Faringdon · 15 July 2026
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Roof Lanterns & Flat Roofs
Roof Lanterns & Flat Roofs
A clean contemporary flat roof paired with a statement aluminium lantern. Architectural daylight from directly overhead, for modern extensions, kitchen diners and open-plan living.
- Personally Surveyed
- Premium Materials
- Professionally Installed
- Insurance-Backed Guarantee
- Free Home Survey
What It Is
An insulated roof with the light put where it is needed.
A warm-deck flat roof is an insulated construction with a continuous weatherproof membrane above it. A lantern is a glazed structure set into that roof, raised above the roof line, bringing daylight in from directly overhead.
The two parts do different jobs. The flat deck is there to insulate and keep water out, quietly and for a long time. The lantern is there to light the room and to give it something to look at.
Why overhead rather than sideways matters more than it sounds. Light from a vertical window falls away quickly as you move away from it, which is why the back of a deep-plan room stays dim no matter how much glass you put in the rear wall. Light from above comes straight down into the middle of the space. In a long kitchen diner that is the difference between a bright room and a bright end of a room.
It is also why we look at where you stand and what you do in the room before we talk about lantern sizes.
Where It Suits
The rooms this is built for.
- Contemporary extensions. Where the architecture is modern, a flat roof and a slim lantern sit more comfortably than a pitched glazed roof.
- Kitchen diners. The part of the room furthest from the doors is usually where you stand and work. Overhead light is what reaches it.
- Open-plan living. A single large space benefits from light arriving in more than one place, and a lantern gives a second source without a second wall of glass.
- Flat-roofed rear additions. An existing flat-roofed addition is often a straightforward candidate for a lantern when the roof is being renewed anyway.
- Conservatories being reworked. Where a conservatory is being turned into something more architectural, a flat roof with a lantern is frequently the answer.
The Lantern
Specified at design stage, not chosen from a shelf.
Aluminium is what makes a modern lantern look the way it does. It is strong enough to carry the glass on slim sections, so the frame reads as a set of fine lines against the sky rather than a heavy grid. Finishes are colour matched, inside and out where the design calls for it, so the lantern belongs to the room as well as to the roof.
Sizing is driven by the opening and the proportions of the room. A lantern that is too small looks like a rooflight that has been apologised for; one that is too large fights the ceiling. Where a wide opening is wanted, additional structure or a multi-section lantern resolves it.
All of that is settled at design stage, drawn and priced, rather than picked from a standard range at the point of ordering.
Honest Guidance
When this is the wrong roof.
This is the right answer for a contemporary look and for deep-plan rooms. It is the wrong answer for a period property, where a tiled warm roof or a glass roof will almost always sit more comfortably against the existing architecture.
We would rather say that plainly than fit something that looks imposed. If the house is period, or if the room is shallow enough that side glazing already lights it well, one of the other two roofs is likely the better project.
Your Existing Structure
What the survey settles.
A lantern and a warm deck weigh more than a polycarbonate or single-skin glass roof, so the existing frames, base, deck and any dwarf wall are assessed properly before anything is ordered. That assessment is part of the free survey, not an extra.
Where the existing structure needs reinforcement, we identify it at survey, specify it, and include it in the fixed written quotation. What we will not do is discover it on installation day and present you with a revised figure.
Occasionally the honest answer is that a particular structure is not a sensible candidate. If that is the case we will say so.
Regulations
Building Regulations and planning.
- Building Regulations apply. Forming a new flat roof or replacing a conservatory roof is notifiable work. Structural calculations, notification and inspection are handled by us as part of the installation, and you receive the certification on completion.
- Planning permission usually does not. Most of this work falls within permitted development. Listed buildings, properties in conservation areas — which covers a great deal of the Cotswolds and the Thames Valley — and unusually large or previously altered structures are the exceptions.
- We will tell you which applies. Your surveyor will set out honestly what your property needs before you commit to anything.
Why Thames Frames
Considered craftsmanship, quietly delivered.
Personally Surveyed
Every project is measured and assessed by an experienced specialist, never a commission-driven salesperson.
No Pushy Sales
We offer considered advice and a fixed written quotation. There is no pressure at any stage.
Professionally Installed
Our fitting teams are directly employed and known for their precision and care.
Premium Products
We specify only proven, high-performance roof systems from trusted British manufacturers.
Attention to Detail
From flashings to plaster finish, every element is completed to a genuinely high standard.
Established & Trusted
Homeowners across Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Berkshire choose Thames Frames on personal recommendation.
Recent Installations
Conservatory roofs we have fitted recently.
Photographs of recent Thames Frames conservatory roof installations, shared from our own Facebook and Instagram.
Meysey Hampton · 13 July 2026
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Highworth · 23 July 2026
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Faringdon · 17 August 2026
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Highworth · 23 July 2026
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Witney · 29 July 2026
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Witney · 29 July 2026
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Kidlington · 20 July 2026
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Newbury · 17 July 2026
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Sandford-on-Thames · 4 August 2026
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From our archive
Recent Projects
Recent conservatory roof projects.
A selection of recent Thames Frames installations completed across Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Berkshire.
Marlborough, Wiltshire
Conservatory transformed with an insulated tiled roof
A fully insulated tiled roof replacing tired polycarbonate, turning a seasonal conservatory into a calm, characterful room used every day of the year.
Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Flat roof and roof lantern above an open-plan extension
A contemporary flat roof paired with a generous aluminium lantern, architectural daylight for an open-plan kitchen extension, beautifully finished inside and out.
Wantage, Oxfordshire
High-performance glass roof on a countryside conservatory
A solar-controlled, thermally efficient glass roof preserves the light and views on a country conservatory, comfortable in summer, warm through winter and beautifully bright year-round.
Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire
Insulated warm roof on a family conservatory
A fully insulated tiled warm roof with a plastered internal ceiling, genuinely warm in winter, cool in summer and pleasingly quiet in the rain.
Burford, Oxfordshire
Glass roof replacement on a Cotswold cottage
A solar-controlled glass roof replacing tired polycarbonate on a Cotswold stone cottage, restoring light, comfort and daily use of the room without altering the character of the property.
Lechlade, Gloucestershire
Flat roof and lantern above a kitchen extension
A clean, contemporary flat roof with a statement lantern above a kitchen extension, considered proportions, precise flashings and a beautifully finished internal ceiling.
Customer Reviews
What homeowners say.
"Absolutely delighted with our new 4-metre aluminium sliding door and roof lantern. The difference they’ve made to the room is incredible — it’s brighter, more spacious and has completely transformed the look of the house."
Maverick Litchfield-Kelly
Google review
"Really pleased with our replacement conservatory, new roof and glazing. It’s made such a difference and has completely transformed the space. The quality is great and everything was fitted really well. The whole job was straightforward and we’re really happy with how it’s turned out. Would definitely recommend Thames Frames."
Martin Delves
Google review
"After a recommendation, we got our front door and conservatory roof done by Thames Frames. Couldn't be happier with the work so far and will definitely be back for our windows."
Charlie Barker
Google review
Related
Explore more from Thames Frames.
Frequently Asked Questions
Roof lanterns and flat roofs, your questions answered.
A glazed structure set into a flat roof, raised above the roof line so daylight comes into the room from directly overhead. Modern lanterns are aluminium framed with slim sightlines and solar-controlled sealed units, and they are designed around the opening rather than bought off a shelf.
Free Home Survey
Light From Directly Above
Arrange a complimentary home survey with one of our roof specialists. We will look at the structure, the room and where the daylight needs to land, and leave you with a fixed written quotation and no pressure at any stage.
Free Home Survey
Book Your Free Lantern & Flat Roof Survey
Share a few details and a roof specialist will be in touch within one working day. No pressure, no pushy sales.