Window in the roof

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Capitol Hill resident Danielle Wiblemo loves her hall skylight. "We live in a row house with no side windows, so that extra natural light that comes from above makes a big difference," Mrs. Wiblemo says.

It took just a few hours for roofers to install her new skylight -- a replacement. That doesn't necessarily mean installing a standard-size skylight (usually 2 feet by 4 feet) is an easy task, local contractors say.

"I would not recommend a homeowner to do it on their own," says Scott Siegal, owner of Maggio Roofing in Takoma Park. "If it's not done correctly, they can really leak a lot."

Doing it correctly includes such tasks as finding a good spot for the skylight away from support beams and moving possible obstructions, such as heating and cooling ducts as well as electrical wiring.

Other tasks include building an 8-inch curb on the roof on which the skylight sits, adding flashing around the skylight to eliminate leaking and possibly redoing drywall or painting on the inside, depending on the interior conditions, Mr. Siegal says.

In Mrs. Wiblemo's case, the work was easy because it just entailed replacing an old, leaky skylight with a brand-new one.

Many manufacturers say skylights should last at least 10 years, Mr. Siegal says, but in his experience, they actually last longer, up to 20 years.

Mrs. Wiblemo's type of replacement job, which involved some minor roof work, such as building a curb (often made out of wood) may cost about $700, while installing a skylight from scratch, including the cost of the skylight itself, may cost about $1,200, Mr. Siegal says.