Plymouth's Conservatory Roof Specialists
Conservatory Too Cold in Winter?
A conservatory that's too cold in winter is losing heat through its roof. Glass and polycarbonate roofs have very poor insulation. Replacing the roof with an insulated tiled warm roof system stops heat loss and keeps your conservatory warm throughout winter without excessive heating costs.
- Warm in winter, cool in summer
- No more leaks or condensation
- Fully insulated tiled roof systems
No pushy sales · Same-day reply · 10-year insurance-backed guarantee
A simple, considered approach.
Why Your Conservatory Freezes in Winter
Many Plymouth homeowners abandon their conservatory from October to March because it's simply too cold to use. You turn up the heating, but the warmth escapes straight through the roof. It's frustrating and expensive — and it makes the conservatory feel like wasted space exactly when you'd most appreciate having it.
The culprit is almost always the roof. Glass and polycarbonate have very poor thermal insulation properties — their U-values are 15–20 times worse than a modern house ceiling. Heat rises, hits the cold roof surface and escapes. It's a bit like trying to heat a room with a window open at the top.
Why most older conservatory roofs stop working.
Almost every project we visit starts with the same set of complaints.
Too hot in summer
Glass and polycarbonate roofs trap solar heat and make the room unusable.
Too cold in winter
Poor insulation lets warmth escape and pushes up your heating bills.
Leaks & condensation
Aging seals and single-skin roofs let damp in and cause recurring leaks.
Loud during rain
Thin roof materials amplify noise so the room never feels settled.
The Heat Loss Problem
U-value measures how easily heat passes through a building element — the lower the number, the better. Modern building regulations (Approved Document L) require new house roofs at 0.16 W/m²K. Conservatory roofs typically aren't even close.
- Polycarbonate roofs — typical U-value 3.0+ W/m²K, meaning heat passes through them rapidly
- Single-glazed glass roofs — around 5.0 W/m²K, even worse
- Modern double-glazed glass — better at 1.0–1.5 W/m²K, but still 5–10× worse than tiled
- Cold drafts develop as warm air rises to the cold roof, cools and sinks back down
- Radiators struggle to maintain temperature because heat escapes faster than it's generated
- Energy bills increase as you try to compensate for the heat loss with more heating
A complete insulated warm-roof system.
Engineered to building-reg standards and finished beautifully inside and out.
The Warm Roof Solution
An insulated tiled roof achieves a U-value as low as 0.15 W/m²K — that's up to 20 times more thermally efficient than polycarbonate, and better than the building regulations minimum for a brand-new house roof. Heat stays in the room where it belongs.
- High-performance PIR insulation stops heat escaping through the roof
- The room heats up quickly and stays warm with minimal energy
- Eliminates cold drafts caused by the temperature difference at the roof
- Many customers find they can heat their conservatory with just a single radiator
- Some customers report they no longer need additional heating at all
- Building Regulations compliant and certified on completion
What Goes On Top
We fit the LABC-approved SupaLite™ warm-roof system, sized to your conservatory and finished to match your home.
The thermal performance, layer by layer
- Lightweight composite tiles (Tapco, Metrotile or Britmet) — 40-year guarantee
- Breather membrane and battens — keeps the structure dry and ventilated
- 100–150mm PIR insulation — the layer that does the thermal heavy lifting
- SupaLite engineered frame — lightweight, sized to your conservatory
- Plasterboard ceiling — finished with skim plaster, ready for paint
The whole build-up achieves a U-value of 0.18 W/m²K as standard, dropping to 0.15 W/m²K with thicker insulation if you want best-in-class performance for a south-coast winter.
Before & after — fixing a freezing conservatory.
Drag the slider to see how a glass roof was replaced with a fully insulated warm roof, turning an unusable winter room into a year-round living space.
Drag the slider to compare
Four clear steps from first visit to finished room.
Survey
We visit, measure and discuss exactly how you want to use the room.
Specify
A clear written quote — materials, finish and timeline up front.
Install
Old roof off, fully insulated warm-roof system on, by our own crew.
Finish
Plastered ceiling, full clean-down and walk-through with you.
A conservatory you actually want to spend time in.
Cool in summer
No more trapped heat — the room stays comfortable on the hottest days.
Warm in winter
Insulated to modern building-reg standards so you keep the heat in.
10 year guarantee
Insurance-backed guarantee, plus a 40-year guarantee on the tiles.
Fast install
Most projects are completed in just 2–4 days by our own crew.
Benefits of a Warm Conservatory in Winter
- Use your conservatory 12 months a year — no more seasonal shutdown
- Lower heating bills — insulation means you need far less energy to maintain comfortable temperatures
- Cosy living space — perfect for a dining room, home office or sitting room
- No more cold feet — the room heats evenly without cold zones
- Also cool in summer — the insulation works both ways, preventing overheating too
- Building Regs sign-off — you get the certificate that matters at sale time
Honestly thought we'd just have to live with the cold conservatory or knock it down. The new warm roof has turned it into our favourite room — Christmas Day, kids playing, all year round.
What does it cost?
Honest, typical price ranges so you can plan with confidence — every quote is bespoke after a free home survey.
What Does Fixing a Cold Conservatory Cost?
The realistic options:
- Electric heaters / oil radiators — £6,000 up-front but ~£0.50/hour to run all winter; the room rarely gets warm
- Adding a radiator on the central heating — £6,000 fitted; helps slightly but most heat still escapes through the roof
- Underfloor heating retrofit — £6,000; delivers warmth but doesn't address the heat loss problem
- Insulated warm roof — £6,000; the only solution that addresses the root cause and pays back through lower energy bills
Warm roof price guide
- Small lean-to: from £6,000 fitted
- Edwardian / Victorian: from £6,000
- Large P-shape: from £6,000
Plymouth, Devon & Cornwall.
A locally based crew covering the South West — most projects are within 30 minutes of our Barbican workshop.
Warming Up Cold Conservatories Across Plymouth
North-facing or exposed conservatories across the South West are the worst affected, but every glass or polycarbonate roof loses heat fast. Recent warm-roof installs include homes in:
- Plymouth — Plymstock, Plympton, Mannamead, Mutley, Peverell, Crownhill, Eggbuckland
- South Hams — Ivybridge, Yealmpton, Newton Ferrers, Modbury
- South-East Cornwall — Saltash, Torpoint, Callington
- West Devon — Tavistock, Yelverton
Why our warm roof outperforms a traditional conservatory.
Frequently asked questions.
How much will my heating bills reduce?+
Most customers see a significant drop in the energy needed to heat their conservatory. The exact saving depends on your heating system, but the U-value improvement (from ~3.0 W/m²K down to ~0.18 W/m²K) means roughly 15–20× less heat loss through the roof. Many find a single radiator now does the job that previously needed two plus a fan heater.
Can I use my conservatory as a real room all winter?+
Yes — that's exactly what a warm roof achieves. Many customers use their transformed conservatory as a dining room, home office, playroom, snug or lounge throughout the entire winter, including Christmas Day with the family.
What about condensation in winter?+
A warm roof eliminates condensation because it removes the cold internal surface that causes moisture to form. The insulated ceiling stays close to room temperature, so there's no cold surface for water vapour to condense onto.
What U-value will the new roof achieve?+
Our standard system achieves a U-value of 0.18 W/m²K, with options down to 0.15 W/m²K. For comparison, building regulations for new house roofs require 0.16 W/m²K — so the new conservatory roof matches a modern house ceiling.
How much does it cost to fix a cold conservatory?+
A full insulated warm-roof replacement is the only permanent solution and starts from £6,000 fully fitted regardless of size or shape.
Will an electric heater or oil-filled radiator work instead?+
Heaters can warm the air briefly but the heat escapes through the roof almost as fast as you generate it — like leaving the window open. Customers commonly run heaters all day in winter and the room never gets above 14–16°C. Insulating the roof solves the problem at source.
Do I need Building Regulations approval?+
Yes, in most cases — because the thermal envelope changes. We handle the application, the building inspector's visits and the final certificate as part of the project, so you don't need to do anything beyond signing the paperwork.
How long does the install take?+
Typically 2–4 days from old roof off to plastered ceiling finished. Your home stays watertight throughout the install, even overnight.
Will it also stop the room overheating in summer?+
Yes. The insulation works both ways — it stops heat escaping in winter and stops solar heat gain in summer. The same install that fixes a freezing conservatory also fixes overheating.
Underfloor heating vs new roof — which is better?+
Underfloor heating delivers warmth but doesn't address the heat loss problem — the warmth still escapes through the cold roof. The new roof is the better single investment because it stops the loss at source. Some customers pair the two on bigger jobs, but the roof alone is usually enough.
Got questions?
Straight answers to the things people ask us most.
Free Brochure
Get Our Free Conservatory Roof Replacement Brochure
Everything you need to know about our SupaLite™ insulated warm-roof system — tile finishes, internal options, the 2–4 day installation process, prices from £6,000 fully fitted, and our 10-year insurance-backed guarantee.
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