HOW TO HIRE · TRADES & CONSTRUCTION

How to hire a conservatory installer in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Whether a conservatory needs approval depends on its design — ask building control. The checks, the base and roof questions, and the paperwork.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a conservatory installer in five steps

  1. Ask building control firstWhether your conservatory design needs approval, and whether planning is needed.
  2. Check the baseFoundations and dwarf walls sized for the structure.
  3. Choose roof and glazingGlass, polycarbonate or solid roof, and the glazing spec.
  4. Agree the doors to the houseKeeping external-quality doors between house and conservatory can matter.
  5. Keep the paperworkAny approval, glazing certificates and guarantees.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

There is no statutory licence or register for conservatory installers in any of the four nations, so for the conservatory build the legal checks sit on the work: building regulations approval, or a building warrant in Scotland, where one applies. Ask who insures the trader doing the conservatory build and for how much; public liability is standard. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 covers the conservatory build when the provider is a trader, and a contract made off-premises or online can usually be cancelled within 14 days under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 — less what was done if you asked for an early start, and not at all for goods made to your specification.

Find out early whether the conservatory build needs approval or a warrant, and whose name is on the application. Ask for the insurance certificate before the conservatory build is booked, and look for the trader and ID-checked badges on the Locufy profile. gov.uk →

Building regulations approval

Whether the conservatory build needs building regulations approval depends on its design, so ask building control before you sign; gov.uk lists replacing windows and doors as work that does need approval. Under a full plans application in England, building control should issue the completion certificate for the conservatory build within 8 weeks of the work ending, if it meets the regulations.

Before the conservatory build begins, ask to see the building control approval or reference. gov.uk →

FENSA or CERTASS

Replacing windows or doors in the house as part of the conservatory build is notifiable work in England; an installer on a scheme such as FENSA or CERTASS self-certifies it.

Ask whether any house windows or doors will be replaced, and for the scheme certificate. fensa.org.uk →

Building warrant (Scotland)

A building warrant, where the conservatory build requires one in Scotland, is the owner's responsibility rather than the builder's; going without risks a fine and an order to remove the work. In Northern Ireland, council building control must hear about the conservatory build before it starts.

In Scotland, see the warrant before the conservatory build begins; in Northern Ireland, ask for the building control reference. mygov.scot →

VAT

Building a conservatory onto a home is standard-rated, so VAT is 20%; a firm with taxable turnover over £90,000 must be VAT-registered, charge that 20% and show it as a separate line on the quote and invoice.

Ask for the VAT number, and look for VAT as its own line on the conservatory contract. gov.uk →

“Does this conservatory need building regulations approval?”

A good answer: A clear answer after checking with building control, not a blanket 'conservatories are exempt'.

“What foundations will the conservatory base have?”

A good answer: Depth and type for the ground, with dwarf walls built to suit.

“Which roof and glazing will you use?”

A good answer: Named products, and how the room will stay usable in summer and winter.

“Will the doors between house and conservatory stay?”

A good answer: An answer that explains why it matters for approval.

“Who replaces any house windows or doors?”

A good answer: A scheme installer who self-certifies, in England.

“What guarantee covers the conservatory?”

A good answer: Workmanship and product guarantees, in writing.

Getting the quote right

  • Size, style and frame material
  • Base, foundations and dwarf walls
  • Roof type and glazing specification
  • Electrics and heating if included
  • Who actually attends — the base builders and the frame fitters, employed or subcontracted — and the business's VAT number, with VAT at 20% shown as its own line
  • The guarantees

Walk away if

  • Says every conservatory is exempt without asking about yours
  • Base with no foundation detail
  • Removes the doors to the house without discussing approval
  • Doorstep sale with a one-day price
  • Large deposit for a made-to-measure product with no written terms
LOW
£8,500
TYPICAL
£15,000
HIGH
£32,000

What a conservatory installer costs: £8,500–£32,000 per project

Conservatories are quoted per project; style, size, frame material and the roof make most of the difference, with the base and dwarf walls adding to it. Conservatory Installer price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Conservatory installers near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Survey and approvalsMeasurements, ground, and building control and planning checked.
  2. BaseFoundations, slab and dwarf walls built.
  3. FrameFrames erected and fixed.
  4. Roof and glazingRoof and glazed units fitted and sealed.
  5. Finish and hand overElectrics, flooring, final checks and paperwork.

Dwarf wall
The low brick wall the frames sit on.
Lean-to
A conservatory with a single-sloped roof.
Solid roof
A tiled or insulated roof in place of glass.
Low-E glass
Coated glass that reduces heat loss.
Thermal separation
Doors or a wall keeping the conservatory apart from the heated house.
FENSA / CERTASS
Schemes whose installers self-certify replacement windows and doors.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the paperworkAny approval or completion certificate, glazing certificates and guarantees.
Check the sealsAfter rain, the roof and frames dry.
Keep the doors as agreedChanging them later can affect approval.
Leave the reviewOnly booked jobs can be reviewed on Locufy, so yours carries weight; if the conservatory build falls short, use the make-it-right step first and the provider is asked to fix it before the review is published.

STEP 1Give the installer a written chance to fix itMost problems with the conservatory build are settled at this stage: say what is wrong, attach photos and set a fair deadline. If the conservatory build fell below reasonable care and skill, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 entitles you to have it redone or to pay less.
STEP 2Use Locufy's make-it-right stepRate the conservatory build under four stars and you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then the review goes up.
STEP 3Unapproved or dangerous workAn approval that was needed for the conservatory build and never obtained is taken up by the council: building control in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or in Scotland the building standards service, which holds the owner responsible for the warrant. For a dispute about the conservatory build with the trader, Trading Standards is reached through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, or Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Money still in disputeIf the conservatory build is still not settled, you can claim without a solicitor: the small claims track takes claims up to £10,000 in England and Wales, simple procedure up to £5,000 in Scotland, and the small claims court up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a conservatory installer: questions people ask

It depends on its design and how it is separated from the house; ask building control before you sign. Replacing house windows or doors does need approval in England.

No licence applies; glazing installers can join schemes such as FENSA or CERTASS to self-certify replacement windows and doors.

£8,500–£32,000 a project, typically around £15,000. Style, size, frame material and the roof make most of the difference. How the figure is built up is in the Conservatory Installer price guide; search by postcode above to see what conservatory installers near you quote.

Possibly; planning permission and building regulations approval are separate.

A conservatory made to your specification is outside the usual 14-day cancellation right under regulation 28 of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013; read the terms before signing.

Replacing a glass roof with a solid one is a structural change; ask building control.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in trades & construction

How to hire: Orangery BuilderHow to hire: Window & Double Glazing InstallerHow to hire: BuilderHow to hire: House ExtensionHow to hire: GroundworksHow to hire: BricklayerHow to hire: Door InstallerHow to hire: Flooring InstallerAll 701 hiring guides →

Conservatory installers near you

Conservatory installers in LondonConservatory installers in ManchesterConservatory installers in BirminghamConservatory installers in GlasgowConservatory installers in BelfastAll conservatory installers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. gov.uk — building regulations approval (England)
  2. gov.uk — building regulations: how to apply
  3. FENSA — replacement windows and doors
  4. CERTASS — competent person scheme for windows and doors
  5. mygov.scot — if a builder is doing the work for you
  6. nidirect — how to apply for Building Regulations approval
  7. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 54 — what you can ask for when a service falls short
  9. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 30 — the 14-day cancellation period
  10. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 28 — contracts the cancellation right does not cover
  11. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 36 — services started within the cancellation period
  12. Civil Procedure Rules Part 26 — the small claims track limit (England and Wales)
  13. Scottish Courts and Tribunals — making a claim under simple procedure
  14. nidirect — the small claims process (Northern Ireland)
  15. Buildings and construction (VAT Notice 708) — 2.1 Construction services: work to an existing building is normally standard-rated
  16. GOV.UK — VAT rates
  17. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register