Ultraframe glass roof review

Ultraframe’s Glass Roof is the system that used to be sold as the Ultraframe Classic, and it sits on a large share of UK conservatories. It is an aluminium glazing bar roof with PVC-U or aluminium claddings, glazed with double glazed sealed units or polycarbonate. Ultraframe says it has supplied over 1.5 million roofs in 35 years, and its replacement roofs page says over 1 million glass replacement roofs.

If your conservatory is too hot or too cold but you want to keep the sky, a modern glass roof with performance glass is the main alternative to going solid. This page covers the Ultraframe system and the glass that goes in it.

Who makes the Ultraframe glass roof?

Ultraframe (UK) Limited, company 01765701, was incorporated in 1983 and is based at Clitheroe in Lancashire. Founded by John Lancaster MBE and floated in 1998, it was taken private by Latium Holdings in 2006. Wikipedia says its roof was the first roofing system to obtain BBA approval, in 1996, and that the company holds more than 80 patents. The main trading company has no insolvency record.

The Latium purchase brought the Wendland glass roof with it, and Ultraframe bought the Quantal aluminium roof in 2012. Ultraframe also owns the Prefix Systems name, whose glass roof is described with the same features. For a solid alternative from the same maker, see our LivinRoof review.

How the Ultraframe Glass Roof is built

Ultraframe’s technical guide describes:

• Aluminium glazing bars with chambered PVC-U top caps (or aluminium claddings) and twin bolts.
• A die-cast aluminium ridge hub with click-fit “Speedloks”, anchor clips and glazing retention clips, so there is no cutting or drilling on site.
• A one-piece, high-strength aluminium eaves beam.
• Engineering for each roof based on the postcode’s wind and snow loads.

Ridge pitches run from 15 to 40 degrees, and a low-pitch eaves beam allows 2.5 degrees on a lean-to. Ultraframe says the roof is tested watertight in winds up to 130mph. Standard colours are white, mahogany and grey, with the aluminium version available in Satin Black, Anthracite Grey, White or any RAL colour, and woodgrain foils in rosewood, light oak and mahogany. An insulated internal pelmet can be added around the edge for spotlights and a more finished look.

Glass options, U-values and light

All Ultraframe roof glass is self-cleaning, toughened and double glazed as standard: 24mm units with a 16mm argon-filled gap and a warm edge spacer. Its roof glass guide (August 2023) lists:

Glass	U-value (W/m²K)	Light let in	Solar heat rejected
Ultimate Blue	1.0	24%	82%
Aqua 4S	1.0	28%	81%
Neutral 4S	1.0	38%	70%
Bronze 4S	1.0	42%	66%
Blue 4S	1.0	48%	67%
Clear 4S	1.0	65%	52%
Standard range (Aqua to Clear)	1.2	32% to 77%	30% to 76%
25mm / 35mm polycarbonate (clear)	1.7 / 1.3	65% / 51%	Not self-cleaning

The trade-off is light against heat. Ultraframe advises high light transmission glass for north or east facing rooms and high solar rejection glass for south or west facing ones. Our guide to solar control glass explains the choice.

Ultraframe glass roof specifications

Specification	Ultraframe Glass Roof
Glazing	24mm to 35mm glass; 25mm or 35mm polycarbonate
U-value	Glass 1.0 or 1.2; polycarbonate 1.7 (25mm) or 1.3 (35mm)
Pitch	15 to 40 degrees; 2.5 degrees on lean-tos
Weight	Not published
Certification	BBA approval; pre-approved by MFA Building Control; glass toughened to BS EN 12150-1
Guarantee	10-year parts guarantee; roof glass units 10 years; installation warranty depends on the installer

Related Ultraframe products include the Quantal aluminium roof (U-value 1.1 to 1.5 with high specification units, adjustable to 2.5 degrees, suited to aluminium bi-folds), the Wendland Glass Roof (pitches from 5 to 41 degrees, lean-to projections up to 5.9m) and the Ultrasky roof, a lantern-style glazed roof with an insulated pelmet that gives an orangery look inside. For a fuller orangery conversion, see our separate guide.

Ultraframe glass roof cost in 2026

Ultraframe does not publish installed prices; quotes come through installers. ExpertSure’s market bands for a solar control glass roof (April 2026) are:

Size	Fitted price
Small, 3m x 3m	£3,300 to £5,200
Medium, 4m x 4m	£4,500 to £7,500
Per m² installed	£350 to £550

Those figures include materials, labour, scaffolding if needed and waste removal. Our researched range for a medium glass roof is £3,500 to £7,000 fitted, typically about £5,200. See our glass roof cost guide.

Who sells and fits Ultraframe glass roofs?

Ultraframe sells through installers and trade fabricators. Its “Find an Installer” locator lists “Trusted Ultra Installers” that Ultraframe says are “tested and assessed for their competency”. The installer designs the roof in Ultraframe’s software, orders it and gives the workmanship guarantee.

For building regulations, a like-for-like glazed roof on a conservatory that stays exempt (ground level, not over 30 m², separated from the house and not on the house heating) is normally exempt from the regulations. A solid roof is not.

Reported problems and reviews

Ultraframe had 4.4 out of 5 from 115 Trustpilot reviews on 27 September 2026 (76% five-star, 21% one-star). Low-star reviews mention water getting in at box gutters and lead flashing years after installation; one 2023 reviewer described staining below a box gutter on a 2015 conservatory, and Ultraframe replied asking for details. These relate to installation details rather than a documented product defect.

Points that apply to glass roofs generally:

• A failed sealed unit (misting between the panes) cannot be repaired. ExpertSure puts replacement at £300 to £600 a panel, including labour and scaffolding.
• Pilkington says self-cleaning coatings need at least a 10 degree pitch, and they can be spoiled by ordinary silicone sealant.
• Glass still loses more heat than a solid roof. In an April 2026 Which? survey, 24% of conservatory owners said the temperature was hard to regulate.

Ultraframe glass vs other roofs

A glass roof keeps the light and costs less than a solid roof, but a tiled roof insulates far better (0.15 against 1.0 at best). See tiled vs glass. Liniar also makes a glazed roof system; see our Liniar review for the differences.

Verdict: who an Ultraframe glass roof suits

It suits you if you want to keep the view of the sky, your conservatory is north or east facing, or you want a lower-cost upgrade from polycarbonate with self-cleaning glass as standard. It suits you less if the room overheats badly, if you want it truly warm in winter, or if the pitch is shallow and you are relying on self-cleaning glass. Read our guide to glass conservatory roofs for the full picture.

When you get quotes, ask each installer which glass grade they are quoting (4S or Standard), its light transmission and solar rejection figures, and what workmanship guarantee they add to Ultraframe’s parts guarantee.