If you are looking to replace the existing roof on your conservatory, probably your first port of call is Google, with a search term such as ‘Solid Roofs for Conservatories’. I did this this afternoon and found, on the first page, references to an array of national brands along with some local suppliers. Also on that first page was a Technical Guide from the LABC on ‘Solid Roofs on Conservatories and Porches’.

A brief look through the aforementioned pages should tell a prospective buyer of a solid roof about the pitfalls and regulations. But If this were the case, why are ‘Cladovers’ apparently outselling the genuine article?

The answer has to be clever selling and attractive prices coupled with the fact, we as homeowners, are still not aware enough of the pitfalls we could potentially face, when it comes to replacing our conservatory roof. Let’s take a simple scenario. You have an ageing conservatory with a polycarbonate roof and, understandably, you’d like it replaced and a solid roof will make it more habitable, year round. A quotation from any of the recognised roof manufacturers through one of their approved installers will, undoubtedly, be more expensive than a quote from an unaffiliated installer. Why? Because they may well be offering a ‘Cladover’.

The problem comes when we think we are being offered a named brand of roof but the installer is simply picking up timber, insulation material, tiles and plasterboard from their local trade counter and assembling a roof on the conservatory. Sometimes this may be done without even removing the polycarbonate roof but rather sandwiching this between the batons, felt and tiles and plasterboard and some 

insulation that is fixed underneath. From all appearances it would look pretty good. The snag is that the original PVCu structure that carried the polycarbonate roof, or even a glass roof, is probably not structurally robust enough to take the solid roof. As an unknowing homeowner, you end up with a roof for half the price of the branded product, and it looks OK. However, what happens when something goes wrong? A heavy fall of snow or even the PVCu structure simply bending under the load? No problem, there’s the 10 year warranty and Building Control Certificate…..ah! they haven’t got either of those.

A quick phone call to Building Control at my local Council and I was told immediately that replacing a conservatory roof with a solid roof was subject to Building Regulations. When I told the gentleman I was from the media and why I was asking, he knew all the branded solid roof products and the need for corner post supports to ensure that the roof was self-supported rather than relying on the PVCu window structure. I asked if they had any issues with solid roofs not having Building Regs and his reply was a no. And what about ‘Cladovers’, I asked? “We usually pick those up” he said, “when they try and sell the house.” Now my particular council seem to be on the ball, but I also understand that some large authorities are unclear as to whether Building Regs are required. There is also the issue of ‘passing off’ whereby the installer purports to be offering branded solid roofs and even display company logos on their website but are actually selling ‘Cladovers’. Some of the roof system companies have challenged these people and got them to remove claims to be offering their roofs, usually with an apologetic: “Sorry guv, it’s a fair cop, we’ll take the logo down.”