Skylight Window Replacement Cost (Ultimate Guide)

Skylight windows are becoming exceedingly popular over the years because of the natural light they can give to your room and attic space. If you are planning to install one for your home, you need to know more about skylight window replacement costs and the amount of money you need to spend on repairs and maintenance.

Compared to typical windows, skylight repair and replacement are more expensive. You can DIY if you want, but make sure that you know what you’re doing. We listed down a few questions and answers to help you figure out if this type of window suits you or not.

How Much Money Do You Need to Repair or Replace a Skylight Window?

Skylight replacement cost depends on the part that needs to be replaced or repaired. There are instances where you don’t need to replace the whole window. You just need to fix a few parts or get a new skylight if they are completely damaged.

Here are a few things that you should know about the cost of repairing or replacing a skylight window.

1. Glass Replacement Cost

When the glass is already damaged, the best option for you is to replace it. Repairs can temporarily solve the issue, but you’ll have to replace it eventually.

The cost of replacing a skylight glass is between $300 to $800. It includes parts and labor costs. If you noticed that the skylight is already leaking, the glass is cracked, and there are molds on the panes, it’s better to spend money on replacement instead of repair.

2. Skylight Motor Repair or Replacement

The skylight motor is responsible for the opening and closing of the window. The cost of repair would range from $10 for a simple battery replacement to $300 for repairing multiple parts.

If you plan to replace the motor, it would be between $270 and $1,000 including the motor and the labor for replacement. The price of the replacement will depend on the mechanism that you are using for your skylight window.

If you are using a solar-powered motor, it would take around $500 for the mechanism alone. You will have to spend more on labor and other materials.

Instead of repairing the skylight motor, most professionals recommend a complete replacement of the motor. This is done to make sure that the problem won’t return. Nothing’s more annoying than spending money on repairs over and over again.

3. Repair or Replacement of the Hand-Operated Mechanism

Buying a new hand crank costs around $110 and you can expect it to increase up to $400 if you include the labor. Before you hire someone to repair the mechanism, make sure that you ask for an estimate.

4. Frame Repair

For your skylight window frame, repair is the best choice because roof windows usually last from 20 to 40 years. It means that you won’t have to replace it anytime soon. Simple repairs can make it look brand new.

The cost of repair for your skylight window frame is between $170 to $600. This estimate also includes patching the fiberglass and wooden frame to make sure that moisture will not enter your home.

5. Weather Stripping Repair

Adding a weatherstripping sealer to your skylight can prevent leaks in the pane and frame. However, this sealer will need repair in a few years. Professionals usually ask for $100 to $300 depending on the type of sealer that would be used for your skylight window.

The cost of skylight installation and the addition of weather stripping will depend on the roof material as well. You have to check if it’s a tiled roof, metal roof, shingle roof, or metal roof.

6. Flashing Repair

The cost of re-flashing your skylight window is between $300 and $500. It is a more expensive kind of sealing technique that closes the seam between the frame and the roof. The frame material will be considered as well as the flashing kit for the skylight cost.

Professionals will often use caulking and tape for this, but some of them might use a specialized foam, which would make the process more expensive.

What are the Common Problems that you might Experience with a Skylight Window?

There aren’t a lot of problems that you might experience when you have a skylight window, but the repair and replacement are usually very expensive. Here are a few of the common issues with skylight windows and the cost of fixing them.

Cost of Leak Repair

Leaks are very common from skylight windows since they are facing the sky. During the installation, professional installers need to make sure that water will not seep through the windows. They often use weatherstripping to guarantee this.

There are two problems that can actually lead to leaks:

• The glazing seal in the glass pane and frame might be corroded and it would cause a leak in the interior.
• There is a chance that the flashing would fail to seal the gap between the roof and frame, which will cause leaks in your room.

If something is leaking in your skylight window, adding a new flashing and seal has an average cost of $300 to $500 each. You can get both of these services for $500 to $800, which is much cheaper than fixing them separately.

Skylight Window Cracks

Cracks on your skylight windows can happen anytime and the repair costs are very expensive. You would have to spend $300 to $800 for the cracks since the glass needs to be replaced.

Well, if you want to save money, you can ask your local handyman to use weather tape and caulking to temporarily fix the problem. This would temporarily prevent water damage to your home, but you will have to replace it eventually.

Installation costs would definitely be more expensive than repair. However, you should not look at the skylight installation cost because it is a long-term solution.

What are the Factors that can Affect the Cost of Skylight Window Repair and Replacement?

If you noticed the costs that we’ve laid down above, there are no exact charges. This is because the price of the repair and replacement would depend on several factors. The same type of repair might be cheaper or more expensive in other states.

If you plan to repair or replace your Skylight window, you should understand the factors that can affect its cost.

1. Homeowners Insurance

Home insurance usually covers your roof window only if the damage is caused by a natural phenomenon. You have to prove that the windows are damaged because of a storm, hurricane, earthquake, or other natural disasters.

If the problem came from normal wear and tear or your window is too old already, the cost of repair and replacement will come from your pocket directly.

2. Skylight Type

Skylight windows come in different types and one is more complicated than the other. Because of this, you cannot expect a normal window to have the same repair and replacement cost as the more advanced skylight windows.

Tubular skylights are the cheapest as the cost of repair is only between $300 and $500. They don’t take up a lot of space on your roof and they also require less flashing so the work done is also less.

Fixed skylights are a bit more expensive. They cost around $400 to $900 since the opening is bigger compared with a normal skylight window. For this kind of repair and replacement, the opening is bigger so it would require more work and materials so expect the cost of repair and replacement to be higher.

The most expensive type of skylight window to fix is the Ventilating roof window. You’ll have to spend $500 to $1,200 to fix it. This is because this type of window is complex and it has a lot of mechanisms. Checking the problem of the window will already take time.

3. Accessibility

Did you know that accessibility is one of the biggest factors that affect the cost of repair and replacement for your skylight windows? Interior and exterior accessibility can jack up the price of repair by up to 30%.

If your windows are higher, you can expect to spend more money to fix or replace them. The actual cost added would depend on the amount of time that they spend accessing the skylight window.

Take note that you are paying for the risk that the experts are going to take to fix or replace your skylight window. You can expect to pay more if they have to access the outside part of the window on your roof. Since they have to climb up the roof, the risk of accidents also increases.

If there are obstructions or they have to do other things before they can start fixing the skylight window, the cost will increase again.

4. Slope

Skylight windows are made for a slope of 15% to 60%. If the pitch of your roof is beyond this range, the repair and replacement costs will go up by 20% or more.

For this kind of job, extra scaffolding will be needed to make sure that the roofing contractor is safe while working on the roof. Always ask for quotes before you hire one.

Final Thoughts

The cost of repairing and replacing your skylight windows is definitely higher compared to a normal window. It is because of how it is installed and the location of the windows.

Higher risk means higher cost and this is something that almost any type of job entails. If the contractors would be subjected to more risk, you will have to pay more and you will have to worry about their compensation if an accident happens.

If you have any questions about the cost of skylight window repair and replacement, feel free to comment below.