Home › Recent Projects › Skylight Replacement in Bellevue, WA
Squatch Roofing replaced an old acrylic dome skylight with a new flat-glass 2×4 skylight on an asphalt shingle roof in Bellevue, WA 98004 on September 11, 2026. The July 24 inspection found the dome’s frame seal breaking down, with dark residue along the edge of the lens, and needle and leaf debris packed against the curb. The new unit went on in one morning visit and was fastened along its sides with sealing-washer screws.
| Location | Bellevue, WA 98004 |
|---|---|
| Service | Skylight replacement |
| Property | Wooded lot; asphalt shingle roof with more than one skylight on the same slope |
| Inspection | July 24, 2026: skylights, frames, surrounding shingles, and interior views; 23 photos on file |
| Existing skylight | Curb-mounted acrylic dome; frame seal deteriorating with dark residue along the lens edge; debris packed at the curb |
| New skylight | Flat-glass curb-mounted skylight, 2×4 size per the invoice line; manufacturer not recorded in the job file |
| Fastening | Screws with sealing washers along the sides of the new frame |
| Project duration | One visit, September 11, 2026 |
| Project investment range | $1,600 to $2,500 |
What Squatch Found on the Inspection
The inspection on July 24, 2026 produced 23 photos, most of them of the skylights. The roof sits under tall trees, and the slope with the skylights carried a layer of cones, needles, and leaves.
- Lens and frame: the skylights on this slope were acrylic domes on raised curbs. On the unit photographed most closely, the seal between the lens and the frame was breaking down, with dark residue along the edge.
- Debris: cones and needles packed against the curb on the uphill side, where water has to run around the skylight.
- Shingles: the shingles around the curbs were worn and carried debris of their own.
- Measurements: the inspector measured the frame with a tape.
- Interior: the inspector also photographed skylights from inside the house.
What It Meant and What We Recommended
The seal between the lens and the frame is what keeps water out at the edge of the skylight, and on this unit it was breaking down. The problem the inspection documented was at the skylight, not in the roof around it. Squatch quoted a skylight replacement with a new 2×4 unit and no roof work, and the homeowner approved it.
How the Project Was Completed
The crew did the work on the morning of September 11, 2026, and 26 photos document it. The photo log shows an old acrylic unit, the new flat-glass skylight set in place with its label still on the frame, and then a series of close-ups down each side of the new frame showing the screws with sealing washers that hold it to the curb. The crew finished with wide shots of the slope and the surrounding roof, including the chimney.
The invoice line reads “New Skylight (2×4)” and does not record a quantity. The July 24 photos show acrylic domes on this slope; the September 11 completion photos show flat-glass units in their place.
The Finished Result
The acrylic dome with the failing frame seal is gone. In its place is a flat-glass skylight fastened to the curb down each side, and the completion photos show the slope with flat glass where the inspection photographed domes. The job closed the same day.
What This Skylight Replacement Cost
Project investment range: $1,600 to $2,500. This range reflects the scope of this completed project and is not a current quote. It is anchored on the final invoice total, which includes Washington sales tax.
What kept this job in that range: the new unit went onto a raised curb in a 2×4 size, and the work was confined to the skylight, with no shingle replacement or decking repair around it on the invoice. A skylight that needs a new curb, new flashing into the shingle field, or deck repair where water has already gotten in is a larger job. So is a skylight replacement done as part of a new roof.
What Homeowners With Similar Roofs Should Know
Look at the edge of the lens, not just the glass. The failure on this skylight was the seal where the acrylic meets the frame. From the ground a dome like this can look fine; the residue along the edge only shows up close.
Keep the uphill side of the curb clear. On July 24, cones and needles were packed against the uphill side of the curb, which is where roof water has to divert around the skylight. On a lot under this many trees, that debris comes back.
A skylight problem is not always a roof problem. This homeowner replaced the skylight, not the roof. On another Bellevue roof with a row of skylights, the problems turned out to be at the ridge cap and in the shingle field instead.
Related questions
How much did this skylight replacement in Bellevue cost?
The project investment range for this completed job was $1,600 to $2,500 for replacing an acrylic dome skylight with a flat-glass 2×4 unit. The range reflects this project’s scope and is not a current quote.
What was wrong with the old skylight?
The July 24, 2026 inspection photographed the seal between the acrylic lens and its frame breaking down, with dark residue along the edge, and debris packed against the uphill side of the curb.
What kind of skylight was installed?
A curb-mounted flat-glass skylight in a 2×4 size, per the invoice line, fastened down each side with sealing-washer screws. The manufacturer is not recorded in the job file.
Did the roof need to be replaced too?
No. The quote and invoice cover the skylight replacement only. The inspection’s findings were at the skylight: the frame seal and the debris at the curb.
How long did the skylight replacement take?
One morning visit on September 11, 2026, based on the crew’s photo log. The inspection was July 24, 2026, about seven weeks earlier.
Have a skylight with similar symptoms?
If your skylight’s lens is clouding or its seal is breaking down, Squatch Roofing can run a free 21-point inspection, show you the photos, and tell you whether a skylight replacement is the right fix. Squatch serves Bellevue, the Eastside, and the greater Seattle area. Schedule an inspection or call (425) 292-8327.
This project documentation was prepared by Squatch Roofing from the job records and photos from our crew, September 2026. Technical review by Ben Metsker, Manager, Squatch Roofing.
