Pitched Roof Windows: Centre-Pivot Vs Top-Hung, And How To Choose

If you’ve settled on a pitched roof window rather than a flat roof skylight, the next decision is style. In practice that comes down to two genuine choices for an opening window: our Fakro Centre Pivot or Fakro Top Hung. Fixed skylights are also an option where ventilation isn’t needed. Browse the full pitched roof windows range alongside this guide, which covers the difference between the two opening styles, real UK pricing for both, and where each works best by room.

What Counts as a Pitched Roof Window

A pitched roof window sits flush within the slope of an angled roof, rather than on a raised upstand like a flat roof skylight. In the UK, this generally means a roof pitch of 15° or more, since shallower pitches don’t shed water reliably through a standard pitched unit and usually call for a flat roof skylight instead. If you’re not sure which category your roof falls into, our guide to flat roof vs pitched roof skylight extensions covers the distinction in more depth.

Within pitched roof windows, the terms roof window and skylight get used loosely. Our complete guide to roof windows and guide to the different types of roof windows cover that broader terminology if you want the fuller picture. This guide assumes you’ve already decided on a pitched roof window and need to choose the style.

Centre-Pivot vs Top-Hung: The Real Choice

Once you’ve ruled out a fixed unit, the meaningful decision is between two opening mechanisms. TGS stocks both from Fakro, so the figures below are real prices rather than estimates.

Centre-pivot windows open on a central horizontal hinge, so the sash rotates rather than swinging fully outward. Because the top and bottom of the sash both move, they’re well suited to windows placed higher on a slope, out of easy reach, since the pivot action doesn’t require reaching the top edge to open or close it. The same rotation makes cleaning the outer pane straightforward from inside, since the sash can be rotated a full 180 degrees.

Top-hung windows are hinged at the top and swing outward from the bottom, giving a clearer, unobstructed view when open and a more architectural feel to the opening itself. That makes them better suited to windows placed at or near eye level, where you’d actually look and lean toward the opening, and to rooms where an unbroken outward view matters more than reach.

	Fakro Centre Pivot	Fakro Top Hung
Price (ex VAT)	£252.33 to £574.05	£374.79 to £689.17
Lead time	2 to 3 working days	2 to 3 working days
Standard U-value	1.3 W/m²K	1.3 W/m²K
Suitable roof pitch	15° to 55°	15° to 55°
Best placement	Higher on the slope, out of easy reach	Eye level, where an open view matters
Cleaning	Rotates 180° for easy outer pane access	Standard outward swing

The price gap is consistent with the mechanism: a top-hung window’s hardware has to hold the sash open at an angle and support its full weight from a single top hinge, which adds cost over a pivot design balanced at its centre. Both reach the same standard U-value of 1.3 W/m²K, and both are rated for the same 15° to 55° pitch range, so the deciding factor is genuinely placement and how you want the window to feel when open, not performance.

Both also carry a 35dB acoustic rating on standard glazing, which matters if the room sits under a roof exposed to rain noise or a busy road. Neither style has an inherent acoustic advantage over the other; sound insulation comes from the glazing spec rather than the opening mechanism.

If you’re weighing Fakro against Velux as well as choosing a style, our Velux vs Fakro comparison covers pricing and specification across both brands in more detail.

Fixed Pitched Skylights

Where ventilation isn’t the priority, a fixed rooflight is a lower-cost option than either opening style, since there’s no hinge mechanism or hardware to build in. Fixed units suit double-height spaces, stairwells, and hallways where the goal is daylight rather than airflow, and where the extra cost of an opening mechanism wouldn’t be used day to day.

The trade-off is straightforward: no ventilation, which matters more in a kitchen or bathroom than in a landing or stairwell.

Conservation and Heritage Properties

If your property is in a conservation area or is listed, standard pitched roof windows may not be appropriate for the roof’s appearance. Conservation-style rooflights are designed to sit flush with slim sightlines and a low profile, closer to a traditional cast-iron rooflight than a modern opening window, which is usually what conservation officers and planning authorities expect to see on a heritage roof.

It’s worth checking with your local planning authority before ordering if either applies to your property, since requirements vary by conservation area and by individual listing.

Where to Position a Pitched Roof Window by Room

Loft conversions: Loft spaces are the classic pitched roof window application, since the room sits directly under the slope by definition. Placement usually comes down to reach: a centre-pivot window suits a loft with limited headroom near the window, while a top-hung window works well where there’s room to stand and open it fully. Our rooflight loft conversion guide covers sizing in more depth.

Kitchens: A kitchen under a pitched roof benefits from an opening window over a fixed one, given the heat, steam and odours kitchens generate. See our kitchen skylight guide for sizing guidance specific to kitchen extensions and pitched-roof kitchen spaces.

Hallways and landings: These are often good candidates for a fixed skylight rather than an opening window, since the goal is usually daylight into a transitional space rather than ventilation.

Bedrooms: Placement height matters here more than most rooms. A centre-pivot window positioned higher on the slope avoids the window becoming an obstruction over a bed, while a top-hung unit at a lower point on the slope gives a wider, unobstructed opening, worth considering if the window may need to serve as an emergency exit; check the specific requirements for your room with a building control officer before deciding.

Bathrooms: An opening window is worth prioritising over a fixed one in an under-roof bathroom, since venting moist air out reduces the condensation and mould risk that sealed rooms are prone to. Our bathroom skylights range covers sizing for both en suites and family bathrooms under a pitched roof.

Cost of Pitched Roof Windows

Product cost for TGS’s own range runs from £252.33 ex VAT for the smallest centre-pivot size up to £689.17 ex VAT for the largest top-hung size, with fixed skylights typically coming in below both once no opening mechanism is required. That’s the unit cost only. Installation is a separate cost that varies by roof access, pitch, and whether internal finishing work such as plastering the reveal is included, and is rarely quoted by the window supplier itself. Our rooflight and skylight cost guide breaks down installation pricing in more detail rather than repeating it here.

Planning Permission for Pitched Roof Windows

Most pitched roof window installations in England and Wales fall under permitted development, meaning planning permission usually isn’t required, provided the window doesn’t project more than 150mm above the existing roof plane. Listed buildings, conservation areas, and properties with an Article 4 direction removing permitted development rights are the main exceptions. Our building regulations and planning permission guide covers the full conditions and what building control will check beyond the planning position.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a top-hung window be converted to centre-pivot later?

No. The opening mechanism is built into the frame and hinge assembly at manufacture, so switching styles means replacing the window rather than adjusting the existing one. This is worth deciding correctly at the outset rather than treating it as changeable later.

Do pitched roof windows leak?

A correctly installed window on a properly flashed opening shouldn’t leak. Most leaks trace back to poor flashing installation or a roof pitch below the window’s rated minimum rather than a fault with the window itself, which is why checking the 15° to 55° pitch rating against your actual roof matters before ordering.

What’s the minimum roof pitch for a pitched roof window?

Both Fakro centre-pivot and top-hung windows are rated from 15°. Below that, water drainage becomes unreliable and a flat roof skylight, designed for a much shallower pitch, is the more appropriate product.

Electric or manual: which should I choose?

Manual windows cost less and have fewer parts to maintain, operated by hand or an extension rod for higher placements. Electric versions add remote operation and often a rain sensor that closes the window automatically, which is particularly useful for windows placed out of easy reach. Our electric vs manual opening skylights guide covers this in more detail.

Do I need a structural engineer to fit a pitched roof window?

Usually not for a single standard-size window fitted within an existing rafter bay, which a competent roofer can typically handle. Larger openings that span multiple rafters are more likely to need structural input to confirm the surrounding roof can take the altered loading.

Can I fit a pitched roof window myself?

It’s possible for a competent, experienced DIYer, but most installers recommend a professional fit given the roof access, weatherproofing, and flashing work involved. Getting the flashing wrong is the most common cause of leaks, which makes this one job where the labour cost buys real risk reduction.

Choosing the Right Style for Your Roof

If you know your room needs an opening window, weigh placement first: centre-pivot for higher, harder-to-reach positions, top-hung for eye-level windows where an unobstructed view matters. Browse our pitched roof windows range to compare both styles alongside our fixed modular option.

Need help deciding which style suits your roof? Contact our team for advice, or call 0203 633 3224.

Pitched Roof Windows: Centre-Pivot vs Top-Hung, and How to Choose