What are the negatives to a lightweight roof.

jamie_128

Moved into a property, conservatory is 10 years old but overall looks in decent nick apart from the door being stiff and a couple of window seals gone.

Id love to put a solid roof on but im pretty sure the foundations wont be strong enough and the 20k or so it would cost to knock down and rebuild an orangery is a bit too much to swallow.

Ive had a quote for a lightweight roof at 6k including lights, plastering and everything that comes with it, my question is, is there any negatives to having a lightweight roof as opposed to a solid roof? Will it not last as long? Is it not as warm as a solid roof? Will it need replacing quicker?

Just looking out for any cons as we really want it as another room.

Davesnave

How would any of us possibly know?


You are contemplating a liaison with a totally unregulated industry and there are certainly bad 'uns among them.

sevenhills

• Versatile – can be used for roof pitched from 10° to vertical.
• One-seventh the weight of concrete roof tiles.
• 40 year full value weather security roofing guarantee.
• Lightweight roofing possesses exceptional weather resistance.
• Lightweight roofing tiles are environmentally friendly.
• Decra's fully dry fixed roofing system ensures maximum storm resistance.
• Lightweight roof tiles advantages enable savings to be made on timber content of roof structure.
• Labour costs reduced due to speed of fixing.
• Decra’s lightweight roof tiles are strong, robust and vandal resistant.
• Easier to handle, quicker to install and more attractive than long run roofing sheets.
• Ideal for use with flat to pitch roof conversions.

http://www.decra.co.uk/Products/Decra%20Classic%20Tile.aspx

jamie_128

Bump for anyone who has maybe had it done or knows anything about it.

Doozergirl

sevenhills wrote: »

• Versatile – can be used for roof pitched from 10° to vertical.
• One-seventh the weight of concrete roof tiles.
• 40 year full value weather security roofing guarantee.
• Lightweight roofing possesses exceptional weather resistance.
• Lightweight roofing tiles are environmentally friendly.
• Decra's fully dry fixed roofing system ensures maximum storm resistance.
• Lightweight roof tiles advantages enable savings to be made on timber content of roof structure.
• Labour costs reduced due to speed of fixing.
• Decra’s lightweight roof tiles are strong, robust and vandal resistant.
• Easier to handle, quicker to install and more attractive than long run roofing sheets.
• Ideal for use with flat to pitch roof conversions.

http://www.decra.co.uk/Products/Decra%20Classic%20Tile.aspx

I can't believe you've just quoted a sales pitch. Our self-appointed "loft conversion" expert has now expanded into extolling the virtues unregulated outbuildings.

Who does that on this forum?

OP, the moment you open it up, there is no question that it has become an extension and subject to building control. It will not add value unless you get it signed off by building control, otherwise it has the potential to do the exact opposite and jeopardise a sale.

I wouldn't touch a lightweight roof with a bargepole. Hugely inflated prices for a substandard product pretending to be something it isn't, attached to a substandard temporary structure. Good money after bad, imho.

Davesnave

My point was in relation to the lack of context. We don't know the size of the conservatory or what roof is planned. It could be some lash-up with Kingspan and plasterboard underneath the existing roof for all anyone knows here. £6k isn't a lot.

You're bumping your thread because the info you provided is minimal and an informed response, impossible.

If the conservatory looks OK and it's 10 years old, then its roughly half way through its lifespan. For that reason, it's maybe appropriate to put a 10 year guaranteed lightweight roof on, so long as you don't expect it to last longer than 10 years, or be equal to a traditionally constructed extension, which it will never be.

sgun

I don't really understand the trend for putting solid roofs on conservatories - surely it impacts on the light levels coming into the space? If you want an extra room get a proper extension done, a conservatory with a solid roof seems pointless.

sevenhills

Doozergirl wrote: »

I can't believe you've just quoted a sales pitch. Our self-appointed "loft conversion" expert has now expanded into extolling the virtues unregulated outbuildings.

Who does that on this forum?

Its information for the OP; I havnt stated its true of false, it bumps the thread to the top, it wasnt getting anyone replying.


If you would like to answer every thread, I wouldnt need to post such information

Davesnave

sgun wrote: »

I don't really understand the trend for putting solid roofs on conservatories - surely it impacts on the light levels coming into the space? If you want an extra room get a proper extension done, a conservatory with a solid roof seems pointless.

The reason we have a conservatory is primarily the loss of light in the living room if we went solid roof. We have friends who 'converted' and the result was a dark disaster in their sitting room. They face north, so doubly unwise.


We face south and on a reasonably sunny morning in winter, like today, the temperature in the well insulated conservatory is similar to that in the living room. If it hadn't clouded-up a short time ago, I'd have opened the doors and grabbed some free heat!

We don't really need the 30m2 of space the conservatory gives us, so it's no problem if it needs heating; we just don't use it then, unless there's some work that needs a lot of space. I bet we'll eat Christmas dinner in it though; that's an exception!

onomatopoeia99

sgun wrote: »

I don't really understand the trend for putting solid roofs on conservatories - surely it impacts on the light levels coming into the space? If you want an extra room get a proper extension done, a conservatory with a solid roof seems pointless.

The reason is to make the space useable for more of the year than March and October for massively less money than demolishing and rebuilding as an extension would cost.

The effect on light levels is very much a case by case thing. If I did it, which I won't (and can't, the structure is only fit for demolition), the difference would be almost nil as I get far more light into my lounge through the windows than I do through the french door to the "conservatory" (it's more like a greenhouse in build quality, insulation and strength).

sgun

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

The reason is to make the space useable for more of the year than March and October for massively less money than demolishing and rebuilding as an extension would cost.

The effect on light levels is very much a case by case thing. If I did it, which I won't (and can't, the structure is only fit for demolition), the difference would be almost nil as I get far more light into my lounge through the windows than I do through the french door to the "conservatory" (it's more like a greenhouse in build quality, insulation and strength).

Yes this is my point really - you buy a house with a conservatory to get cheap extra space by putting a roof on a structure that isn't designed for a roof and isn't designed to last much more than 30 years (if its a good conservatory, less for a poor one). I don't get it. A conservatory is designed to be a light, airy room. Mine doubles as a greenhouse of sorts, just picked the last of the tomatoes a couple of weeks ago.

Why try and make it something it isn't supposed to be? It might be cheaper in the short term but not in the long term. I just heat mine a bit in the winter if I want to use it, it never gets freezing.