# Commercial Skylight Installation in Toronto & the GTA

> Commercial skylight installation on flat and low-slope roofs across the GTA — retail, restaurant, office, light industrial. TPO and EPDM membrane integration.

## Overview
Commercial buildings benefit from skylights in ways residential homes don't — large open floor plates with deep interior zones can be 30+ feet from any exterior window, and electric lighting costs scale linearly with that interior square footage. A well-designed commercial skylight strategy can reduce daytime lighting load by 30–60% while improving employee, customer, and retail-display lighting quality. Buildoreno installs and replaces commercial skylights on retail, restaurant, office, light-industrial, and mixed-use buildings across the GTA. We work with all major commercial skylight systems — Wasco, Bristolite, Major Industries, VELUX commercial line — and integrate each unit with the existing or new flat roof membrane (TPO, EPDM, or modified bitumen). All commercial installs include engineered curb design (snow + wind load to local building code), manufacturer-spec flashing systems, and full membrane warranty alignment so the skylight install doesn't void the surrounding roof warranty.

## Key Benefits
- 30–60% reduction in daytime electric lighting load with well-designed daylighting
- Engineered curb design — snow load and wind uplift to Ontario Building Code
- Compatible with TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen, and built-up roofing systems
- Manufacturer-approved installer credentials maintain warranty validity
- After-hours and weekend scheduling for retail and restaurant clients
- Integrated smoke ventilation skylight options for industrial / warehouse applications

## Our Process
1. **Building Assessment & Daylighting Plan**: Site walk to identify dark zones, ceiling type (open joist vs. dropped grid), structural capacity, and best skylight sizes and quantities for the lighting goals.
2. **Engineering & Permit**: Engineered curb design with structural calcs. Building permit submitted to the municipality including any opening larger than the existing roof openings.
3. **Roof Opening & Curb**: Roof deck cut to spec, engineered curb built to manufacturer height. Often coordinated with HVAC and other roof penetrations.
4. **Flashing System Integration**: Manufacturer-spec flashing tied into the existing or new flat roof membrane. For warranty-sensitive installs, the same membrane crew handles both the skylight area and any surrounding work.
5. **Skylight Install & Commissioning**: Unit set, sealed, and tested. Operable / motorized units wired and commissioned. Smoke ventilation units integrated with the building's fire alarm system where required.
6. **Interior Finishing & Warranty Handoff**: Interior light well finished if exposed, drywall and paint as needed, warranty package delivered including manufacturer, installer, and any commissioning documentation.

## Typical Cost Range
$3,500–$15,000+ per unit depending on size, operability, and structural complexity

## Frequently Asked Questions
### Will commercial skylights work with my existing TPO or EPDM roof?
Yes — we integrate commercial skylight curbs with all common single-ply membrane systems. The flashing system is manufacturer-specific, and for warranty alignment we typically use the same membrane manufacturer for the skylight tie-in as the surrounding roof.

### Do commercial skylights need a permit?
Skylight replacements typically don't require a permit. New openings (cutting a hole in the existing roof structure) require a building permit, structural engineering, and final inspection in every GTA municipality. Buildoreno handles the entire permit package as part of the project.

### Can you do the install after-hours or on weekends?
Yes. We frequently schedule commercial skylight installs around business operating hours — restaurants and retail can't have an open roof during business hours. Quote includes the after-hours premium.

### What about smoke ventilation / fire-rated skylights for industrial buildings?
We install both standard daylight skylights and smoke ventilation units (SVUs) for industrial and warehouse applications. SVUs integrate with the building's fire alarm system and provide automatic ventilation during a fire event — typically required by code for certain industrial occupancies.

Last updated: May 2026

## Contact
- Phone: +1 647-254-0877
- [Get a Free Estimate](https://buildoreno.ca/contact)

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