Questions to Ask When Hiring a Conservatory Roof Replacement Company

Most regret stories we hear in Plymouth come from homeowners who skipped the survey or signed on price alone. The right installer welcomes hard questions. The wrong one deflects them. Here are the 12 questions we tell every customer to ask any installer they're considering — including us.

1. Is the quote fully itemised, in writing?

Strip-out, structure, insulation, tiles, internal finish, electrics, building control fees and clean-up should all be listed separately. A single lump-sum quote is a red flag — it lets the installer cut corners on whichever line they chose without you noticing.

2. Which roof system do you fit?

We fit the SupaLite warm roof system exclusively because it's lightweight, fully LABC approved, properly engineered and comes with a 10-year insurance-backed guarantee. Be wary of installers using unbranded or no-name systems — they're cheaper for a reason.

3. Is building regulations sign-off included?

It should be. Replacing a glass or polycarbonate roof with a solid insulated one always needs LABC sign-off — see our building regs guide. If a quote excludes building control or treats it as an extra, walk away.

4. Can I see the written guarantees?

Two guarantees should be on offer: a 10-year insurance-backed guarantee on the system itself (so it survives the company going out of business), and a workmanship guarantee on the installation. Both should be in writing before any deposit is paid.

5. What's the payment structure?

Industry standard is a small deposit at order, a stage payment when the roof is watertight, and the balance on completion. Anyone asking for the full amount or 50%+ upfront is a red flag.

6. Can I see recent local installs?

Genuine companies are happy to share recent customer references and photos. Ask specifically for installs in your area — Plymouth, Plymstock, Saltash etc — and actually call one or two of those references.

7. Who actually does the work?

Some sales-led companies sub-contract to whichever crew has availability. Ask whether the installers are direct employees and how many years they've been with the company. Continuity matters — both for quality and for callbacks.

8. How long will it take?

Typical answer: watertight by end of day one, fully finished in 5–7 working days — see our day-by-day breakdown of the replacement process. Anyone quoting two days end-to-end is skipping the plastering and finishing.

9. What U-value will the new roof achieve?

A modern warm roof should achieve around 0.15 W/m²K — see our energy efficiency guide. If the installer can't tell you the U-value, the roof hasn't been properly engineered for your conservatory.

10. Will my existing frames cope?

A reputable installer will have surveyed the frames and base before quoting, and will tell you upfront if any strengthening is needed. Anyone quoting without a survey is guessing — and any extra costs will land on you mid-job.

11. What happens if there's a problem afterwards?

Specifically: how quickly will someone come back, who pays, and is it covered by the workmanship guarantee? A good answer is "one call, we come back, no charge". Anything vaguer than that is a red flag.

12. Is the price valid for more than 24 hours?

Reputable companies don't use high-pressure tactics. The price should be valid for at least 30 days, with no "today only" discount that disappears the moment you ask for time to think.

Red flags to walk away from

Common mistakes to avoid

• 'Today only' pricing. Genuine quotes don't expire overnight. High-pressure sales tactics are the single most reliable predictor of a bad install.
• Full payment upfront. Stage payments protect you. Anyone asking for everything before work starts isn't a company you want to be reliant on if anything goes wrong.
• No physical address. If they only have a mobile number and a website, you've got nowhere to go if there's a problem in two years' time.
• No insurance-backed guarantee. Without it, your "10-year guarantee" is worth nothing the day the company stops trading. Always confirm the IBG paperwork.

Free, no-pressure survey

Happy to be asked all 12 questions yourself? Book a free survey — we'll come and look, give you a written quote, and leave you to think about it for as long as you need. We cover Plymouth, Plymstock, Plympton, Ivybridge, Saltash, Devon and Cornwall.