The short answer
Swapping a polycarbonate or glass roof for a like-for-like replacement is often a matter of days. A solid or tiled roof takes longer, because the frame may need strengthening and the roof is built in layers. The approval stage before work starts, and drying or finishing afterwards, can add time on top of the days on site.
A realistic way to think about the timeline
People usually ask about the days on site, but a conservatory roof job has three parts: the lead-up, the build and the finishing. The build is the shortest of the three for a simple roof. The lead-up and finishing are where timings drift.
The lead-up covers the survey, the written quote, choosing materials, ordering a roof made to measure and, for a solid roof, the building control application. Made-to-measure sheets, glass units and roof panels are produced after the frame has been measured, so a delivery date is part of the plan. The finishing covers internal plastering or ceiling work, decoration and any snagging.
We give no start date or duration before the survey, because both hinge on what the frame and roof turn out to need. Dates are agreed with you after the quote is accepted and the materials are confirmed.
Typical durations by roof type
The figures below are general expectations for a conservatory of ordinary size and a frame in sound condition, not a promise. They describe days of work on site, not the time from first call to completion.
| Roof type | What the build involves | Typical time on site |
|---|---|---|
| Replacement polycarbonate sheets | Remove old sheets, check bars and gaskets, fit new sheets | One to two days |
| New glass roof | Remove old roof, fit new bars if needed, lift in glass units | Two to four days |
| Lightweight tiled roof | Strip old roof, fit new rafters and insulation, tile, flash, finish | About a week or more |
| Solid roof with internal ceiling | As above, plus plasterboard, plastering and electrics | One to two weeks, plus drying |
A large, many-faceted conservatory, such as a Victorian or Edwardian design with several angles, takes longer than a plain lean-to with the same floor space, because every extra facet means more cutting, flashing and bars to seal. Our page on solid roof extensions explains why an extension-style build is a longer project.
What adds time before the build
Putting on a solid roof counts as material alteration work in Homebuilding & Renovating's words, and it needs a building control application. Swindon Borough Council runs its own building control team, and a registered building control approver is the private alternative. Both take time to process, and the roof cannot go on until the plans are accepted. When a notification is needed we arrange it and explain each consent, so you are not left chasing paperwork.
Planning is a separate question. The Planning Portal regards most roof alterations as permitted development, with permission becoming a question only for bigger visible changes. A listed building or an Article 4 direction area adds more checks, and can add weeks. Our guide to planning for a solid conservatory roof sets this out.
Frame problems are the other cause of delay. If the survey finds rot, rusted steel or movement, the frame is repaired or reinforced first. That can add days, and sometimes the decision to replace the whole structure.
What happens on the days we are there
Whatever the roof, the sequence follows a pattern. We protect the floor and furniture, set up access, and strip the old roof from the top down. The frame and the wall plate then get checked and repaired, and the new roof goes on in the order its layers require.
With polycarbonate, the sheets drop into prepared bars and are capped and sealed. If the old sheets are damaged, a repair job may be as small as the single panel covered in our page on replacing a polycarbonate sheet. With a solid roof, the sequence is longer: rafters, insulation, membrane, battens, tiles and flashings, then the ceiling inside.
The roof is kept weathertight as the job goes on, which is why weather matters more to a solid build than to a quick sheet swap. A wet week can pause a stage without ruining it.
After the roof is on
A newly plastered ceiling needs time to dry before it is painted, and a decorator may want a few days or longer. Electrical work for lights, fans or a roof window motor is finished at this stage. Building control may want to inspect at set points, such as before the ceiling is closed, and the completion certificate follows afterwards.
Keep that certificate with your records, since it matters for insurance and for a future sale. Our workmanship guarantee runs for 10 years, in writing, from completion, and rubbish from the old roof leaves with us.
Getting a date you can plan around
The survey is the step that turns estimates into specifics. We photograph the roof and frame and explain what each option involves, and the written quote follows. Dates then depend on the approvals and on when the materials arrive. Smaller jobs, such as a gasket change or a single sheet, can be fitted into a diary far faster than a full rebuild, and we tell you which category your roof falls into. Our page on the regulations for conservatory roofs shows what to expect from the approval side, and the main conservatory roof replacement page outlines the options.
If you have a deadline, such as a family event or a sale, tell us at the start so the plan is built around it. The office number is 01793 626096, and WhatsApp or the enquiry form reach us just as well.