How Long Does a Conservatory Roof Replacement Take?

Swapping a glazed roof for another glazed roof is the quickest job. The old sheets or units come off, the bars may be reused if they are sound, the new glazing goes on and the seals are checked. With a good run of weather and a small footprint, it is the job that moves fastest.

Why does a solid roof take longer?

A solid roof is built up in layers, and every layer has to go on in order. The old roof comes off, the frame is checked and often strengthened, then the structure, insulation, vapour layer, battens, covering and flashings follow, with the internal ceiling last. Each stage depends on the one before, and the ceiling cannot be closed until the build-up has been seen where building control wants to look. Expect a solid roof to run to many working days rather than a few, with plastering and decorating afterwards if you want a finished ceiling. Made-to-measure parts, such as a lantern or special glazing, mean waiting for a delivery before the roof can close.

We give the likely working days after the survey, once we have seen the frame, because nobody can read it from the outside.

The frame is the biggest unknown. A roof that comes off cleanly can reveal bars that have bowed, a rotted eaves beam or a wall plate that is working loose.

What if the frame needs repairs?

Then those come first, and the job runs longer. Timber is cut out and replaced, steel is added where a span needs help, and the wall junction is rebuilt. The Planning Portal recommends a structural check where a new covering is heavier, and a replacement covering whose weight is 15 per cent or more above the old one brings Building Regulations approval into play. That check belongs to the plan; it is not a delay to the work itself.

This is why a survey comes before a date. Anyone quoting a start and finish without seeing the frame is guessing. A tight, level frame can take a new roof straight away. A soft one needs mending first, and we put pictures of your frame in front of you so you can see the reason for the extra days. Our answer on a sagging conservatory roof explains the common frame faults.

A conservatory sits open to the sky while the old roof is off, and the job is planned around that. A careful roofer will not strip the roof ahead of a bad forecast, because rain inside a half-finished conservatory helps nobody.

Does rain stop the job?

Steady rain does, and so do high winds, because large sheets and glazing units catch the wind like a sail, and wind speed matters most while they are being lifted into place. A day lost to weather is a day lost, and the plan allows for it. Frost and cold matter less than wet, though sealants and some adhesives have temperature limits that the product data sheet spells out.

Access changes the time as well. Where the only way to the garden is through the house, carrying sheets, tiles and waste takes longer than it does with a side gate. Should the scaffolder need the pavement or carriageway, the highway authority issues the licence, and it is sorted out alongside them. Somerset Council asks for at least 10 working days' notice, and that can set the start date.

You can help the job along by clearing a way through and moving furniture before the day.

How do you get ready for the work?

Move furniture and plants out of the conservatory, take down blinds and curtains, and clear a path from the front of the house to the back. Tell us about pets, children and neighbours' fences. If the room is your only dining space or home office, say so, because the work can be planned around it. Mention any part of the roof that already leaks, because a dripping roof is dealt with before the rest of the plan.

On the first morning you are told what each day holds. The site stays tidy and safe, and all waste is cleared away at the end. If there is a delay, you hear why. Materials can have a lead time of their own, particularly for made-to-measure glazing, so we order once the survey has fixed the sizes.

For the cost side, see conservatory roof replacement cost. More on the choices is on the conservatory roofs page. Ready to go ahead? Give us the room size and we book the survey.