Ah, skylights. They offer a natural way to add a burst of light into your home during the day. During night, they make it easier than ever to go stargazing...or at least look at what’s above your home. As a major design perk, they’re fairly popular. But, do skylights actually increase your home value as much as you think they do? 

Skylights are not known for adding serious value to your home’s price, but they offer some intangible benefits that improve the overall quality of life your home brings. This includes giving you more light, better viewing, and a pretty interior. 

If you were surprised at this news, you are not alone. Most people are shocked to find out that skylights don’t really offer as much value as something like landscaping. Curious as to why? We were too…

How Much Value Do Skylights Add To A Home?

Believe it or not, there is no standardized percentage value that skylights can add to a home. Sometimes, they can be a major selling point. Other times, they actually can prove to be a problematic addition. Most of the time, it’s just marginally beneficial to a home’s sale. 

A good rule of thumb to consider is that you should add skylights only if you want them. As far as house flipping goes, this is not a reliable way to increase your home’s value. The best way to describe the value is that it tends to be more of a “soft increase” than anything else. 

If you want to make sure that your home has the right ambiance, talk to an architect before you consider adding a skylight. It’s the easiest way to make sure you get the right look. 

The Pros And Cons Of Having Skylights

Skylights are great, but they aren’t for everyone. If you’re debating the addition of skylights, you need to weigh out the positives and negatives. 

What Are The Benefits Of Skylights?

Skylights are amazing additions for the right home. These reasons below might be enough to convince you to get them:

• They let more light in than regular windows. A typical skylight will give you 30 percent more light than a window of the same size. This can help remove the gloominess of a home and make you feel happier due to the extra light. 
• Skylights can also reduce darkness in your home without upping your electricity bill. This is a major perk for people who live in areas that require ample lighting but have high electricity prices. Besides, who has time to install all those lamps, anyway?
• Some groups find them to be a very “green” money-saving option. If you want to reduce lighting costs, skylights are going to be a fairly safe move. The trick here is that you have to make sure that the window is highly insulated to ensure you don’t lose heat when it gets cold.
• A skylight can also make a home feel more complete. It sounds strange, but some rooms just look a lot better with a skylight. They are particularly popular in log cabins, modern homes, as well as trendy tiny homes that might not have the wallspace for a window. 

What Are The Drawbacks Of Skylights?

There are only two major drawbacks that come with skylights. The first issue that people have with them is the cost. Fixing, adding, and replacing skylights all cost a fortune. Having a single skylight can cost as much as $1,280 to replace. Installing it will be even more expensive. 

The other issue that people have with skylights is their risk of leakage. Skylights can become prone to leaks, especially as the home settles. Impacts from flying debris and extreme wind can worsen it, too. Most homeowners who buy a home with skylights are warned about this issue. 

With many parts of the country suffering from more extreme weather, concern about the chance of leaking increased. This makes skylights less attractive to buyers than they once were.

Are Skylights Actually Worth It?

Skylights are definitely not as popular as they were in the 60s and 70s, but that doesn’t mean they’re out of style. Quite the opposite! Many home designers are starting to get back into the trend of skylights. 

The differences this time around are manifold. Skylights are no longer a uniform look, nor do they have the constant “bubble” look of the 70s. They are also made to be sturdier than they were before—not to mention more leakproof. However, buyers still are a bit leery of them. 

At the end of the day, skylights are what you make of them. Do you want to add some natural light into your home? Perhaps give yourself a better view of the great outdoors? If so, a skylight makes a ton of sense. It’s up to you to decide.