Is a Solid Conservatory Roof Worth It?

What a solid roof does that glass cannot

A glazed or polycarbonate roof is the thinnest, leakiest part of the house. Heat leaves through it on a cold night and floods in on a sunny afternoon, which is why so many conservatories are unusable for half the year. A solid roof is built up in layers: tiles or slates on battens (the thin timber strips the tiles hang from), a breathable membrane, insulation between and above the rafters, and a plasterboard ceiling inside. That build-up behaves like the roof of any extension.

The result is a room that holds its temperature. You can fit downlights in the ceiling, put a radiator or underfloor heating to proper use, and hang a television on a wall without a glare problem. Rain stops drumming on the roof as well, which matters if you ever try to watch a film on a wet evening. Our page on why a conservatory roof is so noisy in the rain covers that side in more detail.

What you give up

The obvious loss is daylight. A conservatory with a solid roof has light coming through the side glazing only, so it feels more like a sitting room than a garden room. Some owners keep two or three roof windows or a lantern in the middle of the roof to bring some of it back. Those cost extra and have to be designed in from the start. If the room faces north, or sits against a tall hedge, the loss will be noticeable.

The other trade-off is weight. A tiled roof is far heavier than glass, and the frame and base were often designed for something light. That is why Building Regulations come into it: replacing a translucent roof with a solid one needs an application, and building control will want to see that the walls, the frame and the foundations can take the extra load. Read whether your conservatory can take a solid roof before you spend anything.

Heat, glare and running costs

Summer is where owners notice the difference first. Under glass, the sun heats the air and the floor, and blinds only slow it down. Under an insulated roof, the heat has a much harder time getting in, so the room stays closer to the temperature of the house. In winter the gain runs the other way: the heating you already pay for stays in the room instead of escaping through the roof. We would not quote you a saving in pounds, because it depends on the heating, the glazing in the walls and how often the room is used.

Glare goes as well. A solid ceiling means you can finally put a screen or a desk in the room without squinting, and furniture and curtains stop fading under direct sun.

What it costs

Typical UK figures for a solid tiled conservatory roof are £6,100 to £15,000, which works out at around £650 to £1,200 per square metre. The spread comes from the size and shape of the roof, whether the frame needs strengthening, the choice of tile or slate, and how many roof windows go in. Lightweight systems sit at the lower end and a heavier traditional build with steel in the walls sits at the top. The full breakdown is in our conservatory roof replacement cost guide., so you are never working from a guess.

When it is worth it, and when it is not

It is worth it when the conservatory is used as a living space, a dining area or a home office, and the glass roof is the reason it is not used. It is also worth it on a south-facing room that bakes in summer. Owners who plan to sell often find that a warm, finished room is easier to describe to a buyer than a seasonal one, though we cannot promise any rise in value.

It is not worth it if the room is a plant room, if the existing frame is tired and the uPVC is bowed, or if the whole structure needs a rebuild. In that case the money may be better spent on a new base build. Where the glass is sound and the complaint is only heat, solar-control glass or blinds may do enough, and we will say so after a look at the roof. For the broader decision, see our guide to conservatory roof replacement in Basingstoke.