Should I replace my skylight when I get a new roof?

In most cases, yes: if your skylight is getting old, has fogged up, has yellowed, or has ever leaked, replace it while the roof is open. VELUX puts it directly: "The best time to replace old skylights is when you reroof your home. Doing so will save time and money and will synchronize your skylight and roofing warranties."^[1] A young skylight that is clear and has never leaked can often stay and simply get new flashing. Here is how to decide, and what to ask your roofer.

Why the roof job touches the skylight anyway

A proper replacement roof does not leave the old skylight flashing in place. Shingle warranties can demand a clean deck. Owens Corning's System Protection warranty, for example, requires the new roof to be installed over a clean roof deck with all existing roofing material and debris removed, including the flashing materials for chimneys, skylights, soil pipe boots and vents.^[6] So the area around the skylight gets rebuilt either way. The only question is whether the same old skylight goes back in the middle of it.

The shingle warranty may not cover the skylight area either. The same Owens Corning warranty does not cover non-Owens Corning roofing components, such as flashing, fasteners, pipe boots and wood decking,^[6] and it excludes damage caused by alterations made after the roof is finished, including structural changes and equipment installation.^[6] That is one more reason to settle the skylight question now rather than cutting into a new roof in a few years.

Signs your skylight should go

Age. VELUX says its skylights can last 20 to 30 years with normal wear,^[1] and recommends updating after about 30 years so the skylight stays code-compliant.^[1] A skylight that is already 20 years old or more is near the end of that range and may need replacing before the new shingles do; compare how long a roof lasts.

Visible wear. For old dome or bubble skylights, VELUX lists the signs as discoloration from sunlight exposure, mildew stains from moisture buildup, leaks, or condensation around the panes.^[1] On double-glazed skylights, the Virginia Energy Savers Handbook warns of seal failure, which can result in window fogging and a loss of any low-conductivity gas-fill,^[7] so haze or droplets trapped between the panes mean the sealed unit has failed. That cannot be wiped away.

History. A skylight that has leaked before, or has water stains or soft drywall around the shaft, is worth replacing while the roof is open, because the replacement can be flashed as one system with the new roof. See why a skylight gets condensation to tell a leak from condensation.

Lining up the warranties

Replacing both at once gives you one start date. VELUX notes that syncing a skylight replacement with a roof replacement allows the warranties to be coordinated.^[2] On a new unit, VELUX Skylight Systems carry a 10-year installation warranty, plus 20 years on glass, 10 years on product, and 5 years on shades and controls.^[3] Warranty terms often depend on the right parts: for example, VELUX flashing must be used to qualify for its installation warranty.^[1] Ask your roofer which flashing kit goes in, and get the skylight maker's warranty registration in your paperwork.

The reroof is also the moment to choose the mounting style. Deck-mounted skylights are installed directly onto the roof deck for a sleeker look and suit new roofs or full replacements, while curb-mounted skylights sit on a framed curb and work well for replacing older skylights and on flat or low-sloped roofs.^[4]

What it adds to the roof quote

When we checked on October 26, 2026, VELUX's national estimates for replacing an existing skylight, installed, were:^[5]

Those are national ranges for VELUX products. During a reroof the crew is already on the roof, so ask the roofer to price the skylight as a line item, and to price "keep and reflash" as a separate option so you can compare. For the full picture, see what a skylight costs in Virginia and what a new roof costs.

Permits

The roof itself usually needs none. Virginia's building code lists replacing an unlimited amount of roof covering in residential Groups R-3, R-4 and R-5 as ordinary repair needing no permit, unless the house is in an area where the nominal design wind speed is greater than 100 miles per hour.^[8] The skylight is less clear-cut. The code's ordinary-repair exemption covers replacement of windows and doors of similar operation and opening dimensions that need no change to the framed opening,^[8] but it does not mention skylights, and the code requires a permit for alterations involving any structural component.^[8] A same-size swap may be treated as ordinary repair; a bigger opening means framing work. Also, a building official may require a permit for replacement roofing and windows in a locally designated historic district.^[8] Have the contractor confirm with your local building office, and see do you need a permit to replace a roof.

When to call a licensed pro

Skylight replacement is roof work: it means removing and rebuilding flashing on a pitched roof and sealing a large opening against weather. Hire it out. Ideally the same contractor handles the roof and the skylight, so one company answers for the flashing. Some roofers prefer to install the skylight themselves, or at least flash it in and replace the shingles around it, so they can keep honoring their warranty.^[1]

DPOR notes that for roofing-only work you may want a contractor licensed in that specialty,^[9] and work valued at $1,000 or more needs a valid Virginia contractor's licence in the category the contractor is working in.^[9] Check any bidder using DPOR's License Lookup or by calling (804) 367-8511,^[10] or follow how to check a contractor's licence.

Before signing, read what happens during a roof replacement and how long a skylight lasts, or browse more exterior answers. Loclis lists licensed businesses from Virginia's DPOR register with each one's licence number and class: browse roofing contractors or skylight installers.

When you are ready, describe your skylight and roof job once and licensed local contractors send quotes or offer an estimate visit.