Conservatories For All

If you are thinking about building a conservatory onto your property, whether you intend to build your own conservatory , purchase a sunroom in a conservatories sale, or get in a builder to do the work, then there are many factors that you will need to consider.  It’s not that you have a difficult decision to make as to whether you want a conservatory or not – you probably have done that already.  However you will want to think about whether you would prefer a uPVC conservatory or a wooden conservatory for example, what size you would like your conservatory to be and perhaps what style of structure you would prefer.

Here are a few useful ideas that may help you with your decisions.
1. Think about what you intend to use the sunroom for: This may sound like a strange task to put to a homeowner when they are thinking about extending their home.  However, if they know what they want the sunroom for then many answers to the other decisions that they have to make will flow freely.

Depending on whether you want the conservatory as an office or a dining area or even as a humble lean to greenhouse for example, will have a large bearing on the size, the furnishings you will select and possible the shape you want it to be.

2. Make a decision on the size of the structure: You can build a conservatory as big as your budget allows, but making it bigger than it needs to be means that you are spending more than you need to and also that you are using up more of your valuable garden space than you might want to.

An office will need less floor space than a family living area one would suppose, so plan out the size you think that you comfortably might want for the activities that you foresee taking place in your new room.  One point to note is that a lot of suppliers of conservatories will quote you external measurements for their products, so you need to be aware that the internal measurements (or floor area ) of the room will not be quite so big.

3. Decide which material that you would like the conservatory to be made from: The three most popular types are aluminum, uPVC and timber conservatories.  All three of these choices have advantages that make them attractive to different people.  For instance aluminum structures are very strong in the frame, uPVC double glazing conservatories are quite maintenance free and very cost competitive, while conservatories made from timber have a beauty that is hard to match because timber is a natural product.

4. Consider how you plan to construct your conservatory: There are different approaches that you can take to building one of these structures onto your home.  You can purchase a conservatory for a supplier and they will bring the materials to your property and assemble the entire structure.  This means a totally hands off approach on your behalf and this is the most costly option.

Another option that home improvement enthusiasts prefer is to purchase uPVC sunroom kits or DIY wooden conservatories and to assemble them themselves.  In this way a homeowner can save a considerable amount of money on assembly costs, site works and foundation laying.

There are other options with regard to types of conservatories for sale that lay somewhere in between these two extremes.  The owner could for instance undertake to prepare the site and to lay the foundation for the structure and leave the assembly of the structure to professionals.  If you are flexible as to what type of sunroom you might consider waiting to see what kind of prices a manufacturer might be offering in a conservatory sale.

As you can see there are various options that are open to you as a purchaser and not least the kind of conservatory prices that you feel you are willing to pay for a sunroom.  You will also have to make decisions as to what furnishings you wish to have in your new extension and whether you might prefer drapes or wooden conservatory blinds for example.  However these decisions will make themselves apparent further down the road.

Many of the decisions that you have to make, such as whether you would prefer a wooden conservatory or a sunroom made from uPVC, and also the kind of conservatories prices that you can budget for,  can be quite difficult to make.  However if you do plenty of research into the subject, you will find that many of the answers present themselves.  If for example you type in phrases such as ‘Conservatory styles Ireland’ or ‘Wooden Conservatories UK’, you will be able to narrow down the results you get to a geographical area that is suitable to your needs.

It is said that one of the most attractive features of an Edwardian conservatory to the homeowner is that it is one of the conservatory styles that is most like an existing room space.  This may seem like an unusual accolade to receive, but when you consider its merits you can appreciate what is being said.

Edwardian conservatories are unpretentious in style, and because of this they are able to make more use of space than other conservatories fashioned differently, that perhaps put more store in looks over substance.

A typical conservatory of the Edwardian period is square and flat in their plan shape and they have a flat frontage also.  This seeming lack of artistic vision in the design of the structure overlooks the fact that the best way to optimise your floor space is to have a regular and uncluttered space, without any fancy corners removed that may look well, but cost the homeowner dearly when it comes to furniture placement.

Because of their excellent use of floor space, the use if one of these conservatories is an excellent idea if you do not have a very large garden and wish to minimise the amount of floor space or garden / patio space you take over with your new extension.

Edwardian conservatory prices are all of the more competitive also due to the fact that there are few frills involved in a conservatory of Edwardian design.  If you want a conservatory with trim and heavy décor then you would be better off to consider purchasing a Victorian style structure, as it was during this architectural period that ornate design was in fashion.

Due to its straightforward floor plan and design an Edwardian style conservatory is very adaptable and can be used for almost any home function ranging from a dining room, to living room to a playroom or office.

To advance the description of Edwardian conservatories somewhat we should mention here the existence of what are called Edwardian double-hipped conservatories.  These are of the same structure and layout as  regular Edwardian sunrooms or conservatories, with the only difference being in the conservatory roofs.  If you have a situation where a residence has windows at a height, which would be compromised by the presence of a conservatory, then you can build a structure with a double-hipped roof.  This means that while a regular Edwardian conservatory roof slopes upwards to the residence, in this case the roof is sloping downwards again at the rear and in this way it lowers the point where the conservatory is connected to the residence.

An Edwardian conservatory is accepted as being stylish and yet unpretentious and is a very practical addition to any home.  Timber conservatories were the most common types of conservatories in the past, but now you can build a aluminium, timber or uPVC conservatory in the Edwardian style, depending on your preference.  If understated elegance is your thing, then you could do a lot worse then choose this style of conservatory for your extension needs.

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.