Every recommendation we make starts from five questions: What's the roof? What's the room? What's the light path? What's the structure? What are the rules? Here's how the answers map to the right product — the same guide our own team uses.
| Your situation | What we recommend — and why |
|---|---|
| Pitched shingle roof, new skylight | Deck-mounted fixed or venting skylight, always with the proper step-flashing kit — that's what makes a leak-free install possible. Solar-powered venting needs no wiring and closes itself in rain. Check your size → |
| Flat or low-slope roof (most of NYC) | Curb-mounted unit on an insulated curb — the only correct answer on a flat roof, raised above ponding water and snow. Fixed, manual, electric, or solar venting. |
| Replacing an old or leaking unit | Full-unit replacement matched to your existing mount — we never do dome-only swaps, because a new dome on old framing can't be sealed or warrantied honestly. |
| Kitchen, bathroom, laundry | Solar venting skylight with rain sensor — moisture needs an exhaust path, and solar operation means no electrician. |
| Bedroom or media room | Fixed unit with a solar room-darkening shade — light by day, dark on demand, remote included. |
| Dark hallway, closet, small bath | Sun Tunnel — real daylight through framing a skylight can't pass, at a fraction of the cost. Installed in a day. |
| Attic or top-floor conversion | Roof windows — in-reach, opening units that bring a converted space up to full daylight and fresh air, with egress-rated sizes available. |
| Brownstone or landmark building | Copper pan-flashed classics and custom units spec'd to match the building and pass review — landmark work is approval-first. |
| Big opening (50"+ each way) | Often a bank of two to four skylights with combi-flashing — more glass, better look, and our multiple-skylight discount applies. The Finder suggests layouts automatically. |
| Terrace, roof deck, sidewalk vault | Engineered walkable structural glass — a floor you can stand on that lights the space below. Never a standard skylight. |