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.

When it comes to selecting the type of conservatory that you want to have built onto your home, it is hard to beat the natural look of a wooden conservatory.  Wooden conservatories are a reminder of a bygone age, when most building were built of timber or were timber framed.  When you consider that you can still see many fine examples of these buildings, you realise that a properly constructed timber structure is something that will last for a very long time.

A wooden conservatory can be used as an additional living space for the home or may be used in its more traditional sense, that being a place to propagate plants and to protect them against harsh weather conditions.  There are many different styles of conservatories available in timber from the traditional Victorian type to wooden lean to conservatories and the selection of one of these types is a matter of personal taste.

A quality conservatory made of timber has various advantages over conservatories made of PVC or aluminium.  Timber is a natural product that always looks well and has a very distinctive feel.  You can always add detail to a timber conservatory such as carvings and wood panels that will further enhance the look of your conservatory.

Timber is a renewable material, which makes it different again to uPVC and aluminium and the process involved in getting timber ready for use in a conservatory is much more natural than those for the other two materials.

If the timber comes from a managed forest resource, then usage of the timber for building will not damage the environment. In fact the opposite is true, the more properly managed  forest there are on the planet, the more active will be the production of oxygen.

There are several types of timber that are most popular for using in the construction of conservatories.

• European Oak is grown in Britain and Ireland and throughout East Europe.  This was a very popular timber in earlier times due to its strength and durability.
• Meranti is a timber grown in Asia and especially in Malaysia and Indonesia.  It is again a durable timber.
• Sapele is a timber grown mainly in Ghana in Africa.
• Idigbo is a fast growing durable timber which is grown in West Africa.
• Western Red Cedar is a softer timber which is mainly sourced in North America and Canada and this timber has is moderately durable.
• Finally Scots pine is a very popular timber in Ireland, Britain and across Europe but is has a low durability.

Timbers with lower durability can be used for constructing a conservatory but these timbers will require higher maintenance and the application of stains or micro porous paints at intervals.

Decorating timber conservatories can be a pleasure and you have the option of using such blinds as coloured or white wooden blinds to match with the timber in the structure.

If you want to research wooden conservatories, a great place to start is on the internet.  If you want to narrow down a search, include your country location.  For example if in Britain you could search under ‘wooden conservatories UK’. And remember a  quality timber conservatory, which is finished to a high standard and perhaps furnished with attractive wooden conservatory furniture is hard to beat for beauty and also for living comfort.

When homeowners decide to build a conservatory onto their home, they are left with a variety of decisions.  They should in advance plan the use they intend to make of the additional space, because this will have a bearing on the size, location and possibly the style of the structure.  In addition they will have to decide on which materials to use in the construction.  We will look here at the benefits of a hardwood conservatory, as against the other two main types of conservatories that are on the market, uPVC and aluminium conservatories.

Wooden conservatories are very attractive and given the individual nature of wood, no two conservatories that are made from timber will be the same.    Bespoke hardwood conservatories are usually top of the range products, but conventional timber conservatories can be individualised by the introduction of wood panelling and carvings, etc.

If a homeowner has experience in construction matters, DIY hardwood conservatories are available to purchase and by constructing your own conservatory you could save a lot of the money it would cost you to get a company to erect the structure on your property.

Hardwood timber is an excellent structural material for a wooden conservatory.  The most common types of hardwood timber that are used are mahogany, sapele and mahogany, but there are others that are used also such as idigbo and iroko.

Some hardwood timbers such as beech are not suitable for external construction work and so are not used in conservatories.  One of the main reasons that some wood is more suitable than others is the oil content of the specific timbers.  A higher oil content will provide protection to the wood from the elements.  Further oiling of these timbers is acceptable for decorative purposes, but the frequency of the application will depend on whether you want a fresh or a bleached look in the timber.

Cheaper timbers can be used in the construction of a conservatory, but these timbers will need additional protection from wet and damp weather.  With the improvements in technology, many wood stains provide excellent protection if applied every 5 – 6 years to timber.  Micro porous paints and stains will protect timbers from rotting also.

It is important to consider the environment when you are purchasing a conservatory and hardwood conservatories should be sourced from manufacturers that use wood from managed forests.  In this way the harvesting of the timber is monitored and followed by tree planting and the overall effect on the forests of the world is positive.

In some instances, a conservatory made from hardwood may not suit the environment in which it is being placed.  With a more modern residence, a uPVC or aluminium structure might fit in better whereas timber structures work well with older buildings.  In fact if your residence is a protected structure, or listed due to its architectural prominence, timber will most likely be the preferred choice of the planning officials you will be dealing with in order to get permission to build a conservatory onto your home.

Before you committ to any particular type of conservatory it will pay you to research timber conservatories online.  If you wish to narrow down the search somewhat, you can enter such terms as ‘hardwood conservatories UK’ or ‘Hardwood conservatories Ireland’, depending on your location.

A hardwood conservatory will be less hard on the environment to produce than conservatories made from uPVC or aluminium, will be actually beneficial to forestry planting if sourced properly and will give you and your family many years of comfort and spacious living.

It is very difficult if not impossible to give an answer to the question that many homeowners ask, which is, ‘How much does a conservatory cost?’  Conservatories prices vary greatly, as there are a large amount of factors involved in calculating the final figure you may be asked to pay.

The main piece of advice that you should keep in mind is to treat every quote you receive separately, whether they be for an aluminium, uPVC or a hardwood conservatory , try to get quotes that compare like with like and do not get rushed into making a commitment due to the attentions of over eager salespeople.

The most inexpensive conservatories that will be available to the homeowner are probably those in the DIY category.  If you are, or have been involved in the construction business, or if you are an enthusiastic DIY person, then this is certainly a route you should explore.  An entire conservatory kit can be delivered to your home and you can yourself, or possible preferably with the help of friends, erect the structure on your property and you will undoubtedly save a lot of money on installation costs.

However, be warned that erecting a solid conservatory structure is not as simple as it sounds and there are several things that you must consider first.  Planning permission is certainly an issue that can sometimes get overlooked in the rush to build and enjoy that conservatory you have dreamed of.  Planning is often not required for structures under a certain size, and especially if they are being erected to the rear of the residence, but you really should check this out with your local planning department first.  You may find that your local authotity favours particular types of conservatories, such as wooden conservatories, especially if your home happens to be a listed building due to its architectural importance, or for some other reason.

A conservatory will need a proper foundation, if it is to stand up properly to the rigours of harsh inclement weather and family living.  Many casual tradespeople think that it is adequate to put down a very light concrete base if you are erecting a conservatory.  This may suffice for several years, but over time you may regret not installing a foundation similar to the type that you would lay if you were building a traditional extension.

Another issue that needs to be studied and addressed is the possible alteration of existing drainage pipes and manholes that may be in the way of your proposed extension.  A temptation may be to build over these pipes and to leave the manholes in place, but again in time a burst or flooded pipe or manhole could leave you regretting the fact that you did not do the job properly.

All of these factors and more have to be considered if you are thinking of purchasing the sunroom yourself.  There are people out there that purchase trade price conservatories, get friends to work with them and in the end they have a quality structure that cost them a fraction of what they would have had to pay if they went through the normal channels.

The lowest conservatory price quote that you get to purchase and erect a conservatory is not necessarily the best price.  A supplier may cut the quality of the materials that it takes to produce a conservatory in order to be able to quote very keen conservatory prices to customers.  It is important to engage with a reputable firm when you are looking for quotes for your conservatory.  It is easy for a firm to make wild claims about after sales service and 10 year warranties if they are unlikely to be in business that long.

If you are in Great Britain you can look for firms that are registered with FENSA which is a self regulating body which was set up by the Glass and Glazing Federation and is wholly recognised within the industry.

A trusted and established company will be able to send out salespeople to your home and they can offer you advice on design layouts and specifications that will be specific to your needs, without putting you under the pressure to purchase that less professional companies may try to put you under.

The internet is an excellent source of information when you are trying to navigate through different conservatories prices.  If you are flexible regarding what type of sunroom you might select you can wait to see what might come on offer in a conservatory sale by a manufacturer.  Go online, enter a term such as conservatories price followed by your country such as UK or Ireland, depending on your geographical location and you will get plenty of conservatory manufacturing companies to choose from in your area.  Internet forums are also places that you can ask more specific questions of fellow homeowners and experts in the field of conservatories.

Conservatories can be constructed from quite a range of materials, ranging from uPVC and timber conservatories, aluminium solariums and right down to homemade conservatories, that can be produced with a mixture of materials.

In fact there is very little ( apart from the necessity to have planning permission), to inhibit the home improvement enthusiast from constructing a conservatory on his or her property with a range of begged stolen or borrowed materials of all shapes and sizes.

However in this article we will assume that as the potential purchaser of a new conservatory, you will want a structure that gives you all of the benefits that a quality conservatory will bring you in terms of allowing in sunlight and giving your family living comfort.  Many homemade wooden conservatories will not have the advanced level of craftsmanship that necessary to make a conservatory the energy efficient and properly insulated structure that it needs to be if the inhabitants of the home are to be able to live in year round, in comfort and safety.

A Timber hardwood conservatory have various advantages over uPVC and aluminium conservatories, these being the three main types of quality conservatories that are on the market today.

A wooden conservatory is an object of more natural beauty that the other two types, given the fact that timber is an organic material that never looks the same in any two structures and all timber or timber framed conservatories have a unique feel.

Added to this is the fact that each timber conservatory can be personalised with different mouldings, wooden panels and other ornamental carvings such as cornices, it is quite easy to make even a mass produced wooden conservatory look like it is a bespoke design.

As a resource, timber is renewable and you as a purchaser can insist that you only buy a timber frame conservatory that is produced with timber cut from a managed source.  The processing involved in producing timber for building is less intensive and damaging to the environment that it would be for producing materials such as uPVC and aluminium.  Properly managed forests used for timber production actually assist the rejuvenation of the environment.

Examples of timbers which are used in the production of conservatories are oak and sapele, both exquisite hardwood timbers which look beautiful and which are durable and long lasting.  Many other types of hardwood timbers are also suitable.

It is to be expected that conservatories made of wood will require some more maintenance than their uPVC or aluminium counterparts, which are more maintenance free.  However improved technology involved in the making of paints and stains for these structures often means that they do not need to be applied as often as before.

Timber conservatories with quality double or triple glazing are always going to be preferred over uPVC windows or uPVC conservatories in a situation where a property is listed or protected by a planning authority. This is mainly because timber fits in better with the architectural style of such buildings.

If you are considering building a conservatory, you should research your project well, consider the conservatories prices for different options and take your time making a decision.  If you wish to find out more about timber conservatories, then you could go online, where you will find many websites of manufacturers that specialise in all kinds of conservatories made from timber.

If you wish to narrow down your search a bit, you could search under ‘timber conservatories UK’, or ‘timber conservatories Ireland’ or any other term that will help specify the location you are living in.

If you are looking for a conservatory for sale then you will already have decided that your property needs one.  There could be various reasons for this.  You may need the extra living space for a living room, dining area, a kitchen extension, playroom or study.  In fact there are a huge range of uses that a properly placed conservatory can be put to. 

Before you start looking in a conservatory sale at the various types of conservatories for sale, there are a few actions that you can take that will make your job of selecting the correct one easier.

One of the first things that you should consider is the use that you want to make of the additional space that you will have.  Some homeowners decide to perhaps purchase a sunroom in a conservatory sale  or build a conservatory without having a clear idea of its intended use and this can lead to problems such as having a conservatory built in the wrong location or it being the wrong size.

When you have a clear idea of what you are going to do with your conservatory when it is built, you can get ideas of the styles of conservatories you favor by looking at other conservatories built in your area, browsing through home design magazines and looking at internet conservatory sites all the time narrowing down the type and style of conservatory you favor.  This could end up being a Victorian or Edwardian conservatory, a sunroom style or even a bespoke conservatory that you design yourself or with the help of an architect.

There is also the option of purchasing one of the many used conservatories for sale on the market, which could be available on internet sites such as eBay.  If you are not in a particular hurry to get a conservatory you will from time to time come across manufacturing companies that are holding a conservatory sale in order to sell off excess stock.  A conservatories sale such as this can throw up some really good bargains if you are willing to be flexible as to the style of structure you want.

Before you really commence your search and commit to spending money on a conservatory, it is always best to check out whether or not you will require planning permission for the conservatory that you have decided you would like.

Conservatories are in the main constructed using one of three structural materials.  They are aluminum, uPVC and hardwood .  Wooden conservatories are suitable in some situations and other materials are better in other locations.  in fact each of these materials has advantages over the others and it is best to take your time and select which ever material suits you best.  With regard to glazing there are many different options available to you when it comes to choosing a glazing for the conservatory.

Conservatories prices vary hugely, depending on whether you want a standard glazing or whether you want a glazing type that has special properties, such as self cleaning abilities, or heat reflective capacity.  Again choosing the glazing is a matter of personal choice after careful consideration of all of the options.  Conservatory roofs in particular need to be considered when you are looking at your glazing options.

The main thing to keep in mind is that you should not be rushed into purchasing a conservatory, simply because you are in the middle of a warm spell, or because the summer is fast approaching.  Do your research, consider your options carefully and look at the various choices of conservatories for sale.  In that way you are more likely to end up with a conservatory that is beneficial to your home and family.