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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Conservatory roof

23 replies

alwaysgotcold · 28/11/2023 21:45

DH works from home a lot more than he used to. It wasn't working him working at the kitchen table when I'm at home with our toddler, so we decided to save and get the conservatory roof converted so it was warm/cold enough for him to put a table in and work out there.
I left him to choose who did it and to me... it's not made a shit of difference?
It still feels just as cold, and cos he's working out there with the electric heaters it's always damp and 2 weeks in - we've already got mould. This is the roof we've had put in with tiles on the outside.
I'm so upset.. why hasn't it made a difference? I expected it to be a much warmer room and be able to have Christmas dinner out there but there's not a chance unless they want frozen turkey!

Conservatory roof
OP posts:
Original poster
alwaysgotcold · 28/11/2023 21:48

Mould.. it was finished less than a month ago

Conservatory roof
Conservatory roof
Conservatory roof
OP posts:
FuckinghellthatsUnbelievable · 28/11/2023 21:49

Is that plaster properly dry? I think with so many windows it’s always going to be tricky to heat.I’d get a dehumidifier in there.

Original poster
alwaysgotcold · 28/11/2023 21:50

It was finished probably.. 3 weeks ago? I'm not sure if it should be dry by now? I mean it feels dry but I'm no expert. Dehumidifier is a good shout! x

OP posts:
Scarletttulips · 28/11/2023 21:51

It needs to dry out and you need some blinds or curtains to keep the heat in.

Under floor heat mat would be a good idea.

MerCatsSpawScience · 28/11/2023 21:52

I would get the company back out to look at it, is there insulation between the roof and plaster?

The plaster doesn't look dry either?

We had ours done a year ago, but its UPVC on the inside rather than plaster & it has made a massive difference. If you aren't happy I would contact the company first.

Original poster
alwaysgotcold · 28/11/2023 21:54

I assume they have insulated it, they said so and we made it clear we wanted it to be warmer in winter, colder in summer etc.

Was the difference in temperature quite noticeable? I honestly just went and stood out there and it feels just as cold as it ever used to.

I'm wondering if the plaster hasn't dried as it's always so damp with condensation out there now x

OP posts:
MarieG10 · 28/11/2023 21:58

Plaster should be dry by now especially if used plaster board. It looks more like condensation.
The reality is sticking a roof on a room that is mainly glass with low insulation levels won't make much difference. Might be a little cooler in summer but not much different now. I'm sorry to say that when we moved, the first thing that was demolished was the conservatory as for most of the year they are one of two extremes as you have found out and the only answer was a proper extension......but they cost a lot.

MerCatsSpawScience · 28/11/2023 21:59

It's really noticable, I'm not saying I dont need to put a heater on but it holds the heat so much better. 10 minutes after putting the heater on its warm. We have dinner in there each night & I work in there.
I have blinds up, and a huge rug on the floor too which might make a difference. I make sure to pop the heating on regularly though even if im not working to make sure its regularly warm.

Hairspray123 · 28/11/2023 22:01

How did they do it ? Did they take out the old polycarbonate/glass roof or just lay on top?

justasking111 · 28/11/2023 22:03

Ours is a fully insulated roof rather than tiled. Underfloor heating and wall heaters. It's never damp. I think it's the plaster sweating with nowhere to go so would get a dehumidifier.

Original poster
alwaysgotcold · 28/11/2023 22:07

@MarieG10 I think you might be right 😞 we thought this might give us another few years in this house but maybe not.

@MerCatsSpawScience that's exactly what we wanted to do in ours but it's still just too cold, do you have fitted radiators or just the electric plug in ones? I think we'll get blinds and a bigger rug. It's so disappointing.. I expected it to make it like just another room.

@Hairspray123 they completely removed the old plastic roof and put this one on x

@justasking111 I wanted underfloor heating but we couldn't afford/justify it.
I think it def has been sweating.. DH has it like a sauna when he's working in there. I've noticed it does feel like there's a lot more moisture in the air in there since we had it done x

OP posts:
MarieG10 · 28/11/2023 22:08

MerCatsSpawScience · 28/11/2023 21:59

It's really noticable, I'm not saying I dont need to put a heater on but it holds the heat so much better. 10 minutes after putting the heater on its warm. We have dinner in there each night & I work in there.
I have blinds up, and a huge rug on the floor too which might make a difference. I make sure to pop the heating on regularly though even if im not working to make sure its regularly warm.

But that's it. The temperature extremes going cold to hot and then cold as soon as heating goes off. Shouldn't really put a radiator in there attached to the main house system according to building regs although a lot do

Hairspray123 · 28/11/2023 22:17

You need to heat the room and get some ventilation to dry out the plaster properly. When we did ours (not a solid roof but Poly to top rated Galss and new windows there is a huge difference. It was moist in there though initially as we had it plastered. We opened windows etc. We also had bifolds fitted from the attached room which has a small log burner in. Its very easy to heat the two rooms quickly ours is 3mx4m approx. I worked in our old one with Poly roof and now in this one. Blinds help. Look for self fitting perfect fit blinds if cost is a factor

SlipperyLizard · 28/11/2023 22:17

My DH did a DIY job in our conservatory roof, insulation under the original (plastic) roof then covered it with cladding to make it look ok. Made a massive difference to how usable the space was, which makes me question why yours isn’t working. I’d be calling the builders back to explain as I bet it wasn’t cheap!

justasking111 · 28/11/2023 22:18

The dehumidifier does warm up a room anyway. My friend lives in a converted stable block. Her dehumidifier ticks away in the winter.

ChilledToTheBone · 28/11/2023 22:21

Is it a single skin wall.
Or if they insulated it did it have a good damp proof course as if not the damp will rise up from ground. ( ours can't have insulation)

MerCatsSpawScience · 28/11/2023 22:21

It doesn't go cold as soon as I switch the heating off.
I'm not perfect, but it does hold the heat a lot better.

Yes just a plug in heater.

TJCar · 28/11/2023 22:47

We had a solid roof conservatory built and use it year round as our living room. The temperature is always OK, just like the rest of the house (apart from when it's 40C outside then it's too hot). We have blinds all round, and a radiator attached to the central heating system - don't tell the building regs people!!

Ours was finished and plastered in November a few years ago. It took over two weeks for the plaster to dry out. We had a dehumidifier or the windows slightly open to let the moisture out when the sun was on the room. It took a good couple of weeks for the room not to feel damp.

justasking111 · 28/11/2023 23:03

Friends have a dinky log burner in theirs

CranfordScones · 28/11/2023 23:04

If that worked, they'd build entire houses like it. It's still hugely thermally inefficient because of all the glass walls. Get one of those infrared non-contact thermometers (the ones with the laser pointer built in) and point it at the inside of the various surfaces. Then compare it with the walls in another room in the house. And do the floors as well - if it's a tiled concrete floor then that's sucking heat out too.

anon2134 · 28/11/2023 23:11

The roof won't make much of any difference to the temperature of the room because of the amount of glass

The mould is a problem though. I would clean as much off as possible and have several heaters in there to dry it out fully.

ChristmasBarginShop · 28/11/2023 23:18

I agree with some of the other posters, the plaster looks wet - it should be a light pinkish colour. Yours looks patchy, especially in the corners.

You'd need some blinds/ curtains for the windows- I assume they are double glazed.

Also, this sounds strange, but once dry, be mindful of what type of furniture & accessories you use. Some materials like natural wood will help with holding the warmth, carpets/ rugs will be great at insulating the floor and blinds or better proper curtains for the windows.

Iloveanicegarden · 28/11/2023 23:39

It also looks as if you have a high ceiling and that's where any heat will go

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