[Closed] Conservatory Solid Roof - Warm or Cold?

I can't help you on the solid roof, but we replaced our polycarbonate roof with a solid glass roof in the autumn and it has made a noticeable improvement over the winter to the warmth of our kitchen conservatory. We can't close off our conservatory and there used to be a noticeable chill in there, but it has been so much better this winter. We can also hear ourselves think now when it rains and it doesn't creak and groan in the wind, which is most nice 🙂

We seriously thought about a solid roof, but we're glad we didn't go for it in the end.

You may need planning permission if you change your roof to a solid one.

Watch some of these videos and how he fixes them.

singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/conservatory-solid-roof-warm-or-cold/#post-11726098

No planning permission needed according to local council, but I may need building regs as the previous owner had the central heating extended into the conservatory. They may as well have stuck it in the garden for all the good it does!

singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/conservatory-solid-roof-warm-or-cold/#post-11726120

I've watched some of his videos but they all seem to be for flat roofs. I've got a pitched one - are they different?

I did mine a few years ago, removed the ploycarb, added intermediate rafters and insulated in between with 75mm Kingspan. I then used a Tyvec membrane under the roofing battens and used cedar shingles for the roof covering. It has been well worth it, much warmer in winter, cooler in the summer and now a space which the family use a lot more.

I'm a builder, we do stuff like this all the time.

Regarding the Regs, building regs apply to all habitable space in a domestic setting. What you're creating is intended to be habitable space - thus you'll very likely need to get regs approval. Ask the relevant dept at your local council, in writing. If they say you don't need regs, make sure you get it via email!

To get regs, you'll need to provide structural calculations for the roof build up. This needs to be done by a qualified engineer - should cost about £150 ish. The building inspector will visit at predetermined stages of the build.

You don't mention if it is a lean to or ridged roof so based on the info given I'd be looking at the following as a guideline. I am assuming the walls are brick/masonry and solid - ie you're not planning to plonk this on top of upvc windows..

Roof Structure
Wall plate of 100x75mm timber mortared onto top inner leaf of brick work to seat rafters on. This strapped with long L brackets to interior walls at 1200mm intervals and in each corner.
Rafters 150x50mm C16 Grade timber @ 400mm centres, Doubled around any rooflight windows (velux etc)
If lean to - Pole plate (the bit that abuts the main house) 175x50mm C16 Timber bolted to masonry at 600mm centres using concrete bolts or resin anchors
If pitched remove a small section of outer leaf brickwork to seat underside of ridge beam (take 3/4 bricks out and pack it to intended height)
Ridge timber 175x50mm C16 grade.
Cover using breather membrane starting at gutter line and overlapping as you work up
Tile battens of 50x25mm treated timber
Tiles of your choice - Sandtoft are good quality and easy to fit, their support is excellent.

Insulation
Celotex/Kingspan dense foam 100mm thick cut and fitted between rafters and flush with underside of rafters. You must (can't stress this enough) leave at least 50mm air gap between exterior side of insulation and the membrane, if not you will get condensation issues and potentially the roof will rot.
On inside then underdraw rafters with 25mm Celotex/Kingspan - screw it into underside of rafters using woodscrews and washers, or use insulated plasterboard.
Plasterboard internally and skim

Will make a huge difference to heat retention, and likely add some value to your gaff if that's of any interest!

You'll need some decent tools, beg/borrow/steal/hire a Paslode first fix nail gun and a half decent chopsaw and circular saw. You'll need a decent SDS drill and impact driver too.

Look on youtube for instructions on how to cut 'birds mouth' rafters, as this will be the trickiest thing to master, once you've cracked this the rest is simple really. Roping a mate in to help will be a godsend.

For your materials - open an account with a local builders merchant as a sole trader. Travis Perkins are excellent. You'll get a much better discount. For all your nuts/bolts/nails/screws then Screwfix is the place.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the tips Ollie,

I am assuming the walls are brick/masonry and solid – ie you’re not planning to plonk this on top of upvc windows..

It's a pitched roof victorian conservatory. I've got brink walls with UPVC windows sitting on top of them. The plan is remove all the roof, aluminium rafters etc. and then add a wooden ring "wall plate?" all around and then build the roof onto that.
Similar to what this chap has done here: Youtube Link

If I've understood you correctly you're describing a cold roof. Is that correct?

Good shout on getting a trade account at TP. I did that at Grahams Plumbers Merchant when we did the bathrooms. Saved a fortune!

@ollie_the_brave what if two of the walls are uPVC? It's lean to with the back and 1 side wall solid brick past the conservatory roof, long dwarf wall with widows and door and 6' wall with uPVC panels making up the space and following the angle of the roof.

Ollie - if you live in Bristol get yourself round my house asap please. I've been looking for someone to come and sort out our crap Everest conservatory for ages but most builders don't appear to know their arse from their elbow!

singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/conservatory-solid-roof-warm-or-cold/#post-11727108

Yes, cold roof. For what you're doing the total depth of the roof would be huge to go down the warm roof route.

If it's the same 'shape' as matey boys on the video, you'll need to consider the timber for the hips - the diagonal timber that the rafters are abutting. You also need to be confident calculating and cutting compound mitre joints - which is about as complicated as it sounds!

Over the windows depending on their width, you'll need to consider putting lintels in to take the weight of the new roof - easy to do when you've taken the existing roof off, but structurally necessary.

 

Salad dodger - South Manchester mate, just next to the bit which got a bit funky in the rains last week!

@ollie_the_brave what if two of the walls are uPVC? It’s lean to with the back and 1 side wall solid brick past the conservatory roof, long dwarf wall with widows and door and 6′ wall with uPVC panels making up the space and following the angle of the roof.

You'll need to do something structural in the corner where the two UPVC bits meet to take the weight. Either a brick pillar or a lump of timber.