Guide · 27 July 2026 · 2 min read
Why Builders Keep Specifying Framed Roof Lights
Ask a roofer which roof light they would put on their own extension and most say framed. Here is the on-site logic — and when it is the right call for you.
Homeowners choose roof lights with their eyes; builders choose them with their schedule. When a roofer rings the factory to order for their own job, it is a framed unit more often than not — and the reasons are worth hearing before you specify, because they translate directly into a smoother installation and a lower final bill.
The detail every roofer already knows
A framed roof light sits down onto a standard 150mm timber upstand and fixes through the frame — a detail every competent roofer has done dozens of times, in any membrane system. The frame overhangs and sheds water past the upstand face, and the flashing tucks in conventionally. Less head-scratching on the scaffold means fewer labour hours on your invoice.
Easier to handle, harder to damage
The aluminium frame does a quiet second job: it protects the glass edges from the moment the crate opens to the moment the unit is fixed down. Exposed glass edges are the vulnerable point of any sealed unit, and on a busy site the frame is cheap insurance.
More daylight per pound
Framed construction is less labour-intensive at the factory, and the saving lands with you: typically 15–25% less than frameless for the same glazed area. On a project with two or three units, that difference often pays for an upgrade to solar-control or self-cleaning glass. Run your own numbers in the framed roof light calculator — it prices your exact millimetre size instantly.
When we would still say go frameless
If the roof light is at eye level from the garden, or it is the centrepiece of the room below, the invisible sightlines of frameless glass are worth the premium. But when the unit sits high on a dormer or above a hallway — anywhere the frame will never really be seen — framed is simply the rational specification.
Both ranges are made to order in our Liverpool factory with the same 20-year guarantee and free UK mainland delivery. Trade customer with a spec question? Call 03330 902 592 or use the bespoke enquiry page — we talk to builders all day.
Frequently asked questions
What upstand does a framed roof light need?
A standard timber upstand, minimum 150mm above the finished roof covering, level and square. Full guidance ships with every order.
Is the aluminium frame thermally broken?
Yes — the frame incorporates a full thermal break, keeping the internal surface warm and condensation-free in normal conditions.
Can framed roof lights be made to bespoke sizes?
Yes, every framed unit is manufactured to your exact millimetre dimensions — made to measure is our standard across all ranges.
Do you offer trade pricing?
Our factory-direct pricing is the same sharp price for everyone, backed by a lowest-price guarantee — call us about volume orders for multi-unit projects.
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Every Vant Glass roof light is manufactured to order in Liverpool, with a 20-year guarantee and free UK mainland delivery. Get an instant price or talk to the team on 03330 902 592.