Conservatory roof replacement in Epsom

A conservatory is a lightweight extension, and its roof carries almost all the weather it faces, so it tends to show wear long before the rest of the house does. An old roof usually fails one of three ways: a single cracked or discoloured panel, general wear across the whole polycarbonate or glass covering that can let damp in at the seams, or a roof that's simply too hot in summer and too cold in winter to use the room properly. The first is a straightforward panel swap. The second and third are usually when people look at replacing the whole roof, often moving from polycarbonate to glass or to a solid, insulated tiled roof that turns the room into usable space all year.

Can you just replace a conservatory roof and keep the rest?

Yes. The walls, base and frame of the conservatory can normally stay as they are while just the roof is replaced, whether that's like-for-like panels or a move to a different material. The structure needs to be checked first, since an older frame built for a lightweight polycarbonate roof isn't automatically strong enough to carry a heavier solid tiled roof without some reinforcement, which our builders check as part of the survey before work starts.

Is it worth replacing a conservatory roof?

Usually, if the conservatory has become a room you avoid using because it's too hot or too cold, or the glazed roof lets in too much glare and noise in rain. A solid, insulated roof addresses all of that and turns the conservatory into living space you'd actually use through the year, rather than a few months of it. A straight panel-for-panel replacement is worth it mainly when the roof's failing but you're happy with how the room performs otherwise.

What's the average cost of replacing a conservatory roof?

A full replacement with a solid, insulated tiled roof typically runs from around £5,500 to £14,500, with most UK homeowners paying somewhere between £7,500 and £10,500 for a conservatory in the 12 to 18 square metre range. A like-for-like polycarbonate or glass panel swap is far cheaper, typically £150 to £400 per panel supplied and fitted, since it's replacing material rather than rebuilding the roof structure.

Size, roof pitch and how the old roof is removed all affect where you land in that range.

What's the cheapest way to replace a conservatory roof?

If the frame and structure are sound, replacing like-for-like with the same panel material is the cheapest route, since it doesn't need the extra structural work a solid roof does. Moving to a lightweight insulated panel system sits between a basic polycarbonate swap and a full solid tiled roof on both price and performance.

It's worth asking us about that option if a full solid roof is more than you want to spend but you still want better insulation than polycarbonate gives you.

Questions people ask

Is a leaking conservatory roof covered by home insurance?

It depends on the cause. Buildings insurance usually covers sudden, one-off damage, such as a storm or a falling branch, but it generally doesn't cover damage from gradual wear and tear or an old roof simply reaching the end of its life. Check with your insurer before assuming a leak will be covered, and get the cause confirmed in writing if you plan to make a claim.

Is it normal for a conservatory roof to leak in heavy rain?

A conservatory roof that only leaks in heavy or wind-driven rain, but not in light rain, usually points to a specific joint or seal rather than the whole roof failing, most often where panels meet the frame or at a ridge. It's worth having it looked at rather than waiting, since water finding its way in during heavy rain tends to get worse, not better, over time.

Do I need building regulations to replace a conservatory roof?

It depends what you're replacing it with. A conservatory under a certain size with a mostly glazed roof and walls is normally exempt from building regulations, but that exemption relies on the roof staying mostly transparent. Moving to a solid, opaque tiled roof generally takes it outside that exemption, since it changes the structural loading and how the room needs insulating and ventilating, so approval is typically needed. Check with your local planning authority, or ask us once we've seen the job.