less visual obstruction than older older lantern profiles. ### U-values from 1.2 W/m²K Solar-control double glazed standard, triple-glazed available. Comfortably within Building Regs without compromise on view. ### Self-cleaning glass option Pilkington Activ coating breaks down dirt with daylight and rinses with rain — essential on roof glazing where manual cleaning is hard. ### Acoustic glass options 6.4mm laminated acoustic upper pane available for properties under flight paths or near busy roads — reduces rain noise on the lantern itself. ### PAS24 security Fully PAS24-certified for ground-floor extension applications, with internal beading and laminated glass. In Detail ## Lantern systems, flat rooflights, and getting the upstand right **aluminium lantern:** our default recommendation. Slim corner posts (32mm), pre-engineered structural calculations up to 4m × 2.5m, fastest install on the market. Available in any RAL colour, glass options from clear to solar-control to self-cleaning. **Heavier-engineered aluminium lantern:** heavier engineering for larger spans, used on architect-led projects. Slightly chunkier sightlines than aluminium roof lantern but better suited to lanterns over 5m² in glass area. **Premium flat rooflights:** for contemporary flat-roof extensions where a pyramid lantern would feel wrong. Available as fixed, electric-opening, or walk-on for terrace applications. Available in single sheet sizes up to 3m × 2m. **Upstand specification:** minimum 150mm height above the finished roof level, properly insulated (PIR board to underside, plywood lining internally), with code 4 lead or GRP flashing tucked under the lantern's external trim. This detail is non-negotiable for a leak-free install. **Ventilation strategy:** for kitchen lanterns we usually specify one electric-opening sash (rain sensor, remote control) to manage cooking moisture and summer heat build-up. Image: Slim aluminium pyramid roof lantern with anthracite frame installed on a flat extension roof (https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/assets/9-6jwy5040.jpeg) Coverage ## Areas we cover for roof lanterns & rooflights Roof lantern installs across all Essex extension hotspots — particularly Chelmsford, Brentwood and Billericay where rear-extension and side-return projects are common. - Roof Lanterns in Chelmsford: https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/areas/chelmsford/ - Brentwood roof lanterns installations: https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/areas/brentwood/ - Roof Lanterns for Basildon homes: https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/areas/basildon/ - Billericay-based roof lanterns fitting: https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/areas/billericay/ - Roof Lanterns in Rayleigh: https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/areas/rayleigh/ - Harlow roof lanterns installations: https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/areas/harlow/ - Roof Lanterns for Dartford homes: https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/areas/dartford/ - Gravesend-based roof lanterns fitting: https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/areas/gravesend/ - Roof Lanterns in Hertford: https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/areas/hertford/ ### Related services in this category - Aluminium windows (https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/aluminium-windows-essex/) — matched-frame aluminium windows on the same extension. - Conservatories (https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/conservatories-essex/) — fully glazed extensions and conservatory rebuilds. - Double glazing (https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/double-glazing-essex/) — the sealed unit specification used in the lantern itself. - Bi-fold doors (https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/bi-fold-doors-essex/) — the typical companion product on a kitchen extension — lantern over, bi-folds across the back. - Back to the glazing & windows category hub (https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/glazing-essex/) — see the full range under this category. Who Delivers This ## Billy Hutcherson Director, Bi Folds & Windows Direct of Essex Ltd Billy is the director of Bi Folds & Windows Direct of Essex Ltd — a family-run business incorporated on 20 June 2020 (Companies House No. 12684765) that supplies and installs aluminium bi-fold doors, uPVC and aluminium windows, composite front doors and roof lanterns directly to homeowners across Essex, Kent and Hertfordshire. Recent Work ## Recent roof lanterns & rooflights jobs Image: Aluminium roof lantern installed on a flat extension roof (https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/assets/7-CiwGEhBz.jpeg) Chelmsford — aluminium roof lantern over a kitchen-diner extension Image: Pyramid aluminium roof lantern with slim sightlines (https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/assets/9-6jwy5040.jpeg) Brentwood — slim aluminium pyramid lantern, anthracite frame Image: Bright kitchen-diner with a roof lantern flooding the room with daylight (https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/assets/6-BHKTpb7_.jpeg) Hertford — kitchen lit by a roof lantern overhead FAQs ## Common questions about roof lanterns & rooflights ## Get a roof lantern quote for your Essex extension Survey, product recommendation, glass spec and install — all coordinated with your builder's programme. 25-year manufacturer warranty plus our 10-year workmanship guarantee. 07903 632039: +447903632039 Family-run · Company No. 12684765 · 10-year workmanship guarantee Page last updated: 4 May 2026 · Bi Folds & Windows Direct of Essex Ltd · Company No. 12684765 Call: +447903632039 Free Quote: https://bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/contact/ ## Structured data ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Service", "@id": "https://www.bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/roof-lanterns-essex/#service", "serviceType": "Roof Lanterns & Rooflights", "name": "Roof Lanterns & Rooflights in Essex", "description": "aluminium roof lanterns and flat rooflights for Essex extensions. 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We provide a written, itemised quote after a free survey — pricing assumes the upstand is built and ready by your builder." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What's the difference between a roof lantern and a rooflight?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A roof lantern is a pyramid or hipped structure that sits proud of the roof, with internal ridge bars and corner posts. A flat rooflight sits flush with the roof line and uses a single (or sometimes double) sealed glass unit. Lanterns suit traditional and transitional architecture; flat rooflights suit contemporary flat-roof extensions." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will a roof lantern overheat in summer?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Solar-control glass is now standard on aluminium roof lantern and similar premium lanterns — it reflects 60%+ of solar radiation while letting full visible light through. Combined with one openable vent for hot-weather ventilation, summer overheating is rarely an issue. Without solar-control glass, it can be a real problem." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need planning permission for a roof lantern?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "If the lantern sits on an extension that itself has planning permission or permitted development rights, the lantern is included in that permission. Adding a lantern to an existing roof under PD requires the lantern to sit no more than 150mm above the existing roof plane, which a pyramid lantern would exceed. We advise on PD vs full planning at survey." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I have an opening lantern for ventilation?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — aluminium roof lantern and leading lantern systems both offer electric-opening sashes with rain sensors and remote control. We typically spec one opening sash per lantern in kitchens to manage cooking moisture." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How are roof lanterns cleaned?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Self-cleaning glass (Pilkington Activ) handles the bulk of dirt with daylight and rain. Periodic external cleaning by a window cleaner with a long-reach pole is recommended once a year. Internal cleaning is typically done from a step ladder during routine kitchen window cleans." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will a roof lantern leak?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A a leading roof-lantern system unit, properly installed on a correctly built upstand, won't leak — these are pre-engineered systems with EPDM gaskets and structural seals. Leaks invariably trace back to the upstand or perimeter flashing, not the lantern itself. We check upstand spec before installing." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I fit a roof lantern on a tiled (pitched) roof?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No — lanterns and flat rooflights are designed for flat-roofed extensions. On pitched roofs we'd specify Velux conservation rooflights or similar pitched-roof products. Different category, different supplier — we can advise but don't fit pitched-roof rooflights ourselves." } } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Glazing & Windows", "item": "https://www.bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/glazing-essex/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Roof Lanterns & Rooflights", "item": "https://www.bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/roof-lanterns-essex/" } ] }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://www.bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/#mark-whitfield", "name": "Billy Hutcherson", "jobTitle": "Director, Bi Folds & Windows Direct of Essex Ltd", "worksFor": { "@id": "https://www.bifoldsdirectessex.co.uk/#org" } } ] } ```