What winter does to the programme
Fitting a conservatory roof is a job that opens the room to the weather. Old panels or glass come off, the frame is checked and repaired, and the new roof is lowered or built on. During that period rain, wind and frost matter in a way they do not for work on the ground.
Cold affects some materials as well. Sealants and adhesives have a working temperature range given by their maker, and some will not cure well in frost. Wet timber and damp bars hold up fixings and finishes. Short daylight hours also mean fewer working hours each day, so a job takes more days than the same job in June.
None of that stops the work. It means the sequence is arranged so that the roof is opened only when a dry spell is forecast, and closed in again, at least temporarily, before the light goes. We tell you at the survey which stage is the most weather-sensitive for your roof, so you know which day is the one that matters, and what we will do if it turns out wet.
Reading the Manston weather averages
Averages for 1991 to 2020 come from the Met Office's own climate station at Manston. Those averages give a feel for what a winter job might meet, though no single week will match an average.
| Measure | Average |
|---|---|
| Rainfall | About 613 mm a year |
| Days with 1 mm or more of rain | 110.05 a year |
| Air-frost days | 21.43 a year |
| Mean wind at 10 m | 9.86 knots (January 11.21) |
So the station sees 1 mm or more of rain on roughly a third of days across the year, air frost on a few weeks of it, and a January wind a little above the annual mean. A calm, dry day is entirely possible in winter. It is just not guaranteed, and a run of them cannot be promised.
These are averages for Manston, not a forecast for your street. The date for starting is chosen from the forecast close to the day, and moved if the outlook is poor, which is why a firm date months ahead would be a false comfort.
Temporary cover and keeping the room dry
Weather cover is what makes winter work safe for the room. Before the old roof comes off, we plan what will protect the room if rain arrives mid-job.
- Temporary sheeting fixed over the open frame at the close of each working day.
- The new roof delivered and ready, so the opening is closed in one session.
- Furniture, flooring and electrics in the room covered or moved out.
- The door to the house kept shut, so the weather does not reach the house.
Sheeting is a stopgap, not a substitute for the roof, and a strong gust can lift it. That is why the programme avoids stripping the roof on a day when a windy spell is forecast. A conservatory attached to the house also means the junction with the house wall is weathered in as soon as the new flashing goes on.
A new roof falls under the Building Regulations too, so approval and any inspections are arranged before the start and are not squeezed in during bad weather. Our page on conservatory roofs and Building Regulations covers what building control looks at.
Is winter a good time to book?
Winter has one real advantage: a job planned now is ready for spring. A survey, the building control application and the order for a solid roof or glazing units all take time, and starting the paperwork in the colder months means the fitting itself can come at the first settled stretch.
It has one real drawback. If a leak is letting water in now, waiting for better weather costs more in damage than a careful winter job would. A repair to stop an active leak can usually be done in a short dry spell, and the full roof replacement can follow when the weather suits. The repair buys time without committing you to the bigger job, and it lets the frame dry out before anything new is fixed to it. Fixing a new roof to wet, swollen timber is the sort of shortcut that turns up later as a gap.
Our page on how long a conservatory roof takes to fit sets out the days involved, and solid, glass or polycarbonate helps you choose the roof before you book. The full range is on the conservatory roofs page, and the day-by-day plan comes after the survey.
