Hello to all,
I have some unusual skylights in the ceiling of my house. They are in a build out that was added on to a garage remodel done by the previous owner. There are 4 of them, and each one is about the size of a normal window. They do not open, but they do leak when it rains heavy. They also let in way more heat then I like (I live in Florida). They are in a section of roofing that is not part of the main roof itself, but is a separate section about 25 X 8.

I'm waiting for estimates from a few contractors to have this done professionally, but I have my doubts that I'll be able to budget for what they'll want to charge for the job, which leaves me to do the work.

As I see it, and as a friend has advised me, the job will entail removing the windows and adding in some 2 by 6 beams for sheathing support, attach sheathing to the opening, put the tar paper down, and shingle the area. This seems fairly straightforward to me.It is a low pitch roof, and the opening, when the windows are removed, will be somewhere around 6 by 12 (I haven't taken exact measurements, I'm still in the conceptual stage).

With this said, I have a few questions I'd like to ask.

I have seen websites that state that when using OSB as sheathing, you should leave a small gap between the boards. I plan to use plywood. Do I need to leave gaps here also?

To cut down some of the heat, I plan to put strips of insulation between the sheathing and the underlying, sheetrock, ceiling. Is that a good or a bad idea?

Is there anything in particular I should be aware of when installing the 2 X 6's? Are framing nails OK, or should I use something else?

The roof was replaced in early 2005, after Ivan roared through, so is it OK to reuse the shingles that are already in that section, or should I reshingle the whole section?

And lastly, is there anything screamingly obvious that I'm overlooking about this job?

Having an opening this size in the roof has me just a touch concerned about exposure to the elements, so I want to try to at least get the tarpapering done hopefully in 1, or at worst, 2 days.

I'd appreciate any comments or ideas anyone would care to offer, and my thanks in advance for the help