Seven Pines Home Improvement
Seven Pines Home Improvement installs and replaces skylights across Shrewsbury, MA, for single-family homes, with most jobs running $1,350 to $5,400 installed. Services include new fixed skylight installation, roof flashing repair, venting skylight installation, tubular sun tunnel installation, like-for-like skylight replacement, roof decking replacement, attic insulation, ice dam prevention, and roof ventilation.
Shrewsbury's housing stock skews to the 1970-1999 era, and many of those homes were built with few roof openings and little daylight indoors. Old bubble skylights from that period fog, crack, and leak. Whether you need a new opening cut and framed or a failed unit swapped out in its existing rough opening, this page covers what the work involves, what it costs here, and when a leaking skylight should be repaired versus replaced.
Rated 5 stars across 10 Google reviews. Registered under HIC #205267 and backed by a 3-Year Workmanship Warranty.
Skylight Installation and Replacement
Seven Pines Home Improvement handles every part of a skylight installation in Shrewsbury, MA, from cutting and framing the roof opening through setting the unit, flashing it watertight, and finishing the interior light shaft ready for paint.
A complete skylight installation covers the roof opening, the framing, the unit, the flashing, and the interior light shaft, not just the glass overhead. On the roof side, the crew cuts the rough opening and builds doubled headers and trimmers to carry the load of any rafters removed. The unit then sits as a deck-mount, low-profile and flashed flat to the roof deck, or a curb-mount, set on a raised wooden curb that is better suited to the lower-pitch roofs common on Shrewsbury ranches and Colonials where snow sheds slowly.
Weatherproofing is what decides whether the skylight ever leaks. A continuous ice-and-water shield membrane runs around the opening, then a manufacturer flashing kit of step, head, and saddle flashing is woven course-by-course into the shingles. Sealant alone is not flashing; it is a short-term repair waiting to fail. Inside, the light shaft gets framed, insulated, air-sealed, and drywalled. In a Shrewsbury home with an unconditioned attic, that air-sealing is what keeps the shaft warm enough to prevent condensation dripping back onto the finished drywall below.
Skylight Services
New Opening and Framing
A new fixed skylight brings natural light into a dark hallway, stairwell, or bathroom without any moving parts to seal or maintain. Installation covers cutting the rough opening, framing doubled headers and trimmers between the rafters, setting the deck-mounted or curb-mounted unit, and flashing it into the roofing system with a manufacturer kit, not sealant alone.
Skylight Installation in Shrewsbury
Manual or Solar Venting
A venting skylight opens to exhaust heat and humidity, making it especially useful over kitchens and bathrooms in Shrewsbury homes that lack other roof ventilation. Manual units use a hand crank or pole; solar-powered and electric units use a motor with a rain sensor that closes the unit automatically. Electrical hookup for motorized units is quoted as a separate line item.
Venting Skylight Installation in Shrewsbury
Half-Day Install
A tubular skylight routes daylight through a reflective tube from a small roof dome to a diffuser lens in the ceiling below. Because no rafter cutting or framing is required, installation typically finishes in two to four hours. Tubular units from Solatube and VELUX fit between standard rafter spacing and work on roofs that cannot accommodate a full skylight opening.
Tubular Skylight Installation in Shrewsbury
Existing Opening
When an existing skylight has fogged, cracked, or failed its seal but the surrounding framing and opening are still sound, a like-for-like replacement keeps costs down. The old unit is removed, the curb or deck mount is inspected and repaired as needed, and a new unit is set and reflashed using the manufacturer kit. Surrounding shingles are lifted and relaid over the new flashing rather than patched with sealant.
Skylight Replacement in Shrewsbury
Stop the Source
Most skylight leaks trace to failed flashing rather than a failed unit. Step, head, and saddle flashing that has lifted from freeze-thaw movement, corroded galvanized metal, or original installation that relied on sealant alone, all allow water to track into the light shaft and ceiling. Flashing repair lifts the surrounding shingle courses, replaces the flashing kit, and integrates ice-and-water shield around the perimeter.
Skylight Flashing Repair in Shrewsbury
Interior Finish
The light shaft is the framed and drywalled tunnel between the roof opening and the ceiling below. In Shrewsbury homes with unconditioned attics, the shaft must be framed, insulated, and air-sealed to prevent condensation from forming on the interior drywall. A basic light shaft and trim are included in the standard scope; custom carpentry and painting are quoted separately.
Light Shaft Framing in Shrewsbury
Code-Compliant Framing
Cutting a skylight opening means severing one or more rafters and redistributing that load through doubled headers and trimmer framing. Skipping or undersizing that framing is what causes ceiling deflection and drywall cracking in the years after installation. All structural framing on a Seven Pines skylight job is sized to the manufacturer rough-opening specification and MA 780 CMR requirements, and the permit is pulled before any roof is cut.
Skylight Framing in Shrewsbury
Energy-Efficient Glazing
Glazing choice affects heat loss through a Central Massachusetts winter more than any other single variable. Standard tempered dual-pane glass is the base tier. Laminated Low-E glass reduces heat loss and blocks UV. Impact-resistant glass is specified for high-wind exposures. The right glazing tier is confirmed during the on-site assessment based on roof orientation, ceiling height, and the room's heating load.
Skylight Glazing Options in Shrewsbury
Tile, Slate and Metal
Tile, slate, and metal roofing require additional flashing labor compared to standard asphalt shingle, and that difference is reflected in the written estimate. The flashing kit is integrated into whichever roofing material is present per manufacturer instructions. The on-site assessment confirms the method and any additional scope before any estimate is issued, so there are no surprises once work begins.
Skylight Installation on Specialty Roofs
VELUX and Fakro
Seven Pines installs VELUX fixed and venting units, Fakro fixed and venting units, Sun-Tek, and Solatube or VELUX tubular models for sun tunnels. Manufacturer warranty registration is handled as part of the installation. The unit and model are selected during the on-site assessment based on rafter spacing, roof pitch, and the ceiling layout below.
VELUX Skylight Installation in Shrewsbury
Curb and Deck Mount
Deck-mounted units sit low-profile directly on the roof deck and suit steeper pitches where water sheds quickly. Curb-mounted units sit on a raised wooden frame and are the better choice on low-slope sections, including flat-roof additions and shallow-pitch ranches common in Shrewsbury, where standing snow and water demand more clearance between the unit and the roof surface.
Curb-Mounted Skylight InstallationWhat to Expect
Most single skylight installs finish in one day. Tubular units run two to four hours. Jobs that require cutting a new opening, framing a full light shaft through an attic, or adding electrical for a motorized unit run one to two days. Multiple skylights or long shafts take two to three days. A roof opening is never left unsecured overnight. This is the order the work happens in.
Rafter spacing, roof pitch, and interior ceiling layout are evaluated to confirm a feasible location and rough opening size. For vented or motorized units the electrical path is reviewed. That visit produces a written estimate with a confirmed scope, material specification, and timeline before any work is authorized.
The permit is pulled with the Shrewsbury Building Inspector's Office before the crew arrives. Tarps protect the interior ceiling and floor below the work area. The roof is then cut to the manufacturer rough-opening dimension and headers and trimmers are framed to carry the load of any severed rafters. For a replacement, the old unit is removed and the curb or deck mount is inspected.
The skylight unit is set level and square on the deck or curb mount and secured per manufacturer fasteners. The manufacturer flashing kit, step, head, and saddle flashing, is then woven course-by-course into the surrounding shingles and underlayment. A continuous ice-and-water shield membrane extends a minimum of six inches beyond the flashing edges on every side.
The interior light shaft is framed, insulated, air-sealed, drywalled, and trimmed to meet the ceiling below. A water test or visual inspection is performed before close-up. The job finishes with an interior touch-up and a walkthrough confirming the unit operates correctly, drains properly, and the shaft is ready for paint.
| Scope | Typical range | What moves the number |
|---|---|---|
| Tubular or sun tunnel unit | $1,350 to $1,800 | Tube length through the attic, roof pitch, and whether the ceiling diffuser requires a trim kit. No rafter cutting or light shaft framing required, which keeps labor low. |
| Like-for-like replacement, existing opening | $1,500 to $2,800 | Unit size and type, condition of the existing curb or mount, and how much of the surrounding shingle field must be lifted to run the new flashing kit correctly. |
| New fixed skylight, new opening and framing | $2,200 to $3,800 | Roof pitch and material, light shaft length through the attic, glazing tier, and whether the ceiling below is flat or vaulted. Steep or non-shingle roofs add flashing labor. |
| Vented or solar-powered skylight, new opening | $3,000 to $5,400 | Unit type and motorization, electrical hookup for powered units, light shaft length, glazing upgrade, and roof pitch. Solar units avoid the electrical run but cost more for the unit itself. |
| Skylight flashing repair | $400 to $1,500 | Number of penetrations involved, whether step flashing must be pulled from under multiple shingle courses, and the extent of any interior drywall repair needed after water intrusion. |
| Multiple skylights | Per-unit price, discounted for shared mobilization | Total number of units, whether openings are new or existing, proximity of units on the same roof plane, and combined light shaft length. Multiple units on one job reduce per-unit mobilization cost. |
Market ranges for the Shrewsbury and MetroWest area, provided for orientation only. They are not a quote. Every skylight is priced after an on-site assessment, and the written scope is what the price attaches to.
Massachusetts code governs roof cutting and header framing under 780 CMR, and every new skylight opening is permitted with the Shrewsbury Building Inspector's Office before work begins. Ice-and-water shield runs a minimum of six inches beyond the flashing edges on every installation. Flashing is woven course-by-course into the roofing underlayment using the manufacturer kit, not sealant alone. All work is carried out under Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor registration 205267, which you can verify against the state register before you sign anything. Manufacturer warranty registration is handled as part of the job.
Compare Your Options
The question we hear most often is whether a leaking skylight should be repaired or fully replaced, and the honest answer depends on the unit's age, the condition of the existing flashing, and whether the roof opening has been reframed correctly. This table maps the most common situations to the service that fits them.
Swipe sideways to view the full comparison table.
| Service | Best for | Not the right fit when | Key decision factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Fixed Skylight Installation | Homes with a dark interior room, hallway, or bath where no roof opening currently exists | The ceiling below is vaulted or the rafter spacing makes framing impractical without structural modification | Rafter layout, ceiling depth, and whether a light shaft is feasible |
| Venting Skylight Installation | Bathrooms, kitchens, or other rooms where ventilation and daylight are both needed | An electrical run for a motorized unit is not practical and manual operation at the proposed location is out of reach | Whether manual or solar-powered operation suits the ceiling height and access |
| Tubular or Sun Tunnel Installation | Small rooms, closets, hallways, or spaces where a full skylight opening cannot be framed | The attic run between the roof and ceiling is too long or obstructed for the reflective tube to deliver useful light | Straight-line distance and attic path between roof penetration and ceiling diffuser |
| Like-for-Like Skylight Replacement | An existing unit that fogs, leaks at the frame, or has a cracked or yellowed dome and is otherwise in a sound opening | The deck around the old opening is soft, rotted, or the existing framing is undersized for the replacement unit | Condition of the existing deck, framing, and flashing before the old unit is removed |
| Skylight Flashing Re-Flash | A unit that leaks only at the perimeter and the glass and frame are otherwise intact and not aged out | The unit itself is past its serviceable life or the deck beneath the flashing has taken long-term moisture damage | Whether the leak source is the flashing alone or the unit and underlying deck together |
| Roof Cutting and Framing Only | Homeowners supplying their own unit who need structural rough opening work and header framing completed to manufacturer spec | The supplied unit does not match the planned opening or the manufacturer flashing kit is not included with the unit | Rough opening dimensions and whether a manufacturer flashing kit is on hand before work begins |
2026 Project Pricing
Skylight installation and replacement in the Shrewsbury and MetroWest area typically runs $1,350 to $5,400 installed in 2026. A like-for-like replacement in an existing opening lands at the lower end of that range. A new fixed or vented unit requiring roof cutting, header framing, and a light shaft lands higher. Skylight type, size, glazing tier, and whether the roof is already open or needs a fresh cut drive the range most. Every project is measured and inspected before a written estimate goes out.
On-site assessment before every written estimate
Swipe sideways to view the full pricing table.
| Service | Typical range in Shrewsbury and MetroWest (2026) | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Tubular or Sun-Tunnel Unit | Lower end of $1,350 to $5,400 range | Tube diameter, rigid vs. flexible tube run, length of tunnel through attic space, roof deck material |
| Like-for-Like Skylight Replacement | Low to mid range | Unit size and glazing tier selected, flashing condition of existing opening, any decking repair around old curb |
| New Fixed Skylight, New Opening and Framing | Mid range | Rough opening size, rafter and header framing required, length of interior light shaft, roof pitch and material |
| Vented or Solar-Powered Skylight, New Opening and Electrical | Upper end of range | Unit type (manual vent vs. solar vs. electric), electrical hookup scope, glazing upgrade, shaft framing and insulation |
| Glazing Upgrade | Varies by unit | Laminated or impact-resistant Low-E glass vs. base tempered pane, unit brand and size, whether added at time of install or replacement |
| Flashing and Weatherproofing Tie-In | Included in base scope | Roof material (asphalt shingle vs. tile, slate, or metal), number of flashing courses, ice-and-water shield extent, curb height for snow-load compliance |
| Interior Light Shaft Framing, Insulation, and Drywall | Included in basic shaft scope | Attic height and shaft length, insulation level required, air-sealing scope, custom interior finish carpentry quoted separately |
Every skylight project is quoted after an on-site assessment of your roof structure and interior ceiling layout. Contact us to schedule yours at no charge.
These are 2026 market ranges for Worcester County and MetroWest, authorised by the owners for publication. They are not a quote. Every skylight is priced after an inspection, and the written scope is what the price attaches to.
Hiring Guide
Most homeowners cannot evaluate a skylight installation from inside the house, and a finished ceiling tells you almost nothing about the flashing and framing hidden above it. These four checks give you something concrete to verify before any skylight crew leaves your property.
The rafter and header framing is the last thing you can evaluate before it disappears behind the unit and the drywall shaft. Any skylight opening requires doubled headers and trimmers to carry the load of the rafters that were cut. On a Shrewsbury home with a 1970s or 1980s stick-framed roof, that framing needs to match the manufacturer rough-opening specification exactly. The hold point is before the unit drops in. Ask to see photos of the open framing or request to walk through it with the crew. A contractor who installs over undersized or missing headers has transferred the next structural failure to you.
Proper skylight weatherproofing means a manufacturer flashing kit with step, head, and saddle flashing woven course-by-course into the roofing underlayment, with a continuous ice-and-water shield membrane extending a minimum of six inches beyond the flashing edges. On a Shrewsbury roof that sees heavy snow loads and ice dam activity, sealant-only weatherproofing is a short-term patch dressed up as a finished installation. Ask specifically whether the ice-and-water shield was run before the flashing kit or after. A contractor who relies on caulk alone has not solved the leak problem; they have delayed it by a few winters.
In a Shrewsbury home with an unconditioned attic, the interior light shaft must be framed, insulated, and air-sealed before drywall goes on. An unsealed shaft becomes a cold channel in winter, and condensation drips back onto the finished ceiling surface below. The right verification step is to confirm insulation type and air-sealing method before drywall closes the shaft. If a contractor skips this step and hangs drywall over an uninsulated shaft, the condensation problem will appear within the first cold season and the repair requires tearing out finished work.
A detailed written estimate for any skylight installation in Shrewsbury should specify the skylight unit and model, the flashing kit, what framing is included, the light shaft dimensions and finish, whether electrical hookup for a vented unit is in scope, and what permit fees are excluded. Vague scope such as "install skylight per quote" is a mechanism for cost surprises and a sign that the contractor has not fully assessed the roof structure or ceiling layout. A scope that lists exclusions explicitly forces a real conversation about electrical, custom trim, and structural modifications before any money changes hands.
Service Area
Seven Pines Home Improvement is based in Shrewsbury, MA, and most skylight work stays in Worcester County, with Shrewsbury, Northborough, Grafton, and Marlborough making up the core of the schedule. We also install and replace skylights regularly across MetroWest, including Natick, Hopkinton, Holliston, Medway, Millis, and Concord. If your address falls inside those towns, call us at (857) 247-4667 and we will confirm coverage before you commit any time to the process. You can also visit the contact page to send a message.
Recent Project
A new fixed skylight installed over a windowless stair hall in a 1980s Colonial: roof cut and framed, deck-mounted unit set and flashed course-by-course into the asphalt shingles, ice-and-water shield extended around the full perimeter, and an insulated light shaft finished to the ceiling below.
Seven Pines Home Improvement holds a 5.0-star rating across 9 Google reviews , with homeowners highlighting workmanship, communication, professionalism, and a smooth experience from planning through completion.
9
Google
reviews
"Marconi and the team at Seven Pines are great people to work with. They have helped us with multiple home improvement projects and every time he's been informative, flexible, professional, and the results have been outstanding."
"Marcony and the Seven Pines team knock it out the park when it comes to home improvements and construction. They work with us from the planning process all the way through to finalizing the work."
"I couldn't be happier with the work Seven Pines Home Improvement did on my renovation. From start to finish, the entire experience was outstanding."
Our Shrewsbury Base
Seven Pines Home Improvement is based at 14 Rice Avenue in Shrewsbury and installs and replaces skylights across Worcester County and MetroWest, from Shrewsbury and Worcester out to Natick, Newton, Needham, Weston, Concord, and Holliston.
Our crew works out of Shrewsbury on skylight installations and replacements across Worcester County and MetroWest, from Worcester, Northborough, and Marlborough to the towns along Route 9 and Route 495.
We are based in Shrewsbury at 14 Rice Avenue, on the north side of town near the Northborough line. Most of the homes we install skylights in sit inside a 40 minute drive of the shop, which is what makes it practical to return promptly for a warranty call or a post-install question.
Helpful Information
Seven Pines Home Improvement covers the skylight unit, manufacturer flashing kit, roof cutting and framing, flashing and weatherproofing tie-in, a basic interior light shaft and trim, and debris haul-away. Manufacturer warranty registration is handled as part of the job. Permit fees, electrical wiring beyond basic hookup, custom interior finish carpentry, and structural engineering for oversized openings are excluded and quoted separately.
A tubular or sun tunnel unit installs in 2 to 4 hours. A like-for-like replacement in an existing opening takes half a day to one full day. A new fixed skylight with roof cutting and framing runs one day, a vented or solar-powered unit with electrical hookup runs one to two days, and multiple skylights or a long attic light shaft take two to three days.
Cutting a roof opening and framing a header is structural work governed by 780 CMR, the Massachusetts State Building Code, administered by the Shrewsbury Building Inspector's Office. We handle permit documentation through the town's online permitting system. Permit fees are not included in the base scope and appear as a separate line on the written estimate.
We install deck-mounted or curb-mounted units using the manufacturer's full flashing kit, with step, head, and saddle flashing woven course-by-course into the roofing underlayment rather than relying on sealant alone. A continuous ice-and-water shield membrane extends a minimum of six inches beyond the flashing edges, and curb height is matched to local snow-load requirements under MA 780 CMR.
We work with VELUX fixed and venting units, Fakro fixed and venting units, Sun-Tek, and Solatube or VELUX tubular models for sun tunnels. Glazing tiers include tempered or laminated dual-pane Low-E glass for energy efficiency and impact-resistant glass for high-wind exposures. The right unit and glazing tier are confirmed during the on-site assessment based on roof structure and ceiling layout.
Roof structure, rafter spacing, and interior ceiling layout are evaluated to confirm a feasible location and rough opening size. For vented or motorized units the electrical path is also reviewed. That visit produces a detailed written estimate with a confirmed scope, material specification, and timeline. Contact Seven Pines Home Improvement to Get a Quote for your property.
We stand behind our workmanship with a 3-year warranty. If an issue is caused by our work, we'll return promptly to inspect it and make it right at no additional cost during the warranty period. The manufacturer's warranty on the unit itself runs separately and is registered on your behalf as part of the installation.
Tile, slate, and metal roofing require additional flashing labor compared to standard asphalt shingle and that difference is reflected in the written estimate. We integrate the flashing kit into whichever roofing material is present per manufacturer instructions. The on-site assessment confirms the method and any additional scope before the estimate is issued, so there are no surprises once work begins.
Still Deciding? That's the Right Place to Be.
Most homeowners we hear from are still figuring out whether they need a like-for-like replacement in an existing opening or a brand-new cut with full framing and a light shaft. That is exactly the kind of conversation we are built for. Marcony Araujo and Romero Araujo started Seven Pines Home Improvement with a straightforward premise: give people honest information before they commit to anything. We hold HIC #205267, back every skylight installation with a 3-Year Workmanship Warranty, and put a detailed written estimate in your hands before any work begins. Call us or send a message and we will take it from there.
