Conservatories For All

The lean-to conservatories ares recognised under several different names, with sun lounges, Mediterranean style, garden room and sunroom conservatories all coming under the banner of the ever popular lean to conservatory.  There are various reasons why they are so in demand in the market place.  When it comes to conservatory prices, these structures can be very competitive, but practicality and versatility also come into play when homeowners favour the erection of lean to conservatories on their property.

Lean To Conservatory

In these present, economically challenging times, properties are not selling readily on the market for the prices that homeowners are expecting.  More and more of these owners have decided to take their house off the market and to renovate and refurbish it instead.  One of the main cost effective ways of extending a home is to consider erecting a conservatory, as per square foot they offer much better value than traditional bricks and mortar construction.

Lean to conservatories comprise no-nonsense constructions that have a regular rectangular shape and an appearance that is utilitarian and not fussy.  If you want a structure that is heavy with ornate trimmings, then you might be better to consider a Victorian conservatory.  That is not to say that you cannot add some decorative touches to a standard lean-to type of sunroom, in order to give it a more completed look.

Its rectangular floor is similar to that of an Edwardian conservatory and allows excellent use of floor space in these lean to structures and the fact that they are constructed with a single pitch conservatory roof means that they are not complicated to assemble and erect.  The simplicity in roof design means that a lean to sunroom can go in places that height restrictions would prohibit the erection of other types of conservatories.

A lean to conservatory is highly adaptable and can be used for many different functions within the home – including as an extra living area, a dining room, office, study or play area for children.  If you are considering constructing a DIY conservatory in order to save money, than a lean to type sunroom is one of the easiest structures to tackle.

Spacious Lean To Conservatories

Conservatories were once structures that were only used when the weather conditions were temperate and favourable, but improvements in production technology in recent years has meant much better temperature control is available in these buildings now with both extremes of hot and cold weather being able to be counteracted by the use of such products as uPVC and double glazing.  Quality uPVC conservatories and timber conservatories are used on a continuous year-round basis and as more mainstream accommodation for the home.

Lean to sunrooms were always one of the most popular conservatories and given recent sale trends of this particular style of extension, that popularity is showing little sign of changing.  Many keen gardeners construct a lean to greenhouse as an economical way to build a home for their plants.  If you want to look up lean to conservatories with regard to the country you are living in , you can narrow your search by searching under ‘lean to conservatories uk’, if you are living in the United Kingdom for example.

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.

If you are considering building a conservatory onto your home, then there are a variety of factors that you want to take into account.  When you are finished you want to have a quality conservatory that will bring a new dimension to your existing residence.  In order to do this homeowners have to plan ahead and make decisions with regard to the style and shape of the conservatories they want, the size they require and the materials that they want it to be made of.

Above all you need to choose a supplier and installer that is trustworthy and reliable.  The glazing that you select for your sunroom is also important and  you should get a double glazing quote for the structure that you propose to build.

In this article we will discuss these aspects of building conservatories and help you through the decision process.

One of the most important items that you have to consider when you are intending building a conservatory is whether or not you need planning permission.  As a rough guide you can look around at your neighbours and if some of them have a conservatory built onto their property, then the chances are that you will have no difficulties with the planning department.

Do not take anything for granted and it is also advisable that you do not leave this aspect of the project to your supplier / installer.  If you are in doubt about the necessity of getting planning, contact your local council and ask.

There are many different styles of conservatories, and Victorian Conservatories and lean to conservatories are just two types, albeit two of the most popular types on the market.  Each conservatory style has advantages that may suit your residence or way of living.  An Edwardian conservatory for example, makes better use of floor space than a Victorian conservatory.  You can consider the shape of the conservatory you desire under this heading also.

Conservatories come in many different sizes.  They can be added on to the rear of your residence, or may be wrapped around a corner to the side and rear of the home.  The size is whatever you want it to be, but obviously planning permission again raises its head.  The bigger the project you are contemplating the more likely it is that you will require planning.

You can construct a conservatory from many different materials.  Traditional types of conservatories were constructed from metal and timber and these products are still in use today, with a hardwood conservatory being a quality option, but in more recent times uPVC conservatories are more popular, due to their durability, thermal capacity and the fact that uPVC conservatories are relatively inexpensive to construct.

The materials that your conservatory and particularly your conservatory roof, is constructed from will be terribly important, as you will be hoping to be able to use the conservatory in the colder winter months and for this reason it will need to be properly insulated.

One of the most important factors that you have to get right is the choice of supplier and installer that you are going to select.  Ask any neighbours and friends that have and a conservatory added to there property if they would recommend their installer.  Create a short list of suppliers and installers that you have heard good reports about.

Go online and know your facts before you start dealing with conservatory salespeople. And do not rush into deciding who will get your business.  If you have building experience , or are a seasoned home improvement enthusiast, you may consider a DIY conservatory, however you really do need to have some idea of what you are about.

All of the above points are very relevant when you are considering building a conservatory.  There are plenty of self build conservatories out there if you are into home improvement and feel you have the ability to construct your own.  There are also many quality conservatories to be purchased – you just have to find the one that is suitable for your needs.

Selecting a conservatory for your home should be all about you.  There is a variety of different types and styles of timber and uPVC conservatories on the market, some of which we described in ‘Selecting A Conservatory Style – Part 1‘.

Here are more of the most popular types and styles of conservatories people favour today, whether they select to build a bespoke sunroom or a sunroom that they select in a conservatories sale.

Pavilion Conservatories
The pavilion conservatory has three sides and a square or rectangular footprint.  It can also be called a gable or gable fronted conservatory. It is a simply designed structure, which most normally projects from the house at right angles.  The roof slopes at each side to a central ridge point which, when it comes to the outer side of the conservatory, it leaves a side that is similar in appearance to the gable of a house, with a vertical instead of a sloping conservatory roof.

Good use of floor space, generous ceiling height and excellent light capacity due to the large glass area to the front are features of a pavilion conservatory.  These conservatories can give a great sense of presence to a home.

Orangeries - The Ultimate In Conservatory Luxury. Image courtesy of www.marston-and-langinger.com

Gull Wing Conservatories
The gull wing style of conservatory has 3 sections normally to the front, (a centre flat section and an angled section on each side).  The centre section can be stretched to suit the size of conservatory you require.

This type is also known as a stretched front Victorian conservatory and the fact that the Victorian style is often evident in these conservatories gives them an attraction.  Also the angled corners can give a softer look to gull wing conservatories as opposed to lean-to conservatories.

P-Shaped, T-Shaped, B-Shaped and L-Shaped Conservatories
With some conservatory manufacturers you would be forgiven for thinking that there was a spelling competition in progress at times.  Simply put, the letter used to denote the type of conservatory, indicates the shape of the floor area, hence a P-shaped conservatory has a floor area shaped like the letter P, etc.

You can have a Victorian P-shaped conservatory or an Edwardian T-Shaped conservatory and so on. Other names to describe these types of conservatories would be ‘link’ or ‘combination’ conservatories.

The advantage of these types of conservatories is that they can be combined to suit your individual needs.  For example a P-shaped conservatory could consist of a lean-to conservatory with a Victorian conservatory appendage which gives you the utilitarian advantages of the lean-to section coupled with the decorative look and ornate features that the Victorian portion would bring.

Lantern Roof Conservatories.
A lantern roof conservatory adds a finish to a large conservatory.  It comprises a second roof as such, set up into the first roof, with the two roofs being separated by a row of windows.

The advantage of such a feature is that it gives height to a conservatory and allows in extra light and can let in extra ventilation also if this is incorporated into the design.

Orangeries
Orangeries are not conservatories as such, but in the present day, the name is used to evoke a type of traditional conservatory that would be from the lean-to family of design.

Bespoke Conservatories
Do not get confused. When a conservatory manufacturer tells you that you can have a bespoke conservatory, it really means that you can have whatever design you would like for your own conservatory, but if it is outside of the conservatory templates that they have in stock, then you will pay, possibly quite a lot more, for the pleasure.

This is a nice alternative to be able to have designed for your home.  Your individual tastes will be accommodated with regard to all of the design features you would like to see incorporated into your conservatory.

Hopefully these short description of the different types and styles of conservatories are of help to you in choosing the type of conservatory you might like.  You might find some more useful ideas regarding conservatories at ‘A Dozen Conservatory Tips – Part 1‘ and ‘A Dozen Conservatory Tips – Part 2‘.