Skylight installation in San Diego.
A skylight transforms a dark room. A badly flashed skylight turns the same room into a water damage claim. We install Velux (fixed, vented, solar, sun tunnels), replace failing skylights, and repair flashing leaks around existing ones. Proper curb and counter-flashing is the difference between 30 years and 3.
What's included in this service?
- Velux fixed (FS), vented manual (VS), electric (VSE), and solar (VSS) skylights
- Sun Tunnel (TMF/TWF) installation for interior rooms without ceiling access
- Deck-mounted and curb-mounted installations
- Flashing kit installation (shingle, tile, metal specific)
- Skylight replacement when existing units are past life
- Leak repair on existing skylights
- Interior light shaft construction and drywall coordination
- Electric and solar skylight controller setup
When do you need this service?
- Dark interior room or hallway without window access
- Bathroom without adequate ventilation (vented skylight solves both)
- Existing skylight is 20+ years old and showing signs of failure
- Active leak around an existing skylight
- Remodel adding attic conversion or vaulted ceiling
- Kitchen or great room needing natural light addition
Skylight installation in San Diego: the decisions that matter
Why the flashing kit is more important than the skylight itself
The most common skylight failure in San Diego is not the unit, it's the flashing. Velux, the dominant manufacturer, has been making watertight skylights for 80 years. The products are excellent. What fails is the integration between the skylight frame and the surrounding roof surface, and that integration depends entirely on matching the flashing kit to the roof type and installing it correctly. Velux makes four flashing kits: EW (shingle and shake), EDW and ED (tile, curb mounted to prevent tile interference), EMD (metal, for standing seam or corrugated), and custom EFW for unusual applications. Using the wrong kit is the single most common installation mistake. An EW kit installed into a tile roof will fail within 3 to 5 rain seasons because the shingle-specific saddles don't integrate with tile course heights and lapping geometry. The correct installation sequence matters as much as the right kit: step-flashing courses must interleave with roofing courses above, the head flashing must lap over the uphill course, and the sill flashing must integrate with the drainage plane below. Skipping any step creates a future leak path. We use Velux-specified kits matched to the roof type on every install. Our crews are Velux certified. This is not a corner-cutting category.
Deck-mounted vs. curb-mounted skylights: the right choice for San Diego
Velux's residential line comes in two mounting types. Deck-mounted (VS, FS, VSS series) sits directly against the roof deck with integrated flashing. These are the standard residential choice and work well on shingle, shake, and most low-profile tile. Deck-mounted is slightly lower-profile and suits most California ranch and contemporary homes. Curb-mounted (FCM series) sits on a raised wood frame (curb) built into the roof structure. Required for flat and very low-slope sections (under 15 degrees), and recommended for tile where the tile thickness creates height conflicts with deck-mounted flashing kits. Curb-mounted also has an advantage in snow (rare in San Diego but relevant for mountain-area homes in Julian, Pine Valley, or Big Bear-adjacent properties): the raised curb prevents debris and water from banking against the frame. Sun Tunnels (TMF and TWF) are a different category: rigid or flexible tubes that transfer light from a rooftop collector to an interior room without any structural change to the ceiling. The rigid version (TMF) works for rooms directly below the roof; the flexible version (TWF) can make multiple bends. Excellent option for hallways, closets, and bathrooms where a full skylight would require rafter cutting. Installed in 2 to 4 hours typically, with minimal interior disruption.
Solar tax credit and the Velux VSS: the math San Diego homeowners miss
The Velux VSS (Solar Powered Vented Skylight) qualifies for the 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit because it uses photovoltaic power to operate its motor, rain sensor, and remote control. A VSS installed in 2025 or 2026 includes the solar panel and battery integrated into the unit. There is no separate solar installation required. The tax credit applies to the full installed cost of a qualifying skylight: unit plus labor plus materials. At an installed cost of $3,500 to $4,800, the 30% credit reduces net cost to $2,450 to $3,360 on a dollar-for-dollar federal tax liability reduction. This is not a deduction: it reduces your tax bill directly. Most homeowners who pay income taxes can use it in the same tax year the skylight is installed. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation, but the IRS guidance (Form 5695) is clear on solar-powered skylight eligibility. We provide the product documentation needed for the credit filing. The VSS also closes automatically when it rains, which matters for San Diego's brief but intense winter rain events where a vented skylight left open during an afternoon downpour creates real damage.
Tile roofs and skylights: the installation challenge most contractors skip
San Diego's tile roof stock makes skylight installation significantly more complex than in shingle markets. A tile skylight install requires: cutting the deck (standard), lifting surrounding tiles without cracking them (requires tile experience), building a proper curb or frame that keeps the tile courses aligned, installing the EDW or ED flashing kit with tile saddles that integrate at the correct height, and refastening the surrounding tile with proper adhesive and mortar at hip, ridge, and eave points disturbed during the work. A contractor who does mainly shingle roofs will struggle with this and skip steps. The most common shortcut is using insufficient saddle depth so tile courses can't properly lap over the flashing, creating a funnel toward the skylight frame. The visual check: from outside, there should be no gap between the tile courses uphill of the skylight and the top flashing. If you can see a gap or sealant-only bridging, the install was compromised. We do tile skylight installs regularly across Rancho Bernardo, Poway, El Cajon, Chula Vista, and Escondido, the main tile-heavy neighborhoods where the complexity is normal rather than exceptional.
Interior light shaft: what happens between the roof and your ceiling
Installing a skylight at the roof level is one project. Getting that light into your living space is a second project that many contractors leave to the homeowner. The light shaft is the framed, drywalled, and finished tunnel between the skylight frame in the roof and the ceiling below. Without a light shaft, you have a hole in the roof with a beautiful Velux unit on top and raw insulation visible from inside. Properly constructed light shafts have two configurations: straight (when the skylight sits directly above the target room with no rafters in the way) and angled or splayed (when the light path needs to turn or widen to reach a lower ceiling). Splayed light shafts (wider at the ceiling than at the skylight) significantly increase the light area and reduce the tunnel effect. Drywall finish, tape, texture, and paint matching to surrounding ceiling is included in our scope; we don't leave bare drywall or hand off to the homeowner mid-project. Electric and solar skylights also require switch or remote programming, which we complete before close-out. Interior light shaft work runs $400 to $1,200 depending on depth and configuration, quoted as part of the full installed price, not as a surprise add-on.
What do homeowners ask about Skylights?
How much does skylight installation cost?
Fixed deck-mounted Velux: $1,850–$2,800 installed with proper flashing. Vented manual: $2,400–$3,400. Solar-powered vented: $3,500–$4,800 (rain sensor closes automatically, 30% federal tax credit applies). Tubular sun tunnels: $950–$1,400. Replacement of a failing skylight: $1,200–$2,200.
Why do skylights leak?
Almost always a flashing issue, not the skylight itself. The #1 leak cause: the flashing kit wasn't matched to the roofing material (shingle vs. tile vs. metal), or the counter-flashing wasn't properly integrated with the courses of roofing above. We use Velux flashing kits specific to your roof type and install per manufacturer spec.
Are skylights worth the cost?
For the right room, yes. A properly placed skylight adds visual space, reduces lighting costs, and adds resale value. The wrong skylight (south-facing in a hot room with no shade) creates glare and heat load. We help place them right during the estimate, we've seen both outcomes.
What about solar-powered vented skylights?
Velux VSS (solar-powered) models are our default for vented installs in non-wired locations. The solar panel charges a battery that runs the motor, rain sensor, and remote control. No electrician visit needed. 30% federal tax credit (Residential Clean Energy Credit) applies because it's solar-powered, meaningful savings.
Can you install a skylight in a tile roof?
Yes. Tile skylight installs are specific, the flashing kit (Velux EDW-ED for curb-mount) has saddles that integrate with the tile courses. Takes about 50% longer than a shingle install because tiles must be lifted around the frame, properly supported, and sealed at the saddle. Result is watertight for the life of the skylight.
Where do we offer Skylights in San Diego County?
We provide skylights in every city and community in San Diego County. Pick your city for local climate notes and service specifics.
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Homeowners who hired us for this
Examples of the kind of feedback we work to earn on every job. Verified reviews from real customers live on our Google Business Profile and Yelp pages.
Our 1990s Spanish tile roof was leaking in three spots. Called Top Pro and they had a tile specialist out the next morning. Instead of pushing a full tear-off, the roofer they matched us with did a lift-and-relay with new underlayment and salvaged 90% of the original tiles. Crew was meticulous. Passed inspection on the first visit.
Was about to pull the trigger on a full tear-off and reroof but wanted one more opinion. Top Pro connected me with a local roofer the same day. He was the only one who actually pulled up into the attic to check for rot before quoting. Found damage the others missed. Fair price. Crew was on time every day. Saved me from picking the wrong bid.
Live three blocks from the ocean. Salt killed our old shingle roof in 12 years. Top Pro matched us with a roofer who actually does coastal metal installs. He put down stone-coated steel with stainless fasteners and coordinated the HOA design review paperwork himself. Clean lines, clean job site. No shopping around required.
Need skylights in San Diego County?
Call for a free quote. Most work scheduled within the week.