Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
Install an Opening Skylight
An opening skylight brings daylight and ventilation into a room, taking the place of a traditional window, an appealing option for a small bathroom, hall or attic room where wall space is at a premium. A contractor will charge $535 to install a 32-inch-square opening skylight. You can buy the unit for $310 and install it, saving more than 42 percent. The project cost doesn't include building a soffit or shaft or interior trim and finishing, which varies according to the job.

For the installation you'll need basic carpentry tools, a ladder and a helper to lift and hold the unit in place while you work on it. To speed the job of cutting the hole in the roof, rent or borrow a heavy-duty reciprocating saw and get several replacement blades. Pro vs DIY Cost and Time

If there's a grain of doubt about whether you should do it or not, hire a pro. Any kind of roofing project is risky business because of the hazardous working conditions. And if you make a mistake installing the skylight, you'll have a leaky roof and end up hiring a contractor to reinstall it.

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