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General: Handling and fitting a 3m x 1-5m 250kg 3G rooflight advice reqd

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    Our extension plans have always incorporated a large rooflight in our North facing rear single story, flat roofed extension
    I have reduced the design to 3m x 1.5m, from the architects original, boat sized addition, more on budget initially.

    Now we have our builders looking at the plans, I have forwarded the specs of the rooflight to them and they have asked about weight and fitting, as they have no prior experience fitting this size

    These units are 250Kg and fitting outside the M25 doesnt appear to be an option (we are in Gloucestershire)

    Does anyone have any advice re fitting these units? The builders are understandably declining the offer to man handle to unit from the delivery lorry to the top of the roof

    Is a crane required or can this be manouvered by many hands and a beam lifter?

    I have seen a few YT videos where smaller units can be lifted into final position - but not 3m chunk of glass!
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      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeAug 18th 2025
     
    We have a rooflight in our 'conservatory' (sun room) roof. It has quadruple polycarbonate glazing instead of glass, so is considerably lighter, and I don't remember any problems with fitting it. It still seems to be in good condition after ten years. Ours was from Lamilux but I'm not sure whether they still sell them. There do seem to be several suppliers though.
    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeAug 18th 2025
     
    I think a Telehandler should be able to lift it onto the flat roof and into place if its got a long enough reach. Some hire places can provide a driver. Perhaps find one and have a chat to check its within their machines capabilities.
    • CommentAuthorrevor
    • CommentTimeAug 19th 2025
     
    I would suggest a spider crane with vacuum lifter to do it safely. Both can be hired but the operator needs to be trained and competent in their use.

    Presumably the glazing will arrive on a lorry with a hiab, can that get it close enough to offload onto the roof seeing that getting it onto the roof seems to be the main issue.

    Or something like this.

    https://www.jewson.co.uk/p/superlift-sl18-JTH06020

    The spider crane and lifter will position it exactly in place though.

    I would have thought the builders would come up with a solution.

    Good luck
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeAug 19th 2025
     
    My pitched, mainly solid roofed sun room has four fixed roof-lights on each side. They were each 2.6M long stepped 2G units and weighed 50KG+ each. It took three of us with suction grippers and a tower inside and one outside to manhandle them onto the aluminium glazing bars and it was still onerous.
    IMO trying to manhandle a 250KG unit without a vacuum lift would be asking for trouble.
    • CommentAuthorrevor
    • CommentTimeAug 19th 2025
     
    Posted By: owlmanIMO trying to manhandle a 250KG unit without a vacuum lift would be asking for trouble.


    Agreed.

    My wife and I fitted the glazing in our Atrium. Just the 2 of us. I bought a 2nd hand vaccuum lifter. Our biggest panels weighed 100 kg size 2400 x 1400 mm the lifter made it so much easier. We did not have a crane but with the atrium being a steel beam structure I bolted metal work to it to form a gallows onto which to hang a chain block to it, and the lifter to that. The ground floor glazing was done by overhanging an I beam and using a beam trolley and chain block. In all we did about 14 lifts.

    If you let the problem mull long enough you will come up with a method. Lie in bed thinking about it, and in the morning you will have a potential solution.
    • CommentAuthorGreenPaddy
    • CommentTimeAug 19th 2025 edited
     
    might be you could split the glass in say 3 parts, 1x1.5m each unit. Joint them with silicone, as done for commercial atria? Polystyrene backer rod to fill top half with silicone. Remove backer rod, and fill from below. Need the right silicone (low/high modulous??). Masking take on glass prior to silicone.

    I suspect the 3 units might be cheaper than the one large unit, as a lot more manuf can handle/anneal smaller panes.

    Just a thought... not whilst lying in bed revor ;)
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeAug 19th 2025
     
    When I built my sunroom one large 2G unit weighed in at 120kg, several of us, at ground level, managed that with home made webbing slings,-3" wide stuff I bought in a roll. With the glass upright on edge and two webbing lengths passed underneath and a person on each end of each sling it went OK; but we still needed two helpers with suction grippers each side to keep it upright for the walk up the drive to the rear of the property. Its not just the weight but the awkwardness of it. Add to that the fear of damage, adding another huge imagined weight.
    • CommentAuthorphiledge
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2025
     
    If there's access, ask a local farmer to lift it up with his telehandler and place it over the opening on stout wooden bearers. From the inside build a stack of pallets or an alloy tower under the unit then jack it up with a trolley jack, remove bearers and lower into position. Brace the underside of the alloy tower platform with lengths of wood if it's not rated for the 250kg. You'll need some padded spreaders on the underside of the glazing for the jack to push against
  10.  
    Thanks for all the great comments
    Splitting the glass seems the easiest way to break up the weight
    I am now considering a roof 'lantern' which is a frame holding 4 or more pieces of glass
    Also moving to double glazing over triple would drop weight , albeit with a performance loss.
    Im also reluctant to use the frame method due to thermal losses through the aluminium frame (thermally broken or not)
  11.  
    Don't forget that if you go from 3G to 2G then, yes, you get a performance loss but as roof lights loose more heat than vertical windows (of equal window type) the performance loss will be more noticeable than going from 3G to 2G on a vertical window
    • CommentAuthorrevor
    • CommentTimeAug 24th 2025
     
    Posted By: andyburlow@gmail.comSplitting the glass seems the easiest way to break up the weight


    Am I missing something here, splitting what is a sealed unit will surely cause performance issues and interstitial condensation problems nevermind potential debris that might get included on reassembly.
    • CommentAuthorGreenPaddy
    • CommentTimeAug 24th 2025
     
    @revor - smaller DG or 3G units, not taking the units apart
    • CommentAuthorrevor
    • CommentTimeAug 24th 2025
     
    I am the master in ambiguity.

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