Contemporary lanterns
Slim rafters, minimal ridge, glass-to-glass corners. The default for modern extensions.
Overview
What you need to know
A single-storey extension almost always ends up with a dark middle. A roof lantern is the most efficient fix there is — roof glazing delivers roughly three times the daylight of the same area of vertical window, because it faces the whole sky rather than a fence.
Modern lanterns bear very little relation to the chunky white conservatory roofs of twenty years ago. Slim aluminium rafters, hidden fixings and large panes mean the structure almost disappears, and thermally broken frames with warm-edge units keep the heat loss reasonable.
Glass choice matters more here than anywhere else in the house. Overhead glazing must be laminated for safety, and a south-facing extension without solar control will be uncomfortable by mid-June. We specify both as standard rather than as an upsell.
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Options
Styles and specifications
Traditional lanterns
Deeper rafters and a more pronounced ridge for period properties and orangeries.
Flat rooflights
A single fixed pane over a flat roof, with no visible framing from inside. The most discreet option.
Opening rooflights
Electric or manual hinged units for ventilation and, where required, escape access.
Walk-on glass
Structural laminated glass for terraces and light wells above habitable space.
Custom sizes
Made to your measured upstand, not to a catalogue size. Any rectangular footprint.
Benefits
Why customers choose this
- Around three times the daylight of an equivalent area of wall glazing
- Laminated inner pane as standard, meeting Part K overhead glazing requirements
- Solar-control coatings to keep summer heat gain manageable
- Self-cleaning outer coating available — genuinely useful where the roof is out of reach
- Thermally broken aluminium with warm-edge spacers to limit condensation
- Typically fitted in a single day onto a prepared upstand
Applications
Where it works
- Single-storey rear and side-return extensions
- Orangeries and garden rooms
- Flat-roofed hallways and stairwells with no external wall
- Light wells above basements and converted cellars
- Commercial atria and reception areas
Gallery
Roof Lanterns we have installed
Roof Lanterns 1
Roof Lanterns 2
Roof Lanterns 3
Roof Lanterns 4
FAQ
Roof Lanterns questions
A kerb built up from the flat roof that the lantern sits on. Your builder usually constructs it; we give them the exact size to work to before manufacture.
Not with the right glass. Solar-control coatings reflect a large share of the heat while letting light through. Clear glass on a south elevation is what causes the problem.
Most rear extension lanterns fall under permitted development. Rooflights on a principal elevation or a listed building may not — check before ordering.
Self-cleaning glass and rain handle most of it. Otherwise a telescopic brush from the ground or, on a bungalow, a careful ladder and a soft brush.
Yes, and it is one of the most transformative jobs we do. The existing frame usually needs assessing for the extra glass weight first.
Related services
Often specified together
Bifold Doors
Folding door sets from two to seven panels, in any RAL colour.
View bifold doorsWindows
uPVC, aluminium and timber-effect windows in casement, flush, bay, tilt & turn and sash styles.
View windowsSliding Doors
Slim-sightline sliding systems that open a wall of glass onto the garden.
View sliding doorsGet a price for your roof lanterns
Free survey, itemised written quote, and a 10-year installation guarantee.