Conservatory Roof Options: Glass, Polycarbonate and Tiled Compared

Choosing a conservatory roof is the single biggest decision affecting how usable, comfortable and expensive your conservatory turns out to be. The roof drives the temperature, the light, the noise in a downpour and, increasingly, whether the room works as a proper living space all year or bakes in July and freezes in January. There are three main options in 2026: polycarbonate, glass and a solid tiled roof, each at a different price point and with very different results. This guide compares them honestly so you can match the right roof to how you actually want to use the room.

Table of Contents

The three conservatory roof types

Every conservatory roof falls into one of three families. Polycarbonate is the traditional budget choice, a lightweight plastic glazing that has topped conservatories for decades. Glass is the mid-to-premium option, using sealed double-glazed units, often with coatings that manage heat and self-clean. A solid or tiled roof replaces the glazing entirely with an insulated, tiled structure that turns the conservatory into something much closer to a normal room. The right choice depends on your budget, how much natural light you want to keep, and whether comfort in extreme weather matters more to you than cost.

Polycarbonate roofs

Polycarbonate is the cheapest way to roof a conservatory and the reason many older conservatories exist at all. It comes in multiwall sheets of varying thickness, commonly 16mm, 25mm and 35mm, with thicker sheets insulating a little better. Its advantages are clear: it is inexpensive, light, quick to install and lets plenty of light through.

The drawbacks are just as clear, which is why fewer new conservatories choose it. Polycarbonate is a poor insulator, so the room gets hot in summer and loses heat fast in winter. It is noisy in heavy rain and hail. Cheaper grades can discolour or grow algae in the flutes over time, and it offers little in the way of solar control. Polycarbonate makes sense if you want the lowest possible cost, or the conservatory is a lightly used sunroom or plant space where comfort is not the priority.

Glass roofs

A modern glass roof is the natural upgrade and now the default for most new conservatories. It uses sealed double-glazed units, typically with a low-emissivity coating and often an argon-filled cavity, which insulate far better than polycarbonate. Add a solar-control tint and a self-cleaning outer coating and you get a roof that reduces summer overheating, cuts winter heat loss, stays much quieter in the rain, and keeps the sky view a conservatory is meant to offer.

Glass costs more than polycarbonate, both in the units and because the frame must carry the extra weight, so the structure is checked before installation. For most homeowners the extra outlay is worth it: the room stays usable across more of the year, it looks better, and the maintenance is lower. If keeping natural light and an open, airy feel matters to you, glass is usually the sensible middle ground.

Solid and tiled roofs

A solid or tiled roof is the biggest change and the one that transforms how a conservatory feels. Instead of glazing, an insulated, structurally engineered framework is fitted and finished with lightweight tiles or slates outside and a plastered ceiling inside, so the room performs like a proper extension. Lightweight tiled roof systems, including well-known LABC-approved products such as the Guardian Warm Roof and similar systems from other manufacturers, are designed specifically for this conversion.

The payoff is comfort: dramatically better insulation, far less heat loss in winter and much less overheating in summer, plus a quieter, more solid-feeling room you can use every day of the year. The trade-offs are cost and light. A tiled roof is the most expensive option and it removes the overhead glazing, so the room gets darker unless you design in roof windows or roof lanterns to bring daylight back. It also adds weight, which is exactly why it cannot simply be dropped onto the existing frame without checks.

Building regulations and planning

This is the part homeowners most often miss. A conservatory was originally exempt from building regulations because it was a lightly built, largely glazed structure. The moment you replace a glass or polycarbonate roof with a solid tiled roof, you change that, and building regulations approval is required. Building control will want to confirm the existing base and frame can carry the additional load, and the new roof must meet current thermal standards under Part L, which in England means hitting a strict U-value target for the roof.

Some tiled roof systems are LABC system-approved, which streamlines the sign-off, but you still need building control involvement and a completion certificate at the end, because that certificate is what a buyer’s solicitor will ask for when you sell. Planning permission is usually not required for a like-for-like roof replacement, but it can come into play on designated land such as a conservation area, or if the change alters the height or appearance significantly, so check with your council before you commit. Glass and polycarbonate replacements that keep the conservatory as a glazed structure generally do not trigger building regulations in the same way, but confirm your specific case first.

How to choose the right conservatory roof

Work back from how you want to use the room. If it is an occasional sunroom and budget is everything, polycarbonate does the job at the lowest cost. If you want a bright, usable room for most of the year without a major rebuild, a modern glass roof with solar control and low-emissivity coatings is the best all-rounder and where most people land. If the conservatory is currently unbearable in summer and cold in winter and you want a true year-round room, a tiled roof is the answer, provided you budget for the higher cost, factor in building regulations, and design in roof lights to keep it from feeling gloomy. Get more than one quote, ask each installer to confirm the U-value and any building control route, and make sure the structure has been assessed before you sign.

Frequently asked questions

Which conservatory roof is best?

There is no single best roof, only the best for your use. A glass roof is the strongest all-rounder for most homeowners, balancing light, comfort and cost. A tiled roof is best for year-round comfort if you accept less light and a higher price, and polycarbonate is best only where the lowest cost is the priority.

Do I need building regulations to change a conservatory roof?

Yes if you replace a glazed roof with a solid or tiled one, because that removes the conservatory’s original exemption and must meet current thermal and structural standards. A like-for-like glass or polycarbonate replacement usually does not trigger building regulations, but you should confirm your specific case with building control.

Can I put a tiled roof on my existing conservatory?

Often yes, using a lightweight tiled roof system, but the existing base and frame must be assessed first to confirm they can take the extra load. Building control will inspect this as part of approval, and a structurally calculated new framework is fitted rather than tiles being added to the old roof.

Will a solid roof make my conservatory dark?

It reduces natural light because it removes the overhead glazing, so most tiled roof designs include roof windows or a glazed lantern to bring daylight back. Discuss the number and position of roof lights with your installer before the work goes ahead.

Is a glass roof better than polycarbonate?

For almost everyone, yes. Glass insulates better, is far quieter in rain, offers solar control and self-cleaning coatings, and looks better. It costs more and adds weight, but it keeps the room comfortable across more of the year, which polycarbonate struggles to do.

Does a new conservatory roof need planning permission?

Usually not for a straightforward replacement that keeps the same height and footprint. Planning permission can apply on designated land such as a conservation area, or where the change noticeably alters the appearance, so check with your local planning authority before starting.

Rules and thermal standards change, so confirm the building control route for your project with your council or the LABC before you commit. For conservatory costs, orangery comparisons and more home improvement guidance, see the rest of Contemporary Structures.

Conservatory Roof Options: Glass, Polycarbonate and Tiled Compared

The three conservatory roof types

Polycarbonate roofs

Glass roofs

Solid and tiled roofs

Building regulations and planning

How to choose the right conservatory roof

Frequently asked questions

Which conservatory roof is best?

Do I need building regulations to change a conservatory roof?

Can I put a tiled roof on my existing conservatory?

Will a solid roof make my conservatory dark?

Is a glass roof better than polycarbonate?

Does a new conservatory roof need planning permission?

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