LEKA vs SupaLite: which conservatory roof is better?

LEKA and SupaLite are both UK tiled warm roof systems sold through independent installers, and both appeal to people who want a lighter, warmer roof than a traditional build. They are made quite differently. SupaLite, made in Preston, uses an aluminium frame with timber battens and plywood. LEKA, from Cardiff, uses a patented frame of GRP (glass reinforced plastic) with no aluminium, steel or timber at all.

On the published figures LEKA is lighter, claims a lower U-value and carries a far longer product warranty. SupaLite has the better documented glass options and a clearer idea of price. We have not tested either roof, and many of these figures are the makers’ own claims.

LEKA vs SupaLite at a glance

	LEKA Warm Roof	SupaLite Tiled Roof
Maker	Leka Systems Ltd, Cardiff (company 09504332); made by UK manufacturing partners	SupaLite Tiled Roof Systems Ltd, Preston (company 06930456)
Construction	Patented GRP ring beam, rafters and ridge; rigid PIR insulation core, LEKA external boards, insulated internal boards or plasterboard	Aluminium frame, eaves ring beam and ridge, timber battens; 100mm insulation between rafters plus a 25mm layer, plywood, membrane, insulated plasterboard
U-value (W/m²K)	From 0.10 depending on specification (LEKA); 0.12 to 0.15 quoted elsewhere	0.15 standard, 0.12 enhanced
Weight	No maker figure; about 34 kg/m² (third-party sites)	Under 46 kg/m² (SupaLite); 40 to 49 kg/m² on third-party sites
Roof finish	Tapco Slate, Britmet LiteSlate, Metrotile shingle, Britmet tile	ExtraLight Classic, ExtraLight Shingle, Tapco Slate
Glazed options	LEKA Skylite glazed section	One or two SkyVista solar control panels, SkyVista Glow heated glass, vents and roof windows
Certification	MFA Building Control type approval with a certificate per installation; GRP to BS EN13706; JHAI approved (per Modplan)	Stroma building control approval; LABC Registered Detail EW277 (2014 to 2016, current status not confirmed)
Guarantee	40-year component and 40-year tile warranty; parts not supplied by LEKA excluded	10 years (product page); other sources differ
Installer network	350+ trained installers (LEKA claim)	About 30, mostly North West (ExpertSure estimate)
Typical fitted price	No LEKA price found; ExpertSure’s general tiled figure for a 4m x 4m Victorian is £8,000 to £12,000	From £10,000 plus VAT for 10 m² (ExpertSure); £900 to £1,350 per m² installed (ConservatoryCost.com)

Which is warmer, LEKA or SupaLite?

LEKA claims the lower figure, saying U-values are available from 0.10 W/m²K depending on specification. Modplan, which sells LEKA roofs, quotes 0.12 for conservatories, and other sites quote 0.15, so ask what your particular build achieves. SupaLite quotes 0.15 as standard and 0.12 enhanced. Its LABC Registered Detail from 2014 stated 0.18, so an old brochure may show a higher figure.

LEKA also says its GRP frame avoids the cold bridging of an aluminium frame. That is the maker’s argument, not a tested comparison. Either roof, built to 0.15 or better, meets the England limit for a new roof and is a big improvement on glass or polycarbonate. Our guide to tiled conservatory roofs explains what to expect from any solid roof.

Weight and structure

LEKA is the lighter roof on the figures available. Third-party sites put it at about 34 kg/m². SupaLite says its roof is under 46 kg/m², and a 2022 third-party comparison put it at 49 kg/m², heavier than LEKA. LEKA does not publish a kg/m² figure and its own wording varies: its home page says the roof weighs about 10% to 12% of the glass roof it replaces, while its installer guide says similar to or lighter than a glass roof.

The fixing methods differ. LEKA’s GRP ring beam sits directly on the frames with no packers and is screwed up through the frame heads. SupaLite’s guide fits timbers to the window heads first, and shows support mullions fixed inside its eaves beam where extra support is needed.

LABC says frames built for polycarbonate may not have the steel reinforcement to carry a heavier roof, and inspectors check with pilot holes or a magnet. A lighter roof reduces the extra load but does not skip that check. See our guide to whether a conservatory can take a solid roof.

Looks and finishes

Both give a tiled look outside and a plastered ceiling inside.

• LEKA: Tapco Slate, Britmet LiteSlate, Metrotile shingle or Britmet tile. LEKA says several colours are available but does not list them.
• SupaLite: ExtraLight Classic, a recycled polymer tile in black; ExtraLight Shingle, stone-coated steel in Charcoal, Ember or Walnut; or Tapco Slate in six colours.

SupaLite’s ExtraLight Shingle is approved down to a 10 degree pitch, which helps with shallow lean-tos. SupaLite has also offered a flat ceiling with a lighting pelmet and a timber-effect tongue and groove finish inside. LEKA’s ceiling is its own insulated boards or plasterboard, skimmed.

Light: what glass can you have?

SupaLite has the better documented option. Its SkyVista panels are solar control, self-cleaning glass fitted as one or two panels in Edwardian, Victorian and lean-to roofs. SupaLite says they reflect up to 60% of the sun’s heat and let through up to 47% of the light (45% on its product page). SkyVista Glow adds heated glass that SupaLite says costs about 9p an hour per panel to run at 25p per kWh. Vents and roof windows are also available.

LEKA offers Skylite, a glazed section it says can be tailored to suit areas of the roof. It has not published light, solar or U-value figures for it, so ask your installer for them.

Guarantees, and what happens if your installer stops trading

LEKA’s warranty is the longest we found: 40 years on LEKA components and 40 years on tiles. Products in the roof that LEKA did not supply directly are excluded, so ask which parts of your build that covers.

SupaLite’s terms are less clear. Its product page says 10 years. Green Oak, a SupaLite installer, quotes a 15-year manufacturer warranty and 25 years on tiles, while SupaLite says Tapco Slate carries a 10-year tile guarantee as standard. ExpertSure says SupaLite does not publish its warranty terms. SupaLite also refers to an “Installer Guarantee” when an approved installer fits the roof.

With both brands the workmanship guarantee comes from the installer, not the maker. If the installer stops trading, an insurance-backed guarantee from an FCA-regulated provider is what keeps that cover in place. We did not find insurance backing described by either maker, so ask each installer directly. Keep deposits to 25% or less and pay by credit card where you can. Our guarantees guide explains the options.

Price and value for money

SupaLite is the easier to price. ExpertSure reports a published price of “from £10,000 plus VAT for 10 m²” (£12,000 with VAT), although we could not find it on SupaLite’s own site. ConservatoryCost.com gives £900 to £1,350 per m² installed, and Green Oak quotes £1,100 to £1,300 per m² plus VAT.

We found no LEKA-specific price. ExpertSure’s general figure for a tiled roof on a 4m x 4m Victorian conservatory is £8,000 to £12,000, and our own 2026 range for a fitted tiled roof on a medium conservatory (about 4m x 3.5m) is £7,400 to £12,100, typically about £9,600. See tiled roof costs for the extras that change a quote.

Reported problems

These are reports from review sites and records, attributed. We have not verified individual cases.

• LEKA: we found no Trustpilot profile, and the main homeowner forums blocked our checks, so we have no pattern of complaints to report. That is not proof there are none. LEKA’s install count and network size are its own claims.
• SupaLite: its Trustpilot profile is unclaimed with no reviews, and its website shows a Google rating of 4.1. ExpertSure notes the smaller installer network concentrated in the North West. Companies House lists many regional companies using the SupaLite name, most dissolved, with no confirmed link to the maker, so check your installer’s own trading status.

With so little public feedback on either, the installer’s own reviews and track record matter most.

LEKA or SupaLite: which should you choose?

• Your frames are borderline for weight: LEKA, subject to a survey.
• You want the lowest U-value: LEKA, if the installer confirms the figure for your build in writing.
• You want the longest product warranty: LEKA’s 40 years, checking the exclusions.
• You want a glass panel with published performance, or heated glass: SupaLite with SkyVista or SkyVista Glow.
• You want a rough price before a survey: SupaLite, which has per m² figures from an installer and cost sites.
• You live in the North West: SupaLite’s installers are concentrated there; elsewhere, check who covers your area.

Read our LEKA review and SupaLite review for more on each. When you get quotes, ask each installer for the U-value in writing, who handles building control, and who backs the workmanship guarantee if they stop trading. Our guide to comparing quotes has a full checklist.