In short
- The one Canadian price range we opened for installing a skylight is $575–$4,625, median $1,863, and it dates from 2017.
- Labour is the largest part of the cost, because the opening, flashing and interior finish are cut into the roof.
- Ottawa roofing contractors charge about $50–$100 an hour on many HomeStars profiles.
- The City of Ottawa requires a building permit for structural repairs or alterations, which can include cutting roof framing.
- Ontario wants roofing work over $50 in writing, and a skylight bill can pass the estimate by 10% only with a signed change.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skylight installation, Canada | $575–$4,625 | Yellow Pages Canada article from 2017, likely low today |
| Skylight installation, median | $1,863 | Same 2017 article |
| Roofing contractor, hourly | $50–$100 per hour | Many Ottawa roofing contractors, HomeStars |
Sources. Yellow Pages Canada, How much does it cost to install a skylight?, published 27.11.2017, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, roofing companies in Ottawa, seen 29.10.2026. Permits: City of Ottawa, building permit projects and projects not requiring a building permit, seen 29.10.2026. Contracts: Ontario, Guide for home renovation and roofing businesses, seen 29.10.2026. Work at height: Ontario, Working at heights training, seen 29.10.2026. The sources we opened print no current Ottawa skylight price, so the company sets it after it sees the roof.
New skylight, leak or replacement
Three situations come in under this page. A new skylight in a roof that has none. A skylight that leaks and needs its flashing or seal redone. And an old unit, fogged, cracked or warped, that needs replacing. Say which one in the request, because the work differs: new installs cut the roof open, leak repairs usually work around an existing opening, and replacements swap the unit inside it.
What the installation involves
The Yellow Pages Canada article says installing a skylight takes careful measurement of the roof’s slope, and that the installation itself is the largest cost. In practice the crew marks the opening, cuts shingles and deck, frames around the cut so the load carries around it, fits the unit and flashing, and then finishes inside: a light shaft or boxed opening from the ceiling to the roof. Interior finish is easy to miss in a quote, so ask for it by name.
Fixed, venting and the price range
A fixed unit is glass in a frame. A venting unit opens, and the same article lists venting models as an extra, with remote-controlled versions priced above manual ones. Its 2017 range for installing a skylight in Canada was $575–$4,625, with a median of $1,863. That page is nine years old and says nothing about Ottawa, so read it as a floor. On the labour side, HomeStars shows many Ottawa roofing contractors at $50–$100 an hour. Time on the roof drives much of the total.
Leaks: where water gets in
A skylight leaks at the flashing around the frame, at a failed seal in the glass unit, or where roofing meets the curb. Snow and ice that sit against the frame can push water uphill under shingles in winter. The ice dams guide describes that mechanism, and flashing and chimney work covers the same flashing detail on other roof penetrations. For a stain you can see right now, the roof leak repair page lists what to send. If the shingles around the unit are near the end of their life, a roof inspection can look at the whole slope.
Permits and who pays for what
The City of Ottawa lists structural repairs or alterations among the projects that need a building permit, and cutting or moving rafters is structural. Heritage buildings and Heritage District Overlay properties get no exemptions from the permit list. The City’s page on projects without a permit names asphalt shingles and is silent on skylights in the text we read, so write to buildingpermits@ottawa.ca or call 3-1-1 with the plan. Ontario’s contract guide says permits are the customer’s responsibility, though a contractor may offer to arrange them; the contract should say who does.
Working on the roof
Roof openings in snow, rain or wind are risky. Ontario requires approved working at heights training for construction workers who use fall protection. Ask the company whether its crew holds it. Stay off a snowy roof; ground-level photos are enough for the request.
Timing in Ottawa
Cutting a roof open is dry-weather work. Spring through fall gives more room, while a winter leak at a skylight is usually patched first and fixed properly later. When a roof replacement is on the horizon, the roof replacement page is where to say it, because a new skylight and a new roof share flashing and can be planned together.
Who you are dealing with
Your skylight details go to one independent Ottawa company, which looks at the opening and the ceiling below, prices the job and does it.
Questions to ask the company
- Is the skylight unit part of your price, or do I buy it, and who answers for a faulty unit?
- Does the price include the flashing kit, the framing and the finished light well inside?
- Will you cut or move any rafters, and who handles the permit question with the City?
- If the roof deck around the opening is wet, how is the extra work priced and approved?
- What workmanship warranty do you give on the installation, in writing?
Have this ready for the call
- Photos of the skylight from inside and, from the ground, of the roof around it.
- Roof type and age: shingle, metal or flat, and how old if you know.
- Brand and size printed on the unit or its frame, if you can read it.
- Where the water appears, and whether it follows rain, snowmelt or cold mornings.
- The ceiling below: drywall, wood, or a light shaft between roof and room.
Questions people ask
Is it the skylight leaking or condensation?
Water that appears only on cold mornings and runs down the glass often comes from indoor moisture. Water that shows up during rain or thaw, stains the drywall edge or drips from the frame points to the seal or flashing. Tell the company which one you see and when.
Can a skylight be repaired, or does the whole unit go?
Leaks often start at the flashing around the frame, which can be redone without a new unit. A fogged or cracked pane, or a frame that has warped, usually means replacing the unit. The company can tell which after looking at the opening, so send photos of both sides.
Why does a venting skylight cost more?
The 2017 Yellow Pages article lists venting models as an extra, with remote-controlled ones above manual ones. A fixed unit is glass in a frame. A venting one adds hinges, seals and a motor or crank, and the opening can be larger.
Does a new skylight weaken the roof?
An opening interrupts the rafters, so framing is built around it. That is the structural part of the job and the reason the City of Ottawa lists structural alterations among permit projects. Ask the company how it frames the opening and whether it applies for any permit.
When is a good time to install a skylight in Ottawa?
Dry weather above freezing suits cutting into a roof, since the deck sits open for part of a day. Ask the company how it covers the opening if rain comes, and what it does when a winter leak cannot wait.
