What cutting in or replacing a skylight involves
A new skylight starts with an opening through the shingles and the deck, which can mean cutting a rafter and framing around it. The unit sits on a curb or a flashing kit, the roofing is worked up to it, and the last job is inside: the shaft or splay from the ceiling up to the glass. Replacing an existing unit is the same sequence with a smaller opening.
For Michigan houses the code is still the 2015 Michigan Residential Code: as of Oct 19, 2026 LARA still lists that edition after a court order stopped the 2021 rule set, and this may change, so check LARA before you rely on it. Your quote should name the unit, the flashing kit and who does the framing and interior finish.
What a skylight costs in Michigan: the evidence so far
Our estimate for a new skylight in Michigan is $1,450 to $5,175 each, installed, and replacing an existing one is $730 to $2,975 each, installed. It is a model, not a quote: published national ranges, adjusted for what Michigan roofers are paid. Cities may price skylight work differently from the re-roofing fees shown, so ask the permit office, and no permit fee is added to the estimate. No Michigan roofing company we looked at published a price we could count, so none is shown.
The rows below the estimate are wages, which are pay and not price, and permit fees from city fee schedules, where a city publishes one.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $1,450 to $5,175 each, installed | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan roofer median wage ratio (1.07). No Michigan roofing company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count. |
| Estimated range to replace an existing skylight, not a quote | $730 to $2,975 each, installed | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan roofer median wage ratio (1.07). No Michigan roofing company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count. |
| Roofer wage, Michigan median | $28.62 an hour | What Michigan roofers are paid (BLS May 2025 via O*NET OnLine), not what you are charged. |
| Residential re-roofing permit fee, Grand Rapids | $66 | FY2027 fee schedule; a re-roofing fee, not a skylight fee. |
| Roof permit, East Lansing | $60 application plus $140 residential | For a new roof or re-roofing; the residential line covers inspections. |
| Re-roofing permit fee, Kalamazoo | $52 | 2026 schedule, unconfirmed on the city's page; ask the city. |
How we estimate costs: the Estimated range row is a model, not a quote. It takes one published national range for this job (a cost guide from a third-party site that we have not verified and do not cite) and multiplies it by Michigan's roofer median wage ratio to the US (1.07, BLS May 2025 data read through O*NET OnLine). The wage and permit rows in the table are what roofing workers are paid and what a city's own schedule charges, and neither is a price. We have not collected quotes, and we found no Michigan roofing company that publishes a price we could count. Full method. Prices as of Oct 19, 2026.
Fix the flashing, replace the skylight, or redo the roof around it
No Michigan source gives an age at which a skylight should be replaced, so we give none. The deciding question is what the roofer finds: a damaged unit, damaged flashing, or a roof that is due for replacement anyway.
- The roofer can show you the point where water enters, and it is the flashing.
- The unit and its frame are intact and the surrounding roof is sound.
- The unit is cracked, or the frame is damaged.
- The roof is being replaced anyway and the old flashing is rusted, damaged or deteriorated.
Skylight flashing and the cricket rule in the 2015 code
Section R903.2.1 requires flashing at roof openings, at wall and roof intersections and at changes in slope. The metal must be corrosion resistant and at least 0.019 inch thick, which is No. 26 galvanized.
Section R903.2.2 asks for a cricket or saddle on the ridge side of any chimney or penetration wider than 30 inches. It has an exception: unit skylights installed per R308.6 and flashed per the manufacturer's instructions may go in without one. If a quote adds a cricket to a standard unit skylight, ask why; if it leaves the maker's flashing kit out, ask that as well.
A stain below the skylight: what a page cannot tell you
Water under a skylight can come from the flashing, from the unit itself, or from moisture forming inside the shaft, and neither a photograph nor this page can tell those apart. Ask the roofer to show you where the water enters and what they did to test it before they quote a repair or a replacement.
Keep dated photos of the stain after each rain or thaw; they help the roofer and any claim you file. DIFS says standard homeowners policies cover leaky roofs among winter-related damage, though coverage depends on the cause and the policy wording, and that most policies expect you to prevent further damage, save receipts and make only temporary repairs until the insurer has inspected. The insurance claim guide walks through the steps.
Replacing the roof around an existing skylight
On a re-roof, the 2015 code says existing flashings, edgings, outlets and vents that are part of the roof assembly are replaced where rusted, damaged or deteriorated, and reconstructed per manufacturer's instructions. Whether a skylight's flashing counts is a question for your building official, but it is worth asking the roofer whether the old skylight flashing is being reused or replaced, in writing. See roof replacement for the layer and tear-off rules.
The skylight tax credit that ended after 2025
The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) had a $600 annual limit for exterior windows and skylights, and it ended for property placed in service after Dec 31, 2025, so it does not apply to a skylight installed in 2026. If a seller quotes it as a saving, ask them to show you the IRS page.
When a skylight problem is an emergency
- Water is running in, or the glass is cracked or gone and the opening is exposed.
- Water is dripping near light fixtures, outlets or the electrical panel; keep away.
- The ceiling around the shaft is bulging or sagging with water.
- Stay off the roof whatever the cause; OSHA says not to work on a damaged roof until its structural integrity is determined.
- A faint stain that shows only after a rain and is not growing.
- Planning a new skylight or comparing quotes.
What to note from inside and the ground before you call
- Inside, photograph the stain, the shaft and the frame with the date, and photograph again after the next rain or thaw. Put a bucket under any drip and move belongings.
- Note whether the stain appears only after rain or snow melt, or also on dry, cold days, and give that to the roofer rather than deciding the cause yourself.
- From the ground, look at the skylight edges and the roof around it with binoculars or phone zoom. Do not climb up to look closer.
Permits and licensing for skylight work in Michigan
Michigan's permit exemption list does not include roofing, and enforcement is local, so your building department decides. Cutting a rafter is a structural change: the base code's allowance for ordinary repairs excludes cutting structural beams or load-bearing supports, though whether that text applies in your city is the building official's call. Grand Rapids and East Lansing both list roof permits with fees: Grand Rapids, East Lansing.
Roofing and carpentry are separate crafts on the residential maintenance and alteration license. Work of $600 or more needs the license unless you are the owner on your own home. Ask which crafts the license shows when the job includes framing, and check the number on the LARA lookup.
Before any work starts, ask for the license number and check it with your state's licensing board.
- Mich. Admin. Code R. 408.30505 Work exempt from permit (LII) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- LARA Statewide Jurisdiction List (PDF), Rev. 10/6/2026 Read Oct 19, 2026.
- 2015 IRC Chapter 1, R105.1-R105.2.2 Read Oct 19, 2026. This is our interpretation, and the source does not state it outright. Confirm it with the source before you rely on it.
- LARA M&A Contractor License Information Read Oct 19, 2026.
- MCL 339.2403 Read Oct 19, 2026.
- LARA Find / Verify a Licensed Professional or Business Read Oct 19, 2026. Confirm with the source before you rely on it.
A tool for this job
Insurance claim guide, by state
A Michigan roof claim has no day count for telling your insurer, but it does have clocks: 30 days for the insurer to say what proof it needs, 60 days to pay after proof, and 1 year to start a lawsuit. Pick Michigan and where you are in the claim to see what comes next. Every line comes from the state insurance regulator (DIFS) or the statute text, and it runs in your browser.
Open the toolQuestions people ask
Does a skylight need a cricket in Michigan?
Not a unit skylight installed per the code's glazing section (R308.6) and flashed per the manufacturer's instructions. The 2015 cricket rule applies to a chimney or penetration more than 30 inches wide.
Do I need a permit to install a skylight in Michigan?
Probably, because cutting a roof opening is more than a repair, but your city decides: Michigan's permit exemption list does not include roofing and enforcement is local, so call the building department before work starts.
Does a Michigan roofer need a license to install a skylight?
Yes for work of $600 or more, unless you are the owner working on your own home. Roofing and carpentry are separate crafts on the license, so ask what it shows if framing is part of the job.
Is there a tax credit for a skylight in 2026?
No, the federal credit that included skylights, which had a $600 annual limit, ended for property placed in service after Dec 31, 2025.
Does homeowners insurance cover a leaking skylight in Michigan?
It can, but coverage depends on the cause of the leak and your policy wording; DIFS says standard policies cover leaky roofs among winter-related damage. Make only temporary repairs until the insurer has inspected.
How much does skylight installation cost in Michigan?
Our estimate for a new skylight is $1,450 to $5,175 each, installed, and $730 to $2,975 each, installed to replace an existing one. It comes from one published national range adjusted for what Michigan roofers are paid, so use it to judge a written quote, not as one. Ask for a written quote naming the unit and flashing kit.
- BLS May 2025 wages for roofers (SOC 47-2181), Michigan, as shown by O*NET OnLine Read Oct 19, 2026. Confirm with the source before you rely on it.
- RooferMatch: how we estimate costs (editorial policy) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Re-Roofing or Re-Siding of Existing Residential Building Permit - City of Grand Rapids Read Oct 19, 2026.
- City of East Lansing, Building Information (+ /1539/Fees, /2367/Projects-Not-Requiring-a-Permit, /1979/Apply-for-a-Permit-Online) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- City of Kalamazoo, Apply for Non-Structural Maintenance Permit (summary page; confirm with the city) + 2026 CPED Fee Schedule PDF Read Oct 19, 2026. Confirm with the source before you rely on it.
- LARA BCC Code Books Read Oct 19, 2026.
- LARA notice: 2021 Code Injunction, Residential Part 5 and Energy Part 10 (PDF) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- 2015 IRC Chapter 9, R903.2 Read Oct 19, 2026.
- DIFS: Winter Storms Read Oct 19, 2026.
- DIFS: Disaster Preparedness and Insurance Recovery in Michigan Read Oct 19, 2026.
- DIFS: Your Guide to Homeowners Insurance for Michigan Consumers (08/2019), p.14 Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit | IRS Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Roof Tarping (Blue Roof) Safety, OSHA FactSheet Read Oct 19, 2026.