Skylight research

Cost data from aggregators is a market picture, not a quote. Fixr's spread — a low around $647 and a high around $13,582 — reflects the enormous difference between swapping a unit in an existing opening and cutting, framing and finishing a new one on a steep tile roof. When your bid lands far from the average, the site conditions are usually the explanation.

Service life numbers come mostly from manufacturers, so read them accordingly. VELUX's own guidance of 20-plus years with inspection around 30 is the useful shape: skylights are long-lived, but not permanent, and their failure signs — fogging, cracks, staining — are visible from inside.

The leak-cause data is the most decision-relevant and the least well-documented, because it comes from contractor reporting rather than a formal study. Treat "most leaks are installation, not the unit" as a strong working assumption that should shape your questions, not as a precise statistic.

For energy performance, the primary sources are the NFRC ratings on the unit label and the ENERGY STAR criteria built on them, which vary by climate zone. Those are the only skylight performance numbers that are independently certified and directly comparable between brands.

How to choose

Prefer certified numbers to marketing numbers

NFRC ratings are third-party certified. Brochure claims are not.

Read manufacturer lifespan claims as manufacturer claims

Useful for shape, not for precision. Failure signs you can see beat any published average.

Use cost aggregates as a range check

Fixr's $1,080–$1,966 typical band tells you when to ask harder questions, not what to pay.

Ask contractors what they see locally

Roof coverings, weather and code enforcement vary a lot. Local experience is real data.