Skylights for Westwood homes, condos and apartments
Westwood was laid out in the 1920s around UCLA, and it still has a clear split. South of the campus and Wilshire, quiet streets are lined with 1920s to 1940s Spanish, Tudor and traditional homes. Along the Wilshire Corridor, there are high-rise condo towers, and north of Wilshire near the Village, a lot of apartment buildings serve students and staff. We repair and replace skylights on all three, and add new ones where a house needs more daylight.
Period homes south of Wilshire
The single-family neighborhoods of Westwood, including Westwood Hills, Holmby-Westwood and the streets toward Pico, have well-built 1920s to 1940s homes. Spanish Colonial houses usually have clay tile; Tudor and traditional homes often have steeper shingle roofs with several hips and valleys. That affects placement: a skylight should sit in the open field of a roof plane, not in a valley where water collects. On tile, a new opening means lifting and resetting tile around proper flashing. Many of these homes have older skylights that are due for replacement, and upgrading from a plastic dome to glass is a common job.
Condo towers and apartment buildings
On the Wilshire Corridor and in the apartment blocks north of Wilshire, skylights are usually on flat roofs, over stairwells, corridors, lobbies and top-floor units. Typical problems are cracked domes, failed seals on glass units, and leaks where the curb meets the roof membrane. We work with HOA boards, property managers and building engineers, and provide the insurance certificates and scheduling that buildings need. For larger systems, see commercial skylights and skylight safety screens.
ADUs and garage conversions
The neighborhoods south of Wilshire have seen a lot of ADUs and garage conversions. Small units with limited windows are good candidates for a skylight or a sun tunnel. If the skylight is part of an ADU permit, we’ll work from your builder’s plans.
Climate and glass
Westwood’s marine-influenced climate is milder than the Valley’s, so heat gain is less of a problem than it is in Encino or Sherman Oaks. Low-e insulated glass is still worth it on south- and west-facing roofs. On cool mornings, condensation on skylight glass can look like a leak, so we check for that before recommending a repair.
Permits
Westwood is part of the City of Los Angeles, so permits go through LADBS. A new opening needs a permit; same-opening repairs generally don’t. We handle permits and inspections.
Westwood skylight FAQ
Our building’s skylight leaks. Do you work for HOAs?
Yes. We quote, schedule and invoice through the board or the management company.
Can a skylight go on a Tudor roof with lots of valleys?
Usually, as long as it’s placed in the field of a roof plane, away from valleys and ridges.
Is water on my skylight on cool mornings a leak?
Often it’s condensation. See why skylights leak.
What does it cost?
A standard replacement is roughly $800 to $900; a new opening roughly $4,000. See the cost guide.
Call us at (213) 334-3947 for a free Westwood skylight estimate.
Nearby areas: Beverly Hills · Santa Monica · Pacific Palisades · Culver City
Related reading: Skylight replacement · Residential skylights · All service areas