How this calculator works
No black box - this is the arithmetic the tool runs, written out.
low = count × price_low high = count × price_high
- count
- How many skylights.
- price_low / price_high
- Installed price each, for the type you chose - fixed, vented, or tubular.
Unit pricing. The per-unit figure covers the unit and its installation, including flashing it into the roof.
The flashing is the whole job. A skylight that leaks is nearly always a flashing failure rather than a failure of the unit, which is why installing one during a re-roof costs much less than cutting one in later.
What it looks like with real numbers
Starting from
- Number of skylights
- 2
- Type
- Fixed (non-opening), $1,000-$3,000 each installed
The working
Low end: 2 × $1,000 = $2,000High end: 2 × $3,000 = $6,000
$2,000 - $6,000
Reading it: This is unit pricing for the skylight and its installation into the roof. What it does not price is cutting a brand-new opening - that means framing, and usually drywall, a light shaft, and paint inside.
How the calculation runs
Four operations, in this order. Nothing is hidden behind a button.
- Take the number of units.
- Look up the installed price range for the type chosen.
- Multiply count by each end of the range.
Every option on this calculator, side by side
The same 2,400 sq ft roof priced against each choice in the skylight type dropdown - so you can compare without changing the selector four times and trying to remember the answers.
| Skylight type | Installed rate | 2,400 sq ft | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tubular (sun tunnel) | $500 - $1500 | $1,200,000 - $3,600,000 | 200% |
| Fixed (non-opening) | $1000 - $3000 | $2,400,000 - $7,200,000 | 200% |
| Venting (opens) | $1500 - $4500 | $3,600,000 - $10,800,000 | 200% |
| Solar / electric venting | $2000 - $6000 | $4,800,000 - $14,400,000 | 200% |
The spread column is how much the high rate exceeds the low one. A wide spread means installer skill and job complexity swing that option's price a lot - get more quotes on it.
Typical results by size
Tubular (sun tunnel) at the rate this page uses, across the sizes most jobs fall into. Find the row nearest yours to sanity-check a quote in seconds.
| Size | units | Estimated range |
|---|---|---|
| 1 skylight | 1 | $500 - $1,500 |
| 2 skylights | 2 | $1,000 - $3,000 |
| 3 skylights | 3 | $1,500 - $4,500 |
| 4 skylights | 4 | $2,000 - $6,000 |
Getting your inputs right
The answer is only as good as what goes in. This is where estimates usually go wrong.
Count units, and note which are new openings
Replacing an existing skylight and cutting a new one are different jobs at different prices. The calculator prices the unit and its roof installation.
Check the roof age first
If the roof is close to replacement, doing skylights at the same time is far cheaper than doing them separately.
What changes your number
A calculator applies an average. These are the things that decide where in the range you actually land.
- Fixed, venting, or tubular Tubular units bring light through a small shaft and cost least. Venting units open, add hardware, and cost most.
- New opening versus replacement A new opening means cutting rafters and framing a curb, plus interior finishing. That can exceed the price of the unit.
- Flashing kit and roof covering The flashing has to match the roof material. Tile and metal skylight flashing is more involved than shingle.
- Doing it during a re-roof Substantially cheaper, because the crew is already up there with the covering off.
Common mistakes
Every one of these is something people genuinely do, and most of them cost real money.
- Reusing old flashing The unit is rarely what leaks. Skylight leaks are flashing leaks, and reusing the old kit to save a little is how a new skylight starts dripping.
- Installing into a roof near end of life The skylight will outlive the roof around it, and the re-roof will disturb it. Sequence them together.
- Forgetting the interior work The hole in the ceiling needs finishing. Budget for the shaft, drywall, and paint, not just the roof side.
What drives skylight cost
Price is per skylight installed. Tubular skylights are cheapest and easiest; fixed units let in light only; venting ones open for airflow; solar models open on a remote and may qualify for a tax credit. Adding one to an existing roof costs more than during a re-roof because of flashing and interior finish work.
Cost ranges reflect 2026 U.S. installed prices (BLS producer/labor data, Remodeling Cost vs. Value, and manufacturer pricing). Your real price depends on your roof, region, and pro - see the full cost guide.
Where this stops being accurate
Cutting a new opening is a different job from replacing an existing one - it means framing, and it may mean drywall, paint, and a light shaft. Those are not in a per-unit installed price.
This is a free estimating tool, not a quote. When you want a number somebody will stand behind, get matched with local pros - they measure the roof before they price it.
The terms on your quote, explained
A roofing quote is written in trade vocabulary. These are the words that actually change what you are paying for.
- Square
- 100 square feet of roof surface. The unit the entire trade orders, prices, and quotes in - a 2,400 sq ft roof is 24 squares.
- Pitch
- The slope, written as rise over a 12-inch run. A roof climbing 6 inches per 12 horizontal inches is "6/12".
- Decking (sheathing)
- The structural panels over the rafters that everything else fastens to. Its condition is unknown until the old covering is off.
- Underlayment
- The water-resistant layer between decking and covering. Synthetic or felt; it is the roof's second line of defense.
- Ice-and-water shield
- A self-adhering membrane at eaves and valleys that seals around fasteners. Commonly required by code in freeze-thaw climates.
- Flashing
- Metal that seals the joins - around chimneys, walls, valleys and vents. Most roof leaks are flashing failures, not covering failures.
Skylight Cost Calculator questions
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