Conservatory roof replacement in London, greenhouse to real room.
Glazing London replaces failing conservatory roofs across London: yellowed polycarbonate swapped for modern glass, or the whole roof converted to a solid insulated or hybrid system. Structural checks, building control sign-off where needed, and a free survey and quote. Call 07399 253464, we answer 24/7.
What the swap actually changes
Polycarbonate roof
Yellowed 25mm sheets that drum in rain, roast the room by noon in July and give the heat straight back to the sky in January. U-values around 1.6 to 2.4 W/m²K on multiwall sheet, worse once it ages, and the room gets used maybe four months a year.
Solar control glass roof
Low-E, argon-filled units around 1.0 to 1.2 W/m²K with a solar control coating that halves summer gain. Same frames, two to three days of work, sky views kept. Rain becomes a soft patter, and the room works from March to November instead of May to September.
Glass roof, wrong glass
Early glass roofs were plain double glazing: better than polycarbonate but still a greenhouse in summer and a heat sieve in winter, often with misted units and slipped panes by now. The structure is usually fine; the specification never was.
Solid or hybrid warm roof
An insulated, lightweight tiled or panelled roof with a plastered ceiling, downlights and U-values around 0.15 to 0.18 W/m²K, extension territory. The conservatory becomes a genuine all-year room: office, snug or dining room. Hybrid versions keep glazed sections so the light survives the conversion.
Glass, solid or hybrid, side by side.
No option wins every row, which is exactly why all three exist. We fit all of them, so the recommendation follows your room and your budget, not a brochure.
| Factor | Glass roof | Solid warm roof | Hybrid roof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight | Full sky views kept | Ceiling like any room; light from side glazing only | Glazed panels keep most of the light |
| Thermal performance | Approx 1.0-1.2 W/m²K with solar control | Approx 0.15-0.18 W/m²K, extension standard | Between the two, depends on glazed area |
| Weight & structure | Similar to existing; most sound frames accept it | Heaviest; frames, ring beam and base checked at survey | Moderate; usually fine on aluminium or reinforced uPVC |
| Building Regulations | Like-for-like swap, normally no approval needed | Building control sign-off required; we arrange it | Building control sign-off required; we arrange it |
| Time on site | 2-3 days | About a week, incl. plastering | 4-6 days |
| Best for | Rooms loved for light that swing too hot and cold | Making a true all-year room, home office or snug | Keeping the sky without keeping the greenhouse |
Values are typical for the systems we install; your survey confirms the exact spec. Prices depend on size, access and structure, which is why the survey and quote are free.
The regulation line every roof crosses or doesn't
Swapping polycarbonate for glass on the same frames is a repair: no approval needed, just competent glazing to safety standards. Replacing a translucent roof with a solid one changes the building's classification, so Building Regulations apply in full: structural adequacy, insulation, ventilation and drainage all need building control sign-off. A solid roof without that certificate becomes a problem the day you sell the house. We make the application, host the inspection and hand you the completion certificate, and if a salesman elsewhere tells you a solid roof "doesn't need building control", that is the moment to show him the door.
Survey to certificate
Sound frames but tired side glass too? Our conservatory glazing page covers reglazing walls and doors in the same visit. Fancy raising the light instead of the roofline, say on a flat-roofed orangery? Look at roof lanterns. And if the old roof fails suddenly, a storm-cracked pane or a slipped panel, our 24/7 emergency glazing team will make it safe the same day while the replacement is made.