How long does it take to replace a conservatory roof?

Three things set the length of a conservatory re-roof: the type of covering going on, how big and how complicated the room is, and what the old frame turns out to need. A small lean-to is a different job from a large Victorian or P-shaped design with several bays and a complicated ridge. Access matters too, because every sheet, pane and tile has to be carried through the house or around the side of it, and a narrow side passage slows the whole job.

Of the three, the roof type has the biggest effect. Swapping one lightweight glazed roof for another goes quickly, since the frame already carries it. Building a solid roof is a carpentry and roofing job in stages, and each stage has to be finished before the next can start. Our page on the conservatory roof process walks through those stages in order.

The old roof comes off first. Polycarbonate sheets and glazing bars lift away fairly easily, glass needs more hands and more care, and a heavy old roof is taken down in sections. The frame is then checked, cleaned and repaired where it needs it, because anything hidden under the old roof shows up now.

Next the new structure goes on: ridge, rafters or glazing bars, then the covering, then the lead or flexible flashings that seal the joint against the house wall. Gutters, trims and internal finishes come last. For a solid roof the sequence adds insulation, ventilation, battens and the tiles or slates, and the inspector may want to see parts of it before they are covered up. The aim is to leave the room weathertight at the end of each working day, with the site left tidy and the waste taken away.

Glazed roofs follow a shorter version of the same order. The bars go on, the units are lifted into place one at a time and the caps and seals are fitted last. Because every unit is made to measure, the roof either fits or it does not, so measuring correctly at the survey saves more time than anything done on site.

A conservatory is open to the sky for a while during a re-roof, so the weather has a say. Strong wind makes lifting large sheets or panes unsafe, and heavy rain stops work on the room while the roof is off. A good plan puts the start on a settled forecast and keeps the opening as short as it can be.

That is why we do not promise a fixed finish date before the survey. Coastal weather around Bognor Regis changes quickly, and a gale in the middle of a job is not unusual on this coast. What we can give you is a clear order of work, the likely span once the roof type is chosen, and a plain word if the weather moves the plan. Seeing the old roof come off on a fine day is far better than rushing a start in poor conditions.

The time between saying yes and starting is a separate matter from the time on site. A solid roof must meet the Building Regulations, with structure, energy use and ventilation all checked. That means a building control application or notification before the work begins, and the council or registered approver needs time to deal with it. Work cannot sensibly start until that is in hand.

Materials add their own wait. Glass units and bespoke bars are made to measure, so they cannot be ordered until the room has been measured properly, and tiles or slates have to be ordered and delivered too. We take the measurements at the survey, so the order can go in as soon as you say yes. If the quote is accepted in a quiet spell the start comes sooner; at a busy time it comes later. See the regulations guide for solid conservatory roofs for the approval steps.

Ask what roof is being fitted, what happens to the room while it is open, who checks the frame, and who deals with building control. Ask whether the quote covers the full job to the finished trims, and what happens if the weather stops work for a day or two. Check whether scaffold is needed and whether it is included in the price.

Our written quote follows the survey, with pictures of your conservatory and a single total price. It also tells you what the job involves, so you can plan around it, whether that means moving furniture, clearing the garden path, parking a skip or arranging a day away from the house. For a feel of the costs involved, read our guide to conservatory roof cost, or go back to the main conservatory roof replacement page.