Ultraframe LivinRoof review

LivinRoof is a solid replacement roof for an existing conservatory, made by Ultraframe, the Lancashire company behind many of the UK’s glass conservatory roofs. It differs from most tiled systems in one obvious way: it is not tiled. The outside is clad in grey insulated panels with a rolled lead look, and any of those panels can be swapped for glass. Inside you get an insulated, plastered and vaulted ceiling with an insulated pelmet around the edge for lights.

That makes it a hybrid roof: mostly solid and insulated, with daylight where you choose. Some review sites describe LivinRoof as tiled with a 25-year tile warranty. Ultraframe’s own pages describe panels, not tiles, so check that any quote names the product you think you are buying.

Who makes LivinRoof?

Ultraframe (UK) Limited, company number 01765701, was incorporated on 31 October 1983 and is based at Clitheroe in Lancashire. Its founder, John Lancaster MBE, floated it on the London Stock Exchange in 1998, and Latium Holdings took it private in 2006 for £29.2 million. On Companies House today, ownership runs through Latium Roofing Systems, Latium Plastics Enterprises and LPE Holdco to Brian Kennedy, who holds more than 75% of LPE Holdco. Wikipedia puts the workforce at around 400. The main trading company has no insolvency record.

Wikipedia dates LivinRoof’s launch to 2013 (ExpertSure says 2014). Ultraframe also owns the Prefix Systems name, which now trades as a division of Ultraframe, and LivinRoof is sold under the Prefix brand too.

How LivinRoof is built

LivinRoof starts with Ultraframe’s glass roof chassis, which is BBA-certified, and adds thermally broken rafters. Ultraframe describes the rest of the build like this:

• Outside: 25mm insulating panels, either aluminium-faced sandwich panels or U-Tec composite, in RAL7016 grey.
• Inside: two layers of insulation board (90mm plus 25mm Kingspan) on an engineered steel ladder system, then plasterboard and a plaster skim.
• Perimeter: an insulated internal pelmet, 300mm deep as standard and variable up to 1200mm, which can hold downlights or speakers.
• Pitch: 5 to 40.9 degrees, with box gutter spans up to 6m.

The low 5 degree minimum pitch makes it one of the few solid options for a shallow lean-to. Ultraframe says the roof is wind tested to 130mph, and it was fire tested as an assembled structure by Warringtonfire in 2017.

The LivinRoof LABC certificate adds conditions worth knowing. Bi-folding doors under the roof must be bottom supported, not top hung. In Scotland a building warrant is needed in every case. And because research suggests plaster and paper surfaces carry a potential risk of mould (even though surface condensation should not occur), the homeowner must be told the ceiling needs cleaning regularly over the life of the roof and the room ventilated to keep humidity below 80%. The copy of the certificate hosted by Ultraframe shows a validity date “until 6th July 2022”, so ask your installer for the current version.

LivinRoof specifications

Specification	LivinRoof
U-value (maker’s figure)	0.15 W/m²K standard, 0.12 option. LABC certificate build-up and one installer: 0.18
Weight	31 kg/m² including plasterboard (Ultraframe)
Roof pitch	5 to 40.9 degrees
Outside finish	RAL7016 Urban Grey insulated panels with a rolled lead look, not tiles
Gutter and cornice	Black Marley Classic gutter, or a powder-coated cornice in grey, frame-matching or bespoke colours
Glazed options	Glass can replace any grey panel in almost any shape, including triangles, “without additional cost” (Ultraframe); performance glass options
Ceiling	Vaulted plastered ceiling with insulated pelmet; downlights or pendants
Certification	LABC Registered Detail EWS529; pre-approved by MFA and Stroma; JHAI partnership for completion certificates in England and Wales; Warringtonfire B-roof fire rating
Guarantee	10-year parts guarantee; installer warranties vary

LivinRoof cost in 2026

Ultraframe does not publish prices. ExpertSure’s LivinRoof review (May 2026) gives these fitted figures including VAT:

Roof	Fitted price
Overall range	£9,500 to £15,500
Victorian, 15 to 20 m²	£11,500 to £14,000
Edwardian, 14 to 18 m²	£10,500 to £12,500

Our researched range for hybrid roofs in general on a medium conservatory is £6,600 to £12,600 fitted, and branded LivinRoof runs higher than that. Ultraframe says glass panels cost nothing extra, but ExpertSure notes that each glazed panel reduces the U-value advantage. See hybrid roof costs for how prices change with size and style.

Who sells and fits LivinRoof?

Ultraframe sells only through installers: its “Trusted Ultra Installers” and trade fabricators, plus firms buying through Prefix. ExpertSure estimates about 35 approved LivinRoof companies, a smaller network than Guardian’s. Your guarantee, aftercare and building control paperwork run through the local firm. Because the Ultraframe guarantee covers parts, ask the installer what workmanship guarantee they give and whether it is insurance-backed.

LivinRoof problems and reviews

On 27 September 2026, Ultraframe had 4.4 out of 5 from 115 Trustpilot reviews covering all its products: 76% five-star and 21% one-star. The negative reviews mostly concern water getting in at box gutters and flashing years after installation, and some describe intermittent leaks on LivinRoof installations that were fixed only after several service visits. Ultraframe replies to negative reviews.

Other drawbacks come from the design and the paperwork rather than reviews:

• The guarantee is not insurance-backed, according to ExpertSure.
• Glazed panels reduce thermal performance, so a roof with lots of glass will lose more heat.
• The modern grey look will not match a tiled house roof.
• The mould and ventilation conditions on the LABC certificate put some upkeep on you. Our guide to conservatory condensation explains how to keep humidity down.

LivinRoof vs Guardian, UltraRoof, SupaLite and Equinox

	LivinRoof	Guardian	UltraRoof 380	SupaLite	Equinox
Outside finish	Grey panels	Tiles or slate	Tiles or slate	Tiles or slate	Tiles or slate
U-value (maker)	0.15 (0.12 option)	0.15 (England)	0.15	0.15	As low as 0.15
Weight	31 kg/m²	About 55 kg/m² (third party)	38 kg/m²	Under 46 kg/m²	67 kg/m² (third party)
Minimum pitch	5 degrees	Not stated	Not stated	10 degrees (Shingle tiles)	5 degrees (SlateSkin)
Guarantee	10-year parts	10 + 10 years, insurance-backed	10-year parts	10 years	10 years

LivinRoof wins on weight, low pitch and glass flexibility. The tiled systems win if you want the roof to look like part of the house. Compare LivinRoof vs UltraRoof, Ultraframe’s own tiled roof, and Guardian vs LivinRoof, and see our UltraRoof 380 review.

Verdict: who LivinRoof suits

LivinRoof suits you if you want a warm, solid roof but do not want to lose the sky, if your conservatory is a low lean-to, or if you like a contemporary look. It is a good fit for owners who want glass in specific places, such as over a dining table, rather than a roof window or two. It suits you less if you want tiles that match the house or a manufacturer guarantee that is insurance-backed. Our guide to hybrid conservatory roofs covers the wider choice.

When you get quotes, ask each Ultraframe installer for the specified U-value, the current LABC certificate, how many panels will be glazed and what that does to the U-value, and what workmanship guarantee sits alongside Ultraframe’s parts guarantee.