Conservatory roof conversion

System

Ok. So, this maybe unpopular with the op but I will try to explain the reasons for peoples points.
There is a strict definition of a conservatory in terms of planning and building regs, once you remove/cover/alter the amount of glass/transparent material it may no longer be deemed a conservatory and therefore would not meet the planning conditions or building regs - I think the definition had altered sightly recently to make it a bit more open but some local authorities have their own thoughts on these.
Previously some companies offering to overclad your conservatory roof were not 100% honest about this and were happy to operate outside of the rules (as they are rarely enforced)
It is shrewd advice to confirm with the local authority that what you are doing is ok.

Now onto the options, do you currently have glass on the roof?
How are they proposing to ventilate it, I would be very worried about moisture on the inside face of the existing roof if you put insulation on the inside. As you'll never see it until its too late!
What build up are they proposing for either option, does either look at removing the current roof finish?

onomatopoeia99

the_r_sole wrote: »

Ok. So, this maybe unpopular with the op but I will try to explain the reasons for peoples points.
There is a strict definition of a conservatory in terms of planning and building regs, once you remove/cover/alter the amount of glass/transparent material it may no longer be deemed a conservatory and therefore would not meet the planning conditions or building regs - I think the definition had altered sightly recently to make it a bit more open but some local authorities have their own thoughts on these.

A conservatory is a single story extension for planning purposes, so potentially permitted development providing size and height restrictions are complied with. The "strict definition" of a conservatory makes no difference. Bringing planning permission into this appears intended to scare the OP with no justification. However, if your understanding is different, I would welcome clarification of how planning permission is affected on a single story extension built under permitted development if the roof is replaced by one of an alternative material, whilst maintaining the same dimensions of the structure.

Building regs is another story. The "strict definition" of a conservatory which grants it exemption from building regs can be found on planning portal. It requires it to be separated from the main dwelling by an external quality walls and door(s), to be ground floor only, to be under 30 square metres, to have a separate heating system with its own controls. Glazing and electrical installations must comply with building regs. There appears to be nothing about a minimum percentage of glass/translucent material in the roof at all, as to my understanding this was removed from the relevant legislation in 2010 (councils can, of course, be a law unto themselves and impose their own definitions, so one should always check with LABC).

However the OP didn't ask about any of this.

System

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

A conservatory is a single story extension for planning purposes, so potentially permitted development providing size and height restrictions are complied with.

potentially being the operative word - so should be considered

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

The "strict definition" of a conservatory makes no difference. Bringing planning permission into this appears intended to scare the OP with no justification.

how so? if you change something that was permitted to something that may not be it's a relevant consideration.

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

However, if your understanding is different, I would welcome clarification of how planning permission is affected on a single story extension built under permitted development if the roof is replaced by one of an alternative material, whilst maintaining the same dimensions of the structure.

I have had a situation on a relatively new build estate where conservatories were allowed but single storey extensions and garage conversions were not - again, it's just something to consider with such a conversion.

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

Building regs is another story. The "strict definition" of a conservatory which grants it exemption from building regs can be found on planning portal. It requires it to be separated from the main dwelling by an external quality walls and door(s), to be ground floor only, to be under 30 square metres, to have a separate heating system with its own controls. Glazing and electrical installations must comply with building regs. There appears to be nothing about a minimum percentage of glass/translucent material in the roof at all, as to my understanding this was removed from the relevant legislation in 2010 (councils can, of course, be a law unto themselves and impose their own definitions, so one should always check with LABC).

As I said, best to check with the local authority what their view on it is.

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

However the OP didn't ask about any of this.

So there is no point in outlining any potential pitfalls outside of a very specific question?
I was just trying to clarify for the op as they seemed to be taking the huff with some of the replies which mentioned the potential problems with changing a conservatory to an extension

mich13x

I certainly have not taken a huff, I politely thanked the first poster but tried to keep the thread to its original purpose. I cannot stress enough that i do not need advice on planning as i already payed someone for this.

System

mich13x wrote: »

I certainly have not taken a huff, I politely thanked the first poster but tried to keep the thread to its original purpose. I cannot stress enough that i do not need advice on planning as i already payed someone for this.

I did actually write my post to try and help you understand where people were coming from and ask you some pertinent questions about the methods they are proposing.
If it's not taking the huff, it's going immediately into defensive mode - same difference to me, good luck with the project

Furts

Back to OP.

In an attempt to address your concerns, in the absence of any technical details of your proposals, you should opt for the new roof costing £3200.

In theory, if this is correctly detailed and correctly installed, it should have the ability to address ventilation, condensation and air flow. You should expect to receive vapour membranes and a breather membrane.

Leaving your existing roof in place is, again in theory, a recipe for future problems with both condensation and ventilation.