Ultraframe’s UDesign roof software has been used to design over 1 million roofs. The milestone highlights Ultraframe’s ongoing commitment to providing its customers with cutting-edge technology and solutions.
Since its launch in 2010, UDesign has revolutionised how installers configure and price their roofing projects. The platform allows users to create bespoke roof designs for conservatories and extensions with precision and creates 3D renders of the entire structure to show to homeowners during the sales process. The system also ensures the structural integrity of each roof.
Commenting about the 1 million quotes milestone, Ultraframe Marketing Director, Alex Hewitt, said: “When we developed and launched our UDesign software we knew that the functionality would be a great help to our customers when designing and pricing conservatories and extensions. We partnered with renowned industry software specialist, RPS, to create a dedicated solution that would enable them to price, configure, structurally check, and order their roofs all in one place. Over the years UDesign has become an integral part of our partnerships with customers and we are delighted to have reached the milestone of 1 million roofs quoted using the software. Reaching 1 million roof quotes is not just a number, it’s a genuine reflection of our dedication to innovation and excellence for our customers.”
In late 2024, Ultraframe announced that it had acquired RPS, the developer of the UDesign software. This was a strategic purchase which will enable Ultraframe to continue to develop UDesign to meet the future needs of the business and have full control and input into the functionality required by its customers.
Dave Blakeman, Managing Director of RPS said “We’re delighted that Ultraframe has reached this milestone – a million roof quotes represents a huge variety of customer requirements, from the original Classic Roof system through to the current tiled roofs and the new home extension designs involving flat roofs, lanterns and hup! walling. When we first started creating RoofWright and later UDesign, we had no idea that the software would ever be used to this extent, and it’s a great team effort from all involved!”
The most recent development into the UDesign system is the new SAP Checker functionality. This clever new feature takes information about location, shading and other key information about the house into account when creating an extension design. The proposed design can then be entered into the Thermal Design Guide within UDesign to perform a preliminary check and reveal the likelihood of it passing the SAP. The energy performance of each proposed design is compared to that of the ‘notional extension’ and shared with the user, giving the green light to proceed with confidence or an opportunity to make changes to the design as needed to ensure a pass. UDesign users can also enter a target internal temperature or energy cost for a structure and the system will present possible energy improvements/heating cost savings by adding on ‘extras’ such as columns, high-performance glass or an insulated pelmet.
Every roof designed within UDesign is specified by the software to withstand the worst snow and wind loads possible at the installation postcode, calculated using specialist NASA data. This unique feature is a key selling point for Ultraframe customers as it provides the ultimate in reassurance to homeowners about the structural integrity of their roof.
