Tiles or Slate on conservatory roof.

[GeorgeandAde]

Just wondering what members recommendations are for a conservatory roof are.
We've had our conservatory for about 12 years and it is a ridge with perspex roof panels.
It just seems to attract mould very quickly and a pain to clean.(oh....its leaking somewhere along the ridge for the second time and very awkward to get to).
Obviously we have no insulation in the roof space either.
We would like either tiles or slate but can't make up our minds which.
We could then insulate inside and have a false roof.
Any ideas please?.

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

We had a conservatory with a perspex roof , it was already on the house when we bought it full length glass panels hot in summer and freezing in winter untill we installed a large radiator.
So 5 years ago we decided on a new one using the old base to keep the same size and shape which still had to be tested to see if it could take the weight of our new build, we now have a small wall at the bottom , large windows and a propper roof and inside a ceiling, all plastered out inside with electric socket and lights in the ceiling.
Now they dont use slate or heavy tiles what they use you could describe as synnthetic tiles probably approx 7-8mm thick and alot lighter these come in various colours to match your house roof tiles.
We have a radiator in there but alot smaller than the previous one we spend most of the day and night in there now it's been a great investment.

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Thank you cheshirecat.

I think we will probably opt for a lightweight roof,be it tiles or slate(hav'nt decided yet).
We do have a small radiator in there at the moment but obviously when its on,there isn't any insulation in the roof area.
We don't have to worry about matching our house tiles as we have a flat roof on the house.

 

[Jcloughie]

Thank you cheshirecat.

I think we will probably opt for a lightweight roof,be it tiles or slate(hav'nt decided yet).
We do have a small radiator in there at the moment but obviously when its on,there isn't any insulation in the roof area.
We don't have to worry about matching our house tiles as we have a flat roof on the house.

You really have no choice except a lightweight roof, few domestic conservatories could take the weight. Even if you went for double glazing with ’K’ glass or similar. A beam and braces would probably be needed.

Like yours mine is polypropylene but even older. It does not leak though. I battened it on the inside, put multi layered insulation then plastic wall liners. A very large improvement.

Since then, there are a number of companies supplying lightweight solutions and they all look good. Have a Google, get some estimates.

John

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Thank you John.
Yes....I think lightweight is the best option.
My 2 sons are builders so they will be doing the work(will wait until the spring and in the meantime,patch up the small leak).
I will be the labourer🤣

 

[Beachball]

The bungalow we brought had a conservatory but the roof was polycarbonate it had a raditor, electrics and a dwarf wall but we now had it all change got a blue self cleaning solar control glass roof it designed to keep the perfect temperature keeping you nice and warm in winter while making sure the conservatory doesnt get to hot in summer ,
We put this in because our garden is south facing but this was our choice...
But you might prefered somethg different

 

[Jcloughie]

Thank you John.
Yes....I think lightweight is the best option.
My 2 sons are builders so they will be doing the work(will wait until the spring and in the meantime,patch up the small leak).
I will be the labourer🤣

I did mine about 5 years ago before the industry of producing lightweight roofs was created. Although I am happy with mine, if I was doing it today, I would certainly look at what is on offer. It may be that the roof you like may not be sold as a DIY option. And it does not always follow that DIY is cheaper.

We did worry that in doing ours it would block the light and make the adjoining kitchen dark. That dis not happen.

This is what it looks like now.





John

 

[Beachball]

Our conservatory goes on the lounge at the back of the bungalow with it been south facing we get alot of sun all day the kitchen has already been extended ,

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Very nice John😊

I did try a couple of online quotes(not really in any great detail as I just wanted a rough idea)
Cheapest was over £4,000.☹

Spoke to my 2 sons.....
Strip the old roof off.
Renew/strengthen any timbers.
Fit new lightweight tiles/slates
Renew lead flashings
Insulate roof inside and make good possibly with upvc.
Clean/renew guttering.

They can get most of the timber/upvc and insulation from where they work🤫
All labour supplied free of charge(plenty of tea and bacon butties).
Obviously will pay them for their time but I reckon I'm looking at about £2,250 max.

Just as well after upgrading the car and caravan last year.
Will tackle the leak myself during the next dry spell then look to having the roof done maybe April/May.

 

[Beachball]

Very nice John😊

I did try a couple of online quotes(not really in any great detail as I just wanted a rough idea)
Cheapest was over £4,000.☹

Spoke to my 2 sons.....
Strip the old roof off.
Renew/strengthen any timbers.
Fit new lightweight tiles/slates
Renew lead flashings
Insulate roof inside and make good possibly with upvc.
Clean/renew guttering.

They can get most of the timber/upvc and insulation from where they work🤫
All labour supplied free of charge(plenty of tea and bacon butties).
Obviously will pay them for their time but I reckon I'm looking at about £2,250 max.

Just as well after upgrading the car and caravan last year.
Will tackle the leak myself during the next dry spell then look to having the roof done maybe April/May.

Hi GeorgeandAde i would say that quite reasonable for the roof ...

 

[Jcloughie]

Sounds good, and a 'proper' job. My roof still looks the same polycarbamate as before from the outside. Which is not great. But does not leak and must be nearly 20 years old. I decided to do all the wok from underneath do as not to disturb that. Main problem was lack of head room. so had to keep it thin. I used this multi layer insulation. And trapped it against the rafters with 25mm batten. then lined with the this sort of cladding.

total cost would have been sub £200. the hardest part proved to be getting the cladding delivered. As it comes in 5m lengths it needed a bigger van. They tried 3 times, but each time the package was damaged. The last time was because the driver had left a pump truck loose in the back of the van, with only my package to take the knocks. They never took any back, but I salvaged enough and there was also enough for a friend to do his conservatory.

Sons MiL has not long had hers done and plastered to the inside. I quite like the plastic for that environment and weight consideration.

Good luck with it.

John

 

[Hutch]

Very nice John😊

I did try a couple of online quotes(not really in any great detail as I just wanted a rough idea)
Cheapest was over £4,000.☹

Spoke to my 2 sons.....
Strip the old roof off.
Renew/strengthen any timbers.
Fit new lightweight tiles/slates
Renew lead flashings
Insulate roof inside and make good possibly with upvc.
Clean/renew guttering.

They can get most of the timber/upvc and insulation from where they work🤫
All labour supplied free of charge(plenty of tea and bacon butties).
Obviously will pay them for their time but I reckon I'm looking at about £2,250 max.

Just as well after upgrading the car and caravan last year.
Will tackle the leak myself during the next dry spell then look to having the roof done maybe April/May.

This reminds me of your trip to Switzerland, that was an epic.

 

[Hutch]

This reminds me of your trip to Switzerland, that was an epic.

Or am I thinking of someone else. ?

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Switzerland?????

Nice thought Hutch,but must be someone else.👍👍

 

[Hutch]

Aplogies,
Well that will give me something to do during lockdown,
I am thinking of a couple who decided on their first trip overseas to go to near Interlaken in Switzerland , then a storm hit and took, out there roof windows. A real first trip.

 

[otherclive]

Aplogies,
Well that will give me something to do during lockdown,
I am thinking of a couple who decided on their first trip overseas to go to near Interlaken in Switzerland , then a storm hit and took, out there roof windows. A real first trip.

I recall that post the weather just ripped his main rooflight off early in the holiday. Mind you I’m ultra cautious with my main Heki as it has nothing to retain it in place when opened other than the tracks. Get the wind blowing towards the open face and it can be forced along the tracks lifting more open, until “ thwack”. Yet the rear rooflight had two drop pegs that lock the spigots into the track. So no movement even if the wind gets behind it. So you can sleep knowing it’s not going to whip open and break.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I'm a bit late to this thread, but I do know of several people who either had fitted or inherited an all transparent conservatory to an original building, and all of them have reroofed with insulated boards, which do not pass any light. In all but one case they have all said its the best thing they've done. It stops it getting too hot in bright sunshine and it's warmer in autumn and winter, but when the sun is lower it still floods the conservatory through the vertical windows.

Where the conservatory was built over an existing window or door, they have found it somewhat darker indoors so a side lamp near the opening is all that usually needed. They find they actually make more use of the conservatory space as its temperature is less extreme.

 

[otherclive]

I'm a bit late to this thread, but I do know of several people who either had fitted or inherited an all transparent conservatory to an original building, and all of them have reroofed with insulated boards, which do not pass any light. In all but one case they have all said its the best thing they've done. It stops it getting too hot in bright sunshine and it's warmer in autumn and winter, but when the sun is lower it still floods the conservatory through the vertical windows.

Where the conservatory was built over an existing window or door, they have found it somewhat darker indoors so a side lamp near the opening is all that usually needed. They find they actually make more use of the conservatory space as its temperature is less extreme.

Both if our rear neighbours together with a third house behind them have all had the conservatories demolished as they were either too hot or too cold. Two have gone for single storey extensions with single pitch roof back to the rear wall of the house the third has gone for an orangery. All have removed their wood burners too. The work is being undertaken by a single company simultaneously on all three houses.