REPLACEMENT TILED ROOFS

Will you be required to obtain planning permission to switch to a solid tiled roof?

The replacement of a glass roof for a solid tiled roof on an existing conservatory triggers a “change of use” as it results in the reclassification of a conservatory structure from temporary to permanent, which could require planning permission beforehand.

Upon a “change of use”, the Building Control Officer at your local authority may instruct you to have suitable ventilation fitted i.e., trickle vents / roof vents and make a few other adjustments to the design.

Your local building control team will also expect the chosen tiled roof system and the supporting structure to comply with Building Regulations.

Building Regulatory Approval will need obtaining if replacing a translucent roof with a solid roof, something entirely separate to planning permission.

When the conservatory was originally constructed, you may have enjoyed Permitted Development Rights. If these Permitted Development Rights have since been withdrawn, planning permission must be acquired.

Upgrading to a solid tiled roof has the potential to add value.

Pretend that you’re a house buyer and you’re given a viewing of a property with a conservatory as one of its central features. However, when you get inside the conservatory space, it’s unbearably hot or cold. What a turn-off and it’ll cost you to fix it!

Now, imagine the same scenario, only this time the conservatory has a solid roof, and it is perfectly insulated. This would make you more inclined to put an offer in.

Solid tiled roofs give homes enhanced buyer appeal and can increase their value in many instances.

To discover if a replacement conservatory roof is likely to make a positive difference to your house price, seek advice from an estate agent.

Certain other upgrades may be necessary in a solid roof installation project.

Replacing any existing conservatory windows and doors is recommended for most solid roof installations as the framework may not be structurally sound enough to support the weight of replacement solid tiled roof. Solid roofs are relatively lightweight, but your chosen solid roof system could be heavier than your current roof. Retaining windows and doors that are not thermally broken and only single glazed can also end up counteracting the high thermal performance of the roof, leaving a conservatory space feeling little or no comfier than it did with its original roof.

The foundations need to be checked too as they must be capable of bearing the weight of a new roof. Visible cracks at the base of the conservatory indicate that the foundations are too shallow. Your local Premium Retailer will do the relevant detective work.

Our lightweight replacement tiled roof is fully customisable.

You can personalise the solid roof system inside and out, beginning with the crunch decision of whether it’s our lifelike tiles or slates that will most complement the tiles or slates on the roof of your home.

These tiles and slates are just about unbreakable, weatherproof, weigh far less than traditional tiles and slates, and come in a variety of authentic coloured finishes.

It’s no secret that a change from a glazed roof to a solid tiled roof can slightly reduce light transference. But to get around that, just include one or more roof windows in the covering to keep the sun coming in to the extent you want.

For the nights, you will need access to indoor lighting, which can involve your Premium Retailer integrating spotlights or downlighters.

The days of your conservatory overheating or getting icy cold will become a distant memory.

Year-round use of a conservatory isn’t a distorted reality, as much as it may seem so to those with old-style glass and polycarbonate conservatories. No, a solid roof makes it achievable.

Retrofitted to an existing conservatory, it will stop the escape of heat and energy, being a significant cut above traditional glass and polycarbonate systems in terms of energy efficiency.

Made from rigid insulation board and insulated plywood, it regulates the indoor temperature perfectly throughout every season so that you’re never left forced to cover up to keep warm inside or abandon the space due to an unpleasant chill.

The typical U-value offered by a solid roof is around 0.18 to 0.28 W/m²K, comparing favourably against an average U-value of between 1.6 and 2.4 W/m²K for traditional glass and polycarbonate designs.

Visit your closest Premium Retailer showroom for a look at some solid roof conservatories.

Conservatory Outlet has the nation’s most extensive network of home improvement companies, with long-serving installers of solid roof conservatories located across the UK.

They all have showroom locations for you to visit (more than one of them in many cases!) and within these stunning surroundings there are solid roof conservatories displayed.

Using your postcode, you can find your nearest Premium Retailer and showroom here.

Within just a few moments of being within the comforting atmosphere of a solid roof conservatory, it will become apparent why solid roof designs have truly taken off.

Ideas will flow through your head as to how you would utilise one of these thermally regulated rooms and exiting them will be done with some reluctance.

Quality cover speaks volumes about the calibre of our solid roofs.

The minimum length of guarantee given out by our Premium Retailers with their replacement solid roofs is a 10-year one, which is impressive itself. But some go further than that and supply two decades of cover i.e. 20 years of reliable assurance. These guarantees cover the installation and any moving parts.

We sincerely hope you don’t have to, but if you need to report a fault with the solid roof during the guarantee period, notify the Premium Retailer at the soonest opportunity and it will be their duty to swiftly respond.

Exact details of each guarantee are published on our Premium Retailers’ websites. You can be directed to the website of your local Premium Retailer by inputting your postcode here.

Maintenance, what maintenance?

It can almost feel like a full-time job trying to keep on top of maintaining an old glass or polycarbonate conservatory roof and time is so precious.

Very little of your free time will need to be taken up with preserving your new solid tiled roof as it is effectively maintenance-free.

Any roof care only entails some small and infrequent jobs, such as keeping the guttering around the design clear so that it doesn’t get clogged up with debris and leaves, which left alone can lead to water damage.

Gently wash the roof with a telescopic brush and warm soapy water if it gathers a buildup of algae, lichen, or moss. If heights aren’t your thing, employ a conservatory cleaning company to get up a ladder and do it for you.

Glass in any roof windows can be cleaned with a sponge and some clean water.

Remember to inform your home insurance provider of any roof renovation.

Your home insurance policy provides essential cover if the unexpected happens so that you’re not left to pick up the cost of paying for repairs and replacement items after an unfortunate event, such as a fire or flood.

We strongly advise that you notify your insurer of a solid roof installation before it proceeds just so they can confirm that it won’t invalidate the policy.

Your policy may exclude things like accidental damage caused by renovations (not that we anticipate that happening!), so it’s definitely worth talking to them first and checking that you have the right cover in place for such work.

Roof windows and blinds can both be features of a replacement tiled roof.

You’re not going to be left in the dark when a solid tiled roof occupies the space previously taken up by a glass or polycarbonate roof. But if you do worry about a loss of light, windows can quite easily be fitted into the system.

They will keep the interior feeling bright and airy, and you can have roof windows with an opening function for supplementary ventilation in summer.

Although there’s a lot less glass in solid roofs, you may still want a shading option on the sunniest of days. Order custom-made blinds for them so that you can control light levels and regulate the indoor temperature.