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Skylight Replacement Cost Calculator

The Skylight Replacement Cost Calculator estimates what it costs to take out an old skylight and fit a new one in its place. Choose your roof material, the new skylight, how the old one is mounted and the condition inside, and you get a planning budget split into materials, labor, removal, disposal and setup, with budget, standard and premium ranges. It is free and takes under a minute. Use the result to plan your project and compare contractor quotes. It is a planning estimate, not a bid.

Estimate My Replacement Cost

Estimate your skylight replacement cost

Answer three short sets of questions: your roof, your new skylight and the replacement details. Only your ZIP code, roof material and skylight type are required. Everything else starts on the most common choice, which is a like-for-like swap with a new flashing kit and no interior repairs. Adjust the details to see how each one changes the budget.

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How to read your estimate

The large figure at the top is the estimated project budget for a standard replacement, shown as a range. Below it you will find three things:

Cost breakdown

Where the standard budget goes: materials, labor, removal of the old skylight, disposal, setup and safety, and any permit, electrical or hidden damage allowance that applies to your choices.

By work item

How materials and labor split between the new skylight unit, installation and flashing, resizing the opening, interior repair and blinds.

Budget, Standard and Premium

Three project levels that reflect different skylight quality, flashing and installer experience. If you are replacing more than one skylight, each level also shows an approximate cost per skylight.

Every figure is a planning range. Actual contractor pricing may vary based on location, conditions, material choice, labor market and project complexity.

Planning estimate only. The Skylight Replacement Cost Calculator provides planning estimates only. Results are not quotes, bids or guaranteed prices. Estimates are based on general US planning assumptions and do not reflect live contractor pricing or pricing specific to your ZIP code. Actual contractor pricing may vary based on location, conditions, material choice, labor market and project complexity. Removing an old skylight can reveal rotted decking or framing that adds to the cost. Permit requirements and fees are set by your local building department. Always get written quotes from licensed, insured professionals before starting work.

Get matched with local skylight installers

Use your estimate to compare quotes from licensed, insured professionals in your area.

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What each cost category covers

Cost category	What it covers	When it applies
Materials	The new skylight or tubular kit, flashing kit and underlayment, sealant and trim, plus framing lumber, drywall, paint or blinds if selected.	Always
Labor	Setting and flashing the new skylight, re-laying the roofing around it, and any reframing or interior repair.	Always
Removal	Taking out the old skylight and flashing and lifting the surrounding roofing.	Always
Disposal	Hauling away the old skylight, flashing and debris.	Always
Setup & safety	Trip, setup and roof protection, plus extra fall protection on steep or tall roofs.	Always
Permit allowance	A budget figure for a building permit. It is not your actual local fee.	When the permit option is ticked
Electrical	New wiring and a wall control, or reconnecting the new motor to existing wiring.	Electric venting skylights
Hidden damage allowance	A contingency for rotted decking or framing found when the old skylight comes out.	When the option is ticked

How much does skylight replacement cost?

STANDARD FIXED REPLACEMENT

$1,300 – $1,550

One medium skylight, about 2 × 4 feet, in an asphalt shingle roof.

BUDGET REPLACEMENT

From about $775

Budget replacements start near $775.

PREMIUM REPLACEMENT

Up to about $2,600

A premium fixed replacement can reach about $2,600.

Replacing one fixed skylight in an asphalt shingle roof typically budgets at about $1,300 to $1,550. A budget replacement starts near $775 and a premium one can reach about $2,600. These planning figures assume a medium skylight of about 2 × 4 feet, a one-story home, a medium roof pitch, the same size opening, a new flashing kit and no interior repairs. The type of skylight you choose as the replacement changes the budget most. The table shows the calculator’s ranges for one medium skylight under the same assumptions.

New skylight type	Budget	Standard	Premium
Tubular (sun tunnel), 10 inch	$575 – $700	$1,000 – $1,200	$1,650 – $1,950
Fixed	$775 – $925	$1,300 – $1,550	$2,150 – $2,600
Manual venting	$1,000 – $1,200	$1,650 – $1,950	$2,600 – $3,150
Electric venting, existing wiring	$1,500 – $1,800	$2,300 – $2,750	$3,550 – $4,250
Solar venting	$1,650 – $1,950	$2,400 – $2,850	$3,650 – $4,400
Electric venting, new wiring	$1,650 – $1,950	$2,550 – $3,050	$4,000 – $4,750

Planning estimates from the OmniEstimate calculator, without a permit allowance. They are not quotes. Actual contractor pricing may vary.

Worked example — one standard fixed replacement. Medium skylight (about 2 × 4 feet), asphalt shingle roof, one story, medium pitch, deck-mounted, same size opening, new flashing kit, no interior repairs, no permit allowance: $1,300 – $1,550 standard, $775 – $925 budget, $2,150 – $2,600 premium. Two medium fixed skylights in one visit: about $2,300 – $2,700, or roughly $1,150 – $1,350 each.

How this calculator works

The calculator prices each replacement as a new skylight plus flashing and trim materials. It then adds labor in two parts: removing the old skylight, and setting and flashing the new one. Flashing materials and roof labor are adjusted for your roof material, pitch and number of stories. Items that only some jobs need are added on top: resizing the opening, interior repair, electrical work, blinds, a permit allowance and a hidden damage allowance. The three project levels are built from different inputs for skylight quality, flashing and installer experience. They are not one number multiplied up and down. Your ZIP code identifies your market for contractor matching and does not change the price.

What affects the cost of replacing a skylight?

The new skylight: type, size and glass

A fixed skylight is the lowest-cost framed replacement. Venting models cost more for the hardware, and electric models also need power. Size matters too: a small fixed skylight of about 2 × 2 feet budgets at $1,150 to $1,400 and a large one of about 4 × 4 feet at $1,650 to $1,950. Upgrading from standard tempered double-pane glass to laminated Low-E glass raises the unit price by about 20 percent, and impact-rated or triple-pane glass by about 50 percent.

Deck-mounted or curb-mounted

A deck-mounted skylight sits low and is fastened directly to the roof deck. A curb-mounted skylight sits on a raised box frame. Curb-mounted units are usually simpler to replace, because the new skylight drops onto the existing curb. The calculator budgets a curb-mounted fixed replacement at about $1,200 to $1,450, against $1,300 to $1,550 for deck-mounted. Skylights on flat roofs are priced as curb-mounted.

Same size or a different size

A like-for-like swap uses the existing opening and light shaft. Choosing a different size means reframing the opening and patching the roof deck and drywall. That moves the standard fixed replacement to about $1,800 to $2,150. Making the opening larger in a truss roof also needs an engineer’s approval, which the calculator does not include.

New flashing or reused flashing

The calculator defaults to a new flashing kit matched to the new skylight. Reusing the existing flashing lowers the standard estimate to about $1,150 to $1,350, a saving of roughly $150 to $200. Worn flashing is a common cause of leaks after a replacement, so the saving is rarely worth the risk.

Interior condition

An old skylight that has leaked often leaves marks inside. Sealing water stains and repainting the shaft moves the standard estimate to about $1,500 to $1,800. Replacing damaged drywall, then finishing and painting it, moves it to about $1,900 to $2,250.

Roof material, pitch and height

The roofing around the skylight has to be lifted and re-laid, so the roof type affects labor. For the same fixed replacement, the standard range is about $1,450 to $1,700 on metal, $1,600 to $1,900 on clay or concrete tile, and $1,950 to $2,300 on natural slate. Steep roofs and homes of three or more stories add labor and fall protection.

Number of skylights

Replacing several skylights in one visit shares the setup. In the calculator, two medium fixed skylights budget at about $2,300 to $2,700, or roughly $1,150 to $1,350 each, compared with $1,300 to $1,550 for one.

Material costs

Materials are the new skylight plus the flashing kit, underlayment, sealant and trim. For a standard fixed replacement the calculator budgets about $450 to $550 in materials. An electric venting skylight raises that to about $1,300 to $1,600 because of the unit price.

Labor and removal costs

For a standard fixed replacement, the calculator budgets about $470 to $575 for installation labor and $120 to $150 for removing the old skylight and its flashing. Labor rises when the opening is resized or the interior needs repair, because that adds carpentry, drywall and painting time.

Disposal, permits and other costs

Disposal and setup. About $80 to $100 for haul-off and $160 to $200 for trip, setup and roof protection at standard pricing. These apply to every job, which is why one skylight costs more per unit than several. Electrical. New wiring for an electric venting skylight has a standard allowance of about $320 to $390. Reconnecting to existing wiring is about $70 to $90. Permit allowance. Optional. The standard allowance is about $140 to $170. Requirements and fees vary by building department. Hidden damage allowance. Optional. It adds a contingency of about 12 percent of materials, labor and removal at standard pricing, for rot found when the old skylight comes out. Blinds. Factory-fit blinds add roughly $250 to $300 per skylight at standard pricing.

Skylight replacement vs new installation

Replacing a skylight usually costs less than installing a new one, because the roof opening and the light shaft already exist. OmniEstimate budgets a like-for-like fixed replacement at about $1,300 to $1,550, compared with about $1,700 to $2,050 for a new installation of the same skylight before any permit allowance. If you are adding a skylight where there is none today, use the Skylight Installation Cost Calculator. Link still needed — that calculator is not verified live yet.

Repair or replace?

A leak around the edges is often a flashing problem. New flashing may fix it without replacing the skylight. Fog between the panes means the glass seal has failed. On some models the glass alone can be replaced. Cracked glass, a brittle or yellowed dome, or a rotted or corroded frame usually means the whole unit should be replaced. An old skylight on a roof that is about to be replaced is usually worth replacing at the same time.

Replacing a skylight during a roof replacement

A roof replacement is often the most economical time to replace a skylight. The roofing around it is already off, so less extra labor is needed, and the new flashing is built in with the new roof. Leaving an old skylight in a new roof can mean disturbing the new roofing later. See also: Roof Replacement Cost Calculator.

Regional pricing differences

Labor rates, permit fees and the demand for roofers differ from one market to another and from season to season. The calculator does not adjust for location. Treat the result as a national planning range, then get quotes from local installers to see where your market sits.

How to avoid unexpected costs

Measure the existing skylight or find its model label, so the installer can quote a unit that fits the opening.
Ask whether the quote includes a new flashing kit, and which one.
Ask how rotted decking or framing will be priced if it is found.
Confirm whether interior repair and painting are included or stop at the roof.
Check whether the existing skylight or roof is still under warranty before paying for the work.

Questions to ask a skylight installer

Which skylight brand and model are you quoting, and does it fit the existing opening?
Will you install a new flashing kit, or reuse the existing flashing?
If it is curb-mounted, what condition is the curb in?
What does your workmanship warranty cover, and for how long?
How will the work affect my existing roof warranty?

When to hire a professional

Replacing a skylight means working at height, lifting roofing and rebuilding the waterproofing around the opening. Mistakes lead to leaks that may not show for months. For those reasons most homeowners hire a roofer or skylight installer, and many manufacturers’ warranties expect installation to follow their instructions.

Quick answers

What is the average cost to replace a skylight?

Replacing one fixed skylight typically budgets at about $1,300 to $1,550 in an asphalt shingle roof, based on OmniEstimate’s standard planning assumptions. Budget replacements start near $775 and premium ones reach about $2,600. Venting models, resizing, interior repairs and tile or slate roofs cost more.

Is replacing a skylight cheaper than installing a new one?

Yes, usually. A replacement reuses the existing roof opening and light shaft. OmniEstimate budgets a like-for-like fixed skylight replacement at about $1,300 to $1,550, compared with about $1,700 to $2,050 for a new installation of the same skylight before any permit allowance.

What is the difference between a deck-mounted and a curb-mounted skylight?

A deck-mounted skylight sits low and is fastened directly to the roof deck. A curb-mounted skylight sits on a raised box frame called a curb. Curb-mounted skylights are common on flat and low-slope roofs and are usually simpler to replace, because the new unit drops onto the existing curb.

When is the best time to replace a skylight?

The most economical time to replace a skylight is during a roof replacement. The roofing around the skylight is already removed, which reduces extra labor, and the new flashing is integrated with the new roof.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to replace a skylight?

Replacing one fixed skylight in an asphalt shingle roof typically budgets at about $1,300 to $1,550, based on this calculator’s standard assumptions. A budget replacement starts near $775 and a premium one can reach about $2,600. Venting skylights, larger sizes, interior repairs and harder roofs cost more.

Is it cheaper to replace a skylight than to install a new one?

Usually, yes. A replacement reuses the existing roof opening and light shaft, so there is less framing and interior work. OmniEstimate budgets a like-for-like fixed skylight replacement at about $1,300 to $1,550, compared with about $1,700 to $2,050 for a new installation of the same skylight before any permit allowance.

Should the flashing be replaced with the skylight?

In most cases, yes. Flashing is what keeps water out around the skylight, and old flashing is a common cause of leaks after a replacement. In this calculator, reusing the existing flashing lowers a standard replacement by roughly $150 to $200, which is a small saving for a higher leak risk.

Can I replace a skylight with a different size?

Yes, but it costs more. The opening has to be reframed, and the roof deck and interior drywall have to be patched. This calculator adds roughly $500 to $600 to a standard replacement for resizing. Making the opening larger in a truss roof also needs an engineer’s approval, which is not included.

Should I replace my skylight when I replace my roof?

It is often the best time. The roofing around the skylight is already removed, so there is less extra labor, and the new flashing is built in with the new roof. If an older skylight is left in place, it may need replacing later, which means disturbing the new roofing.

How do I know if my skylight needs replacing?

Common signs are fog or moisture between the glass panes, cracked glass or a yellowed, brittle plastic dome, a frame that is rotted or corroded, drafts, and a venting skylight that no longer opens or closes properly. A leak on its own may only need new flashing, so ask a roofer to check before you replace the whole unit. See also: Roof Inspection Cost Calculator.

Do I need a permit to replace a skylight?

It depends on your local building department. A like-for-like swap in the same opening often does not need a permit, while resizing the opening or adding electrical wiring is more likely to. The calculator includes an optional permit allowance for budgeting, which is not your actual local fee.

Does my ZIP code change the estimate?

No. The calculator uses your ZIP code to identify your market and match you with local professionals. It does not adjust the price. Local labor rates and permit fees do vary, so use the result as a planning range and compare it with quotes from contractors in your area.