A solid conservatory roof turns a room you barely use into a room you live in. If your conservatory is too hot in summer, too cold in winter, or the existing roof is starting to leak, replacing it with a solid tiled roof is the single biggest upgrade you can make.
This guide covers what a solid conservatory roof is, what it costs, whether you need planning permission, how long installation takes, and which roof system suits your conservatory. Everything below is based on real installations we have completed across the Wirral, Liverpool, Chester, Warrington and Southport.
A solid conservatory roof is a tiled, insulated replacement roof that sits on your existing conservatory frame in place of polycarbonate or glass. It uses a lightweight structural system, multi-layer insulation, and an exterior of tiles or slate effect panels. The result looks and performs like a proper extension roof rather than a conservatory roof.
The change is what sits between you and the weather. A polycarbonate roof has a U-value around 1.6. A modern solid roof system like Leka sits at 0.15. Lower U-values mean less heat loss in winter and less heat gain in summer. The room stops behaving like a greenhouse and starts behaving like part of the house.
In most cases, yes. Edwardian, Victorian, lean-to, P-shape and gable conservatories can all take a solid roof replacement. The frame and base need to be in sound condition because they have to carry the new structure, but the existing frame rarely needs replacing. A site visit will confirm what your specific conservatory needs.
The job involves removing your old polycarbonate or glass roof, fitting a new structural framework to your existing window frames, adding insulation, and finishing with lightweight tiles or panels. Internal plasterboard and a vaulted plastered ceiling are usually included so the room feels finished from the inside as well as the outside.
Want to know if your conservatory can take a solid roof?
Call 0151 327 8095 or complete our contact form for a free no-obligation site visit.
For almost every owner of a conservatory built more than ten years ago, yes. Here is what changes.
This is the headline benefit. A polycarbonate conservatory is comfortable for about four months of the year. A solid roof conservatory is comfortable for twelve. The insulation holds heat in winter, blocks heat in summer, and dampens the drumming noise of rain that drives most conservatory owners mad.
Heat rises and then it leaves. A 1.6 U-value polycarbonate roof loses heat roughly ten times faster than a 0.15 U-value solid roof. If your conservatory currently has a radiator or electric heater fighting that loss, swapping the roof is the quickest way to stop the fight.
Estate agents and surveyors treat single-glazed conservatories as a separate category from the rest of the house. A solid-roofed, properly insulated room becomes a habitable space, which is what most buyers want. Owners typically use the new room as a second living room, a dining room, a home office or a snug.
Polycarbonate roofs date a property faster than anything else on the exterior. A tiled solid roof matches the rest of the house and removes the obvious “conservatory tacked on the back” look. Roof lanterns, sun tunnels and spotlights can be added to keep natural light without the heat penalty.
The exact figure depends on your area and the size of the conservatory, but a usable extra room with a solid roof adds more to the sale price than a tired polycarbonate conservatory ever could. We have seen this on every job where the owner sold within a few years of the upgrade.
Some conservatory roofs need replacing because they have failed. Others get replaced because the owner is finally tired of the temperature swings. Both are valid reasons.
Failure signs that need urgent attention:
Comfort and efficiency signs:
If any of the failure signs apply, do not wait. Water ingress damages window frames, internal walls and flooring. The longer it runs, the more the eventual fix costs.
Not sure if you need a full replacement or just a repair?
Call 0151 327 8095 or book a free site visit and we will give you a straight answer.
The price depends on three things: the size and shape of your conservatory, the roof system you choose, and the extras you add. Lean-to and Edwardian shapes cost less than P-shape or Victorian roofs because they have fewer hips and valleys. Roof lanterns, sun tunnels and spotlights add cost but transform the finished room.
A Leka solid roof replacement starts from around £5,000 for a small conservatory and rises with size and specification. A typical mid-sized installation falls between £6,500 and £9,500 fully fitted, including the structural work, insulation, external tiles, internal plastered ceiling and any rooflights you choose.
Get a written quote before you commit. Beware of any installer who quotes over the phone without seeing the conservatory.
In most cases, no. Replacing a conservatory roof with a solid roof falls under permitted development when these conditions are met:
You will, however, need Building Regulations approval. This is different from planning permission and applies to almost every solid roof replacement because the structural and thermal requirements have to be signed off. We handle this for you on every job, and you get the certification at the end. That paperwork matters when you come to sell.
If your property is listed or in a conservation area, contact your local planning department before you commit. We can advise on Wirral, Liverpool, Chester, Warrington and Southport jobs from experience.
Want to talk through the practicalities for your conservatory?
Learn more about our tiled conservatory roof replacement service
There are a handful of established systems on the UK market: Leka, SupaLite, Guardian and Ultraframe Livin Roof among them. Each works. The differences are in weight, thermal performance, installation speed and guarantee length.
We fit the Leka system because, after looking at every option, it gives the best combination of insulation, weight and finish for the conservatories we work on. The summary version:
If you are weighing systems against each other, ask three questions of any installer: what is the U-value, what is the guarantee length, and is the system JHAI approved or LABC certified? Anything short of clear answers on those three is a warning sign.
Most solid conservatory roof installations take three to five working days from old roof off to new roof finished, including the internal plastered ceiling. Larger conservatories or those with multiple roof lanterns can stretch to seven days. The conservatory is watertight by the end of day one in almost every case.
You can keep using your house normally throughout. The work is external until the internal ceiling stage, and the room stays usable for most of the project.
This is the most common worry, and it is solved at the design stage. Standard solid roof installations include between one and four roof lanterns or sun tunnels, depending on the size and shape of the conservatory. The combination gives you proper insulated walls and ceiling with natural light coming in from above, which is the same approach used in a modern extension.
If you currently have a polycarbonate roof, the room will feel different because the harsh overhead light is gone. Most owners describe the change as the room feeling like part of the house rather than a greenhouse stuck on the back.
Yes. The added value comes from converting an unusable seasonal room into a habitable year-round space. The amount varies by region and by the size of the conservatory, but the rule holds: a heated, insulated, properly finished room is worth more than a polycarbonate box.
Yes. Lean-to conservatories are among the easiest to convert because the roof shape is simple. Most lean-to solid roof installations finish in three days or fewer.
A tiled conservatory roof is one type of solid roof. The structure underneath is insulated and load-bearing in the same way; the difference is the external finish. Tile-effect panels and lightweight clay-style tiles are the most common options. Slate-effect finishes are also available.
A correctly installed solid conservatory roof from a major system like Leka lasts the lifetime of the conservatory itself. The 40-year guarantee on the Leka system reflects this. Polycarbonate roofs, by comparison, typically need replacing every ten to fifteen years.
Sometimes, but less often than people fear. Modern solid roof systems are designed to be light. The Leka system in particular is lighter than timber. Older conservatory frames in sound condition usually need no reinforcement at all. The site survey confirms this before any quote is finalised.
In most cases, yes. The existing frame and glazing are kept as long as they are in good condition. The roof is the part that changes. If your frames are tired or the seals have failed, replacement of those elements can be priced in at the same time.
Pure Conservatories is based on the Wirral and covers the North West. We replace conservatory roofs and install new conservatories and orangeries across:
Conservatories & orangeries Liverpool, conservatories & orangeries Chester, conservatories & orangeries Wirral, conservatories & orangeries Warrington, and conservatories & orangeries Southport.
If you are outside these areas, get in touch anyway. We are happy to discuss work further afield.
Ready to turn your conservatory into a room you can use all year?
Call 0151 327 8095 or complete our contact form to book a free no-obligation site visit and quote.
© 2026 Pure Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Registered address: Pure Conservatories, 9 Harrison Close, Eastham, Wirral CH62 8FA | Tel: 0151 327 8095
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 8am to 8pm & Sun 9am to 6pm
