In brief
Yes, a mains-powered electric rooflight is connected to the house supply by a qualified electrician, who also tests the circuit and signs off the work. A solar-powered unit has its own panel and battery and needs no mains cable, though it is still set up and tested at fitting. Which kind suits you depends on where the opening is and how the power can reach it.
- Mains units: a qualified electrician runs, connects and tests the supply
- Solar units: a built-in panel and battery, so no cable to the house
- The rooflight fitter and the electrician work in a set order on site
- The cable route is agreed before the ceiling is closed
- Switches, remotes and rain sensors are wired or paired at the same visit
Why the supply is an electrician's job
An electric rooflight has a motor, and a mains motor needs a cable from a protected circuit in the house. Fixed electrical work in a home is covered by Part P of the Building Regulations, which expects it to be carried out by someone competent and to be tested and certified. That is the reason the final connection is made by an electrician, rather than by the person fitting the glass.
The roof fitter and the electrician do different things and neither replaces the other. We fit the unit, set the motor and make the roof weathertight. The electrician provides the supply, connects the motor and controls to it, and checks the circuit. If your builder already has an electrician on the project, the same person can usually take this on.
Our guide to wiring an electric rooflight lists what the electrician will want to know before they start, including the cable type and the position of the control unit.
Mains, low-voltage and solar units
Electric rooflights are made in a few power types, and the quote names which one you are getting. A mains unit connects to a fused supply and runs the motor directly. A low-voltage unit has a transformer that steps the supply down, and the motor and controls then work from the lower voltage. Both need the electrician to install the supply side.
A solar unit has a small panel built in, which charges a battery that drives the motor. There is no cable to the house, so it suits a position where a cable run would mean opening up a finished ceiling. It still has to be set up correctly, and the battery has a limited life, so check the maker's guidance on looking after it.
The right choice follows the building. In a new build or extension, running a cable at first fix costs little and a mains unit is straightforward. In a finished house with a long, awkward route, solar can save a good deal of disruption. We discuss it at the survey, and the written quote states which.
The order of work on site
Timing is where an electric rooflight causes trouble if it is left to chance. The electrician wants to run the cable while the ceiling is still open and before the plasterer arrives. We want the kerb or opening ready before the unit is delivered. If those two things are not agreed, someone ends up chasing plaster.
- The opening or kerb size is sent to the builder in writing, for the product in question.
- The electrician runs the cable to the agreed point at first fix, before the ceiling is closed.
- The roofer finishes the covering to the opening, and then we set the unit.
- The electrician connects the motor and controls, then tests the circuit.
- Reveals are plastered and the room is decorated last.
This sequence is the same one we use for any rooflight that has services, and it means the electrician is not called back to a finished room.
What to settle before the electrician comes
A short conversation with the electrician saves repeat visits. Tell them where the unit will be, what controls you want and whether a rain sensor is included. Ask where the switch will go, since a position beside the door is more convenient than one behind a bed.
- Position of the unit and the route for the cable, including whether the run crosses any finished ceiling.
- Switch, remote or keypad, and how many units the control must drive.
- Rain sensor or other accessories, and where they are fixed.
- A spare connection if you may add more units later, since extra points are easiest to provide now.
If a rain sensor is part of the plan, our guide to rain sensors on opening rooflights explains where they go and how they connect.
Who arranges the electrician
If you are building or extending, the builder normally has an electrician on the project, and we pass the cable position and the control details to them in writing. For a retrofit into a finished house, you may use your own electrician or ask us to coordinate one, and the quote says which applies.
Either way, the cost of the electrical work is a separate line from the cost of the unit. Our page on what an electric rooflight costs to install shows how those parts add up, and the electric opening rooflights page gives an overview of the units we fit.
Book a free survey and we will look at the position, agree the type of power with you and set the sequence out in the quote.
Related questions
- Can my existing electrician do the connection?
- Yes, provided they are qualified for fixed domestic wiring. Give them the maker's instructions for the unit and the cable position from our quote, and they can work from those.
- Will the electrician need to come more than once?
- Usually twice: once at first fix to run the cable while the ceiling is open, and once after the unit is in to connect the motor and controls and test the circuit. Agreeing the cable position in writing beforehand keeps it to those two.
- Does a solar rooflight work on a north-facing roof?
- The panel needs daylight, not direct sun, but the maker's instructions say what the unit needs. We check the orientation and any shading at the survey before recommending it.
