Conservatories For All

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In recent years it has become very popular for homeowners to add a conservatory onto their home. The main advantage to building on a conservatory is that it gives you extra space. In better economic times many property owners would have been tempted to sell their existing home and to buy a larger residence if they had a need for extra living space due to the fact that their family had got bigger for example. However now that the property market is suffering somewhat, it is important that homeowners have the option of increasing the square footage of their existing properties.

To this end conservatories are an excellent extension option. This is because they are the best value for money per square foot extension that you can get. They also are very different to traditional extensions in many ways. Most conservatories comprise three or possibly four glazed walls and a glazed roof and this means that a conservatory will be a very bright room which has attractions for the inhabitants of the home throughout the year.

Not only are conservatories good value if you purchase them from a manufacturer and have them built on your property, you can even go one better than this. If you are a home improvement buff or have any experience with regard to DIY or building projects, you can purchase one of the many DIY conservatories that are on the market and in this way cut your building costs to the absolute minimum.

Getting a builder in to build your conservatory for you means obviously that you are going to have to pay his costs and also his profit. By cutting out the middleman and building your own conservatory you will not only be able to keep costs down, but you will also have the knowledge that the job has been completed to a high standard. It is a fact that much of the work that goes on with regard to constructing a conservatory is invisible to the naked eye. Foundations have to be of good quality and there should be a good base under the conservatory. In addition to this it is important that any drainage pipes that need to be laid are done so properly. What better way to ensure that all of these jobs are carried out to a high standard than by doing them yourself.

In addition to saving money there is a lot of pride in being able to carry out a project such as building your own conservatory. It will not be easy, but then nothing that is worthwhile is ever going to be easy. If you have very little knowledge of building yourself, there is nothing to stop you obtaining the help of some friends who have knowledge in this field. You could also decide to hire a neighbor or associate who possibly has retired from building and would be able to oversee the work while you do the manual labour.

With regard to your money, it is a very attractive option to have control over the amount you spend on your conservatory and also to have control over the speed at which you spend it. By taking on the project of erecting your own DIY conservatory you can dictate how quickly or slowly you want the project to proceed. You could decide for example to dig out the site, lay the drainage pipes and put in the foundations this year and then wait until next year and until you have replenished your funds before you finish the project.

If you build your own conservatory there are various advantages to be had. However you would either need to have some knowledge of the building process yourself, or be willing to take advice from someone who does before embarking on such a project. The worst-case scenario would be for you to commence building your own DIY sunroom and then find you have not this skills nor the assistance to be able to finish it properly.

One of the greatest tests put to owners of conservatories is how to shade them properly so that light can get through to the interior of the sunroom, without too much glare and heat making them uncomfortable on hot or very sunny days.

Pinoleum blinds were probably the first sort of window blinds that were produced and were being used in homes as early as the 19^th century.  These blinds comprise strips of reed, bamboo or wood that are placed horizontally side by side and are then woven together to form a blind.  They can also be known as woodweave or woven blinds.

By using materials of different thickness and coarseness and by using different patterns to weave the material together, shading of different intensity can be achieved in a conservatory, ranging from a very soft shading to shading of almost blackout standard.

In general pinoleum blinds are supposed to allow in light while blocking the harshest of the sun’s rays and mostly the shading from pinoleum blinds gives and attractive dappled look to the interior of a sunroom when the blinds are lowered.

Different materials used in the production of these blinds give different light effects and also can have different effects on the heat entering into the room.  Harder materials such as bamboo and wooden slats are better at blocking light as they remain more rigid than flimsier materials such as cloth and reeds.  These harder materials may also be more successful at blocking heat from entering the sunroom.

These blinds can come in their natural state which is very attractive and gives an eco-friendly feel to a room.  They can also be varnished in order to heighten the patina of the timber or reeds.  Other homeowners choose the option of having the timber slats, reeds or bamboos painted in order to tie in with a decorative theme or existing color scheme.

Pinoleum roller blinds and roll up blinds are the two most popular types of  blinds for sale on the market.  Both of these types work well, are very effective and would be available as ready made blinds or as made to measure options.  You can also purchase these blinds as blackout roller blinds if you want to keep light out of a room.  As with other types of blinds such as Vertical or Venetian Blinds, these pinoleum blinds can be worked from a cord or rod system and can also be operated remotely, which is very useful if the blinds are in an inaccessible location or if the operator has mobility difficulties.

When decorating conservatories one should note that pinoleum blinds are especially sought after as roof conservatory blinds as they do not droop or sag in the centre, which is often a failure of softer blind types.  If the materials that are used in the blinds can be sourced from a managed harvesting sources and forests, then there is no doubt that purchasing these blinds will be definitely beneficial to the environment.

One of the problems that homeowners can face with pinoleum blinds is that they are not the most effective blind at stopping heat from entering into a sunroom or conservatory.  In order to solve this special glazing should be used so that the blinds are there more for decorative purposes.  Alternatively the blinds can be used with another product that is more successful at blocking heat.

Purchasing double glazed windows and doors can be a very rewarding experience as installing the proper units can have many benefits for your home.  In addition to improved insulation and thermal capacity double glazing will make your home more secure, safer, and better able to repel noise pollution.

In addition to these factors, having double glazed windows will improve the chances of you selling your home successfully, should you decide to do so.  However it is important to get the best double glazing quote before you commit to purchasing new windows and doors.  uPVC double glazing is the most popular type of glazing, but you can get timber or aluminum double glazed windows also.

There are many different double glazing prices being quoted for products that often look the very same.  So what makes one brand or type of window better than another? It is important to carry out a lot of research if you want to get ahead of the game when it comes to selecting double glazing.  This is not that difficult to do and the best place to start is online.  You can peruse different types and styles of windows from the privacy of your home and get a double glazing online quote without having salespeople camped on your doorstep.  Even if you eventually decide to purchase your windows from a local supplier you can use the double glazing online quotes you have received from the web to good bargaining effect.

Here are some points that you should consider when looking for double glazed products:

•    The more double glazing quotes that you get, the easier it is for you to make an educated decision.  There may be more to the quote than just the price, so it pays to read what each manufacturer is offering.
•    Choose double glazing that comes in at your budget. While having double glazing will in the longer term save you money, there is no point in going deeply into debt in order to get it.  You could consider less expensive options, such as secondary glazing or getting some of your windows fitted with double glazing, or perhaps just doing one room, such as your conservatory.
•    Check with your local planning authority that it is in order for you to change your existing windows if you are considering replacing them. If you have timber sash windows in your home for example, the planners may not be happy to see you have installed uPVC sash windows.  It should not be difficult to find out and could save you the embarrassment and expense of having to remove your windows again.
•    If you find a company that gives you a good double glazing quote, check them out as best you can and ask them how long it will take them to install the windows or the glazing. A reputable company should be able to provide you with plenty of references.

You may have to do some work before you get the double glazing quote that suits your budget and that is given by a reputable firm.  However if you bear in mind that you expect to have your new glazing in place for a long time, you will realize that it is worth you putting in the effort at this stage.

There are various reasons why homeowners who have a conservatory built onto their home would want to consider fitting conservatory roof blinds.  Both window and roof blinds give conservatories a completed appearance, and when decorating conservatories blinds will transform structures from newly built, unfinished rooms into comfortable living areas.  Conservatory blinds offer excellent protection to furniture and other belongings from the glare of the sun. Window blinds in particular are also good at helping to protect a homeowner’s privacy, if the conservatory is overlooked by other properties.  But one of the main reasons for fitting conservatory roof blinds in particular, is to help stop the interior of the conservatory suffering from extreme temperature fluctuations.

People that do not have a conservatory onto their home perhaps find it hard to imagine how the temperature values can fluctuate so much during a 24-hour period.  Consider the fact that the majority of the walls and roof of a conservatory comprise of glazing of some kind.  As we know in a normal home, up to 80% of the heat can be lost through the windows if it is unchecked, so just imagine what this would mean to a conservatory.  Conversely, unless action is taken such to stop the heat and glare from the sun from entering into a conservatory during the hottest part of the day, heat levels can build up to unbearable levels quite quickly.

Quality Conservatory Roof Blinds.

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to meet homeowners who paid very good money to have the conservatory they always wanted constructed onto their home, but due to inadequate protection to prevent excessive temperature fluctuations, they find that they have to limit the hours they can spend in the structure.  Their dream of having a sunroom that they would be able to use year round and in all types of weather simply has not worked out for them.  However, with the fitting of conservatory roof blinds in particular, this situation can be dramatically improved.

Finding proper blinds for sale that suit your conservatory can be a challenge as it is more difficult to get roof blinds to fit properly than window blinds.  For example it is much easier to find white Venetian blinds for your windows than to fnd a roof blind that compliments it.  This is due to the fact that roof windows are often wedge-shaped and also because gravity presents a challenge to ensure that the blinds do not droop or sag when fitted.   Unless a blind is very well fitted, heat that builds up between the glazing and the blind will be able to escape through the gaps around the blind and enter into the living area.  Solar blinds, which are a specialist blinds for conservatory roofs, are available, but the purchase price may be prohibitive.

Examples of popular styles of blinds that can be used for roofs would be conservatory roof roller blinds, which are operated by using a pulley system, are easy to install and do an excellent job in blocking out the glare from the sun and pleated blinds which are harder to fit but offer excellent protection from glare. Another types of popular blinds include pleated blinds and pinoleum blinds, which comprise wood slats which are constructed in a colonial style. If you are confident at home improvement tasks, DIY conservatory roof blinds can certainly save you money.

Roof blinds for conservatories alone are not the answer to all of the problems that may arise with regard to temperature fluctuation in a conservatory.  Other solutions include window blinds, roof vents, solar insets, a glazing window film that can be applied to the interior of the glazing, air conditioning and more.  However, given that the sun is directly above a conservatory roof during the hottest hours of the hottest days of a summer, there is no doubt that conservatory roof blinds have a major part to play in helping make your conservatory a comfortable living area.

One of the best ways to get an extension for your home without having to outlay too much money is to invest build your own conservatory.  As the name suggests, this is a structure that you either construct completely yourself, or at least erect pre-constructed components on your own.

There are various ways of looking at this option.  We would recommend it as a very viable way of getting an extension for your home if you are used to home improvement / DIY work and have some skill and ability in this area.  There is tremendous satisfaction to be obtained from building your own conservatory and as conservatory prices can be expensive, you could save quite a bit of money .  However, if you have not done this sort of work before you will have to learn how to build a conservatory,  employ someone with this sort of experience to help you, or simply not get involved in constructing your own sunroom and have a professional do the work for you.

If you are considering constructing your own extension and not purchasing one of the conservatories for sale from a manufacturer, do not take the attitude that not only should you save money on construction costs, but that you should save money by using inferior materials also.  DIY conservatories can be of an even higher quality than those you get constructed by someone else, because you can take the opportunity that you are constructing the structure yourself to design and construct a bespoke structure that is perfectly matched to your needs and desires.  Find a manufacturing company that is interested in discussing what type of sunroom you desire and is willing to give you what you want.

One of the first tasks you will face is deciding which type will compliment your home – a traditional design type such as a Victorian or Edwardian conservatory, a more general type such as you get with lean-to conservatories, or if you have a modern home, a contemporary style may suit best.  Take care in making this decision, as a well chosen and complimentary style will enhance your existing residence and will add to the value of your home, whereas an extension that does not blend in with your home can do the opposite.

In deciding what size you want your DIY conservatory to be, you need to decide firstly what use you intend to make of the space and secondly, how large a structure you can afford.  By building yourself, you may be able to spend more on making the structure larger, but do not go for a very large extension simply because you can afford to.  Many homeowners actually make their sunroom larger than they need.  Use an existing room in your home to judge a size that would be suitable for your needs and base your measurements on this.

Before you get involved in ordering or committing to purchasing any materials for your DIY conservatory, you need to ensure that you do not need planning permission for what you intend to build.  Different planning laws apply in different localities and whereas in many locations you can build an extension under a certain size without requiring planning permission, it is always best to check.  Other factors to take into account is the possibility that your home is a protected structure, that you may be building your new solarium over an existing sewage pipe, or that your planning department has some issues with uPVC glazing or any other issues.  In such cases timber conservatories are often a more accepted option, with a hardwood conservatory being a quality choice that will last many years, but you need to check out these details before commencing any work.

Constructing a DIY conservatory involves more than simply building the structure, unless you simply want something like a lean to greenhouse.  You will want to get a double glazing quote and will have to carry out plenty of research to get the best galzing for your budget. You will also have to consider which type of heating system you intend to use to heat the space.  Do you want a stand alone system, or do you hope to integrate the heating with your existing home system?  Electrical and plumbing work will probably also have to be integrated, so you will have to employ trained tradesmen for these parts of the project.

As you can gather from what we have outlined above, learning how to build your own conservatory is not a project to be undertaken lightly.  There are many issues that you have to consider before you commence work and while construction is underway.  If you employ a reputable builder with proper insurance cover to build your conservatory for you, you are covered if something goes wrong.  With a self-made sunroom unfortunately, you are on your own.

However homeowners that have run with the ‘build your own conservatories‘ challange and have succeeded in erecting attractive and useful extensions to their home are always immensely proud of their achievements.  The choice is yours!

Choosing the correct conservatory blinds for sale that will suit you home is very important, as quality blinds offer protection from the heat and rays of the sun.  This guards both the occupant and the furnishings of the conservatory from the damage that excessive sun can cause and from the glare of harsh sunlight.  Options such as blackout roller blinds will be able to provide your room with complete protection from light infiltration if that is what you wish for.  Conservatory blinds also decorate the living space and can add to the style and décor theme of the room.

Conservatories can differ from the other rooms of the home as, in addition to  fitting blinds to the windows, you may have to deal with a glass / perspex ceiling also.  Whether you require blinds for just the windows or perhaps you also require conservatory roof blinds for your conservatory roof, there is no doubt that once your blinds are selected and fitted, you will not want to have to change them again in the short or medium term.  For this reason you should select your conservatory blinds with care.

For health reasons it is important to have a quality conservatory blind.  Some homeowners install glazing that is coated to protect from harmful UV rays, but it is best to back this protection up with a blind that will further block these rays.  This will give you and your family peace of mind if you are living in the conservatory for long periods, especially during the summer time.

Conversely, a quality blind will also help retain the heat in your sunroom during the winter months.  This can be very helpful if you want to use the area as an all year round living space and not just a s a summer room.   A blind that has good reflective properties will assist the double-glazing of your sunroom to insulate your home and further reduce your heating bills.

Bottom up blinds are becoming very popular on the market as they allow for excellent light control in a conservatory and additional privacy if required.

If you are using the conservatory as a proper extension to the home, then it follows that you will have it furnished to the same high standard as the rest of the residence.  But whereas the other rooms of the home are not subjected to harsh sunlight, the furnishings in your sunroom will suffer and fade if they do not have adequate shade protection.  There are many different types and styles of window and roof blinds including roller, vertical, pinoleum and pleated blinds.  Which style you choose in many ways is a matter of personal choice.

Look for blinds that are dirt-resistant as blinds that get dusty will eventually become marked and stained.  Similarly it does pay to consider blinds that are moisture resistant, because as you know conservatories can attract moisture either through humidity or possibly leaks.  If  blinds become moisture stained they can lose their shape and become unsightly.  In many instances homeowners favour blinds such as white Venetian blinds for bathroom and kitchen areas, as aluminium Venetian blinds are good to repel moisture and white is a clean colour.

Above all, select blinds that are in keeping with the style of your conservatory and in keeping with the ambiance that you want to create in the room.  When decorating conservatories, designers will ask homeowners if they are using the conservatory as a casual living space for their family and pets, then and if so would probably select different a different style of conservatory blinds than if the family hope to use the space for more formal gatherings, such as a guest reception area.

If you would like to find out more about different types of conservatory window blinds and how to select a suitable blind for your conservatroy, you can read ‘Conservatory Blinds – Find Ones that you Will love!’.  If you live in a particular country and want to find out more online, why not search under a term such as ‘conservatory blinds UK’ for example,  and this will help narrow down your search somewhat.

If you are wanting to build your own conservatory onto your residence then you are probably already aware of some of the advantages of having a conservatory, or solarium added to your residence.  Homeowners have been enjoying conservatories as part of their living area for many years, and these days, given the huge range of styles and quality conservatories that are available to homeowners, this trend seems set to become even more popular.  The following are some of the benefits that homeowners gain by having a conservatory built on to their residence.

· Most of us would like more accommodation in our home.  Whether it is because there are more family members living in the home, or because you would like extra space for entertaining, an extra room is usually very welcome.  Some homeowners want to use their conservatory as a place for minding their plants, like a mini greenhouse.  Building a conservatory is probably the most affordable and best value method of increasing the floor space in your residence.  Even top-quality lean to conservatories for example, will come in costing less money than regular extensions.  You can even save more money by constructing what is called a DIY conservatory, but you would need some building experience before you decide to take on this challenge.
· In these present times, when we are all becoming more environmentally aware, a conservatory offers you the chance to increase the energy efficiency of your residence.  A quality conservatory will act as a buffer between your existing residence and the weather and because it will be newly constructed to modern building standards, it will probably have better insulating properties than your existing house.
· Added to the fact that your home will be warmer and more comfortable for you and your family, your increased insulation will mean lower fuel bills and extra money in your pocket.
· Quality built uPVC conservatories, with toughened glazing and multi-point locking systems in the uPVC doors, will improve the security of a home and therefore the safety of the home dwellers.
· If you are living in a quiet, rural setting then you may not be bothered by noise pollution. However, many urban dwellers appreciate the fact that a well-built conservatory suppresses external noise, thereby making your home a more tranquil place to live.
· Given the present market conditions, anything that adds value to your property, in the event of you putting it on the market, is welcome.  Conservatories are guaranteed to attract the attention of home buyers and a well-appointed conservatory will definitely help you market your property.  There are many different types of conservatories for sale and no doubt there is a type and style out there to suit you.

If you are thinking about purchasing a uPVC conservatory for your home, then you will want to read this article.  We will discuss factors that you should bear in mind when you are considering purchasing one of these structures, what to do before you commence work and how to blend your new sunroom into your existing home.  After reading this article, you will have a better idea of some of the issues that might arise when you go to build a conservatory.

•    When you are thinking about purchasing a uPVC conservatory, base your measurements on the internal measurements of the building  when you are looking at the manufacturers specifications.  Many purchasers only see the first measurements they come across and as the manufacturers are in the business of making their products seem as attractive as possible, they will usually highlight the external measurements.  Remember there could be a shortfall of around 12% of floorspace if you calculate on the external measurements.

•    We seem to say this a lot, but it does bear repeating – the cheapest PVC conservatories are not usually the best ones, in fact they rarely ever are.  If you get a quote for a sunroom or solarium that seems too good to be true, then it probably is.  There are different levels of quality available for PVCu conservatories, as with most other products on the market.  If you simply want to use your sunroom during the pleasant months of the year, and as a stand-alone structure, perhaps an inferior quality conservatory will work for you. 

But remember, if you are expecting your new extension to become an integral part of your residence, you will have to be prepared to build it to a standard of quality that befits the rest of your home.  Otherwise, the poor insulation, poor building quality and inferior finish of your conservatory will affect the insulation and thermal capacity of the entire residence. 

Conservatory prices can vary a lot but so can the quality of the building being produced.  Get a double glazing quote that fits your budget but that will also provide your conservatory with good quality glazing.  uPVC double glazing appears to be the mopst popular type of glazing on the market worldwide, but conservatories can be obviously constructed of materials such as timber or aluminum also.

•    We seem to bring up this point a lot also, but if we save one person the expense and annoyance of not having to pay a fine, or worse, because they did not have planning permission for their PVC conservatory, then it will be worth it.  You may not need planning permission to build an extension onto your residence, especially if you are going to build onto the back of the home  (out of sight from the public road). However this will depend on your local planning authorities policies and guidelines.  These are not difficult to find out.  Visit their website, or call in to your local planning office.  Write and ask for their opinion and if you get a favorable answer, keep a copy of the reply, (just in case).
•    uPVC  conservatories should compliment the residence they are attached to as much as possible.  Perhaps this cohesion may be in the style of the conservatory, (maybe it is a Victorian or an Edwardian conservatory, etc).  Alternatively, it may be the simple matching of brick-work in the dwarf wall that ties in your new structure to your existing home.  One of the best compliments you will get is when someone comments that your new extension looks as if it was always there.  Timber conservatories are sometimes preferred by planning authorities in areas where buildings may be listed or protected, but this is an issue that has to be  checked on a case by case basis.
•    If you are running central heating pipes in your new sunroom, make sure that they are ducted and easily accessible, in the event of a leak or a pressure drop in the system at some stage in the future.  Many owners of conservatories have rued the day they simply laid the heating pipes in concrete without ducting them first.  It may have seemed like a quick and good idea at the time, but if your system does develop a pin-prick leak, you may well have to start digging.

There are many benificial reasons to build a sunroom and in the present market, there are opportunities to purchase quality uPVC conservatories at very good vlaue.

There are many ways to approach the selecting and building of a conservatory for your home.  We have already listed some tips that may be of help to you in ‘A Dozen Conservatory Tips – Part 1‘.  Here are a few more.

Tip 7: Make the effort to match the materials of your conservatory to your existing residence.  This will help bond the two and make the new conservatory blend in to the property, be it a gull wing conservatory, a gable conservatory or whatever style you favour.  That is not to say that if your existing residence has rattling timber windows, that you should follow suit in your conservatory, there are many beautiful uPVC conservatories on the market, but such things as old brickwork, with a bit of search in your local salvage yard, could be matched and it would be well worth the effort.  If you see en excellent offer in a conservatories sale for a sunroom, be sure that it will fit in with your residence before you purchase on a whim.

Tip 8: Consider very carefully what you envisage the end product to be used for. In your finished conservatory, do you hope to be relaxing in your armchair everyday, reading your newspaper?  Perhaps you see the conservatory as studio or office, or some other place that you can work.  Maybe it is going to be that room that you can cordon off the kids into, so that you can keep a safe eye on them.  The choice is yours, but if you have a very good idea now what you expect from your conservatory, there is less chance that you will make an error with regard to size, style, position of doorways, type of lighting, etc.

The Beautiful Character Of Old Wooden Conservatories. Image courtesy of www.leantoconservatories.com

Tip 9: As well as marking out on the ground the area of the proposed conservatory, try to imaging what it will be like in the conservatory when you are sitting down, and standing up.  Better still get a chair and sit down in the area you have marked out and be sure you will be still able to see all you want to see if for instance there are dwarf walls around the lower portion of your proposed conservatory.  Why not get a few sheets of cardboard and build some imaginary sections of walls if you really want to be sure. Now is the time to get it right.

Tip 10: When your conservatory is completed, you hope to make a lot of use of it and it will be part of your residence for many years to come. Following on from our point above that now is the time to get it right we might say, ‘Spend what you can on building your conservatory’.  There are obviously different qualities of materials out there with regard to uPVC, timber and perhaps most importantly, glazing. uPVC conservatories with quality glazing will protect you and your family from the sun’s harmful rays and also help insulate your conservatory.   Spend the money on insulation now and you will save money on cooling and heating equipment later.

Tip 11: Don’t’ forget that people should insure conservatories adequately whether they are custom built or self build conservatories, in the same way that they insure the rest of their residence.

Tip 12: Ventilation is vitally important to conservatories, both for your comfort and to ensure that there is not a build up of condensation.  There are various methods of ensuring that your conservatory is adequately ranging from the humble vents to luxurious air conditioning.

There are many other suggestions out there that you could consider when selecting and building a conservatory.  A bit of research on different types of conservatories will yield a wealth of information that you will be able to put to good use as you start working on creating your beautiful living space.

There are many ways to approach the selecting and building of a conservatory for your home.  Below are listed 12 of our favourite tips that you could consider before and while you are building a conservatory.  Choosing to build a conservatories, whether it be a Victorian conservatories or a lantern roof conservatories, is a major decision because undoubtedly it is your hope to have many years of enjoyment from your investment.

Tip 1: When you are listening to the supplier telling you what the size of your conservatory will be, be sure to check whether he is talking about internal or external measurements.  I know that suppliers love to talk in terms of external measurements, and why wouldn’t they?  But it is the floor area that you are interested in, and there is quite a difference between the two.

Tip 2: In your enthusiasm for the project, do not forget that you may have planning issues with regard to building your conservatory.  Not necessarily, but maybe.  For your own sake find out whether or not you need planning permission before commencing to erect your Edwardian, double hipped, B-shaped conservatory!  Do not take the word of your installer on this.

Attractive T-shaped Conservatories. Image courtesy of www.taylormadeconservatories.com

A look around at what your neighbours have erected in terms of extensions and conservatories will give you an idea of what is acceptable in your area.  However the best way to find out about this issue is to ask.  Call in to your local planning authority or write to them, letting them know what you are planning and ask them if you need planning permission for a conservatory.  If you get a positive answer, ask for it to be put in writing and keep a copy of the reply – this avoids any problems later.

Tip 3: This is relevant when you are building anything, a residence, an extension, or in this case, a conservatory.  Mark out on the ground with pegs and a string, or a shake of lime, the internal walls of the conservatory.  This will give you a good on the ground idea of what you are going to have and the amount of space there will be for furniture, etc.

Tip 4: A tricky one this.  It is easy to make such wise statements as– ‘Do not necessarily go for the cheapest option’ and ‘One gets what one pays for’.  It is highly tempting for anyone to go for the cheapest quote or to go for the least expensive sunroom on offer in a conservatories sale, and they probably should not, unless they have a bit of knowledge in building matters, or unless they spotted the builder taking off his balaclava before he came to their front door. Just kidding!

There is no doubt that the cheapest quote you receive may contain some (or quite a few) hidden tripwires. If you are unsure about the differences between various quotes, you could consider getting someone, perhaps now retired, that you know who has some experience in building matters to look over the quotes for you for a small fee.

Know what you absolutely want in your conservatory, make a list of those items and make these the non-negotiable issues.  When you want the conservatory finished by, may well be one of these issues – ‘I know I said I would be finished for the summer – but I didn’t say which summer’ is not something you want to hear from your installer.

Tip 5: This is a bit technical, but we are told it is a very good point.  Insert a ‘cavity tray’ into the wall above the level of where your conservatory roof is going to be.  This will prevent rain driven moisture from getting down the inside of your cavity walls and then re-appearing in your conservatory.

Tip 6: When you are planning a conservatory try to place doors so that your conservatory does not take on the appearance of a hallway. We have seen what should be beautiful living areas ruined, because the all of the furniture is shoved back against the sides so as to allow traffic pass through. Above all, your conservatory is a room.  If you are building a beautiful pavilion conservatory simply to have four doors to different places, then just building a corridor might be a cheaper option.

If you would like to continue reading our tips, please follow on to ‘A Dozen Conservatory Tips – Part 2‘.