The short answer
Yes, you can replace just the roof of a conservatory, and most roof jobs do exactly that. The windows, doors and dwarf walls stay in place and only the glazing or sheets above them change. It works when the frame is straight, sound and strong enough for the new roof. If the frame is warped, rotten or too light for a heavier covering, replacing the roof alone puts new money on a poor base, and the frame must be dealt with first.
What a roof-only job involves
A conservatory is made of three parts: the base and dwarf walls, the frame of windows and doors, and the roof. A roof-only replacement takes off the old glazing or polycarbonate sheets, the cap strips and the ridge, and puts a new roof on the existing frame. The doors, the windows and the floor stay as they are. For the owner, it means a few days of work, no change to the room below, and far less upheaval than a rebuild.
The new roof can be glass, polycarbonate, or a solid tiled roof. Each puts a different load on the frame, so the choice affects what has to be done to the structure. Our guide to glass, polycarbonate or solid conservatory roofs compares the three.
What we check before we agree to a roof-only job
The roof is only as good as what holds it up. At the survey we look for:
- Straight walls and frame. A frame that has moved, with gaps opening at the corners or bars that no longer line up, will not seat a new roof properly.
- Condition of the uPVC or aluminium. Warped, cracked or sun-bleached sections, and failed hinges, are signs the frame has little service left.
- Dwarf walls and base. Cracks, damp or movement in the brickwork matter more with a heavier roof.
- Gutter and drainage. The gutter and downpipe have to be able to cope with the new roof, and many need replacing at the same time.
- House wall junction. The flashing where the roof meets the house wall is renewed with the roof.
Photos of each defect go into your report, and we tell you straight whether a roof-only job makes sense.
The load question for a solid roof
Swapping polycarbonate for polycarbonate is simple, since the weight is about the same. Moving to glass adds weight, and moving to a tiled roof adds much more. A solid roof needs steelwork or timber to strengthen the frame, and the walls and foundations have to be able to carry it. Going from glazing to a solid covering is notifiable work, so an application is made to building control, who will look at the frame and base. Our page on frame and foundation checks explains what they look for.
When a roof alone is not enough
Sometimes the survey shows that the frame is the real problem. Rotten or blown double-glazed units, windows that will not close, bowed bars and damp in the dwarf walls are all signs that the conservatory is tired as a whole. Putting a new roof on a poor frame can leave you paying twice, because the frame will soon need work and the roof may have to come off again. In that case we may suggest a repair to the frame, a full re-glaze, or a new conservatory, and we explain the cost of each.
The reverse is also true. A conservatory with a sound frame and a failing roof is the ideal case for a roof-only job. We would rather tell you that your windows have years left than sell you a rebuild you do not need. If the existing roof only has a leak or two, a repair may be enough.
Money and timing
A roof-only job costs less than a new conservatory, and it avoids the cost of new windows and doors. The size of the saving depends on the roof you choose, because a solid tiled roof, with its structure and finishing inside, is a much bigger job than a re-sheet in polycarbonate. Typical UK prices for a solid tiled roof run from £6,100 to £15,000. Timing depends on the same choice: a re-glaze can be done in a few days, while a solid roof takes longer because of the steelwork, the tiling and the plastering. We give you the programme when we quote, and the weather decides the finer detail.
Do not forget the inside. If the roof changes from glass to solid, the room gets a ceiling, and lighting and heating may need to be rethought. Ask about this at the survey.
How it runs
The free survey comes first, with photos of your frame and roof. Next you receive a fixed price in writing covering the roof you choose and any frame work it needs. Where the work is notifiable we deal with the Building Regulations side. The old roof is taken off, the new one fitted, the gutter and flashing renewed, and the site left clear with the waste taken away. Our written guarantee on the workmanship runs for ten years. The wider options sit in the conservatory roof replacement in Basingstoke hub.
Every roof is different. A free survey with photos settles it for yours.
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