Conservatories: Generating a bit of extra space in their house is a top priority for a lot of homeowners in the UK. The additional space might be required for a host of reasons; the need for a home office, the arrival of a new child, or simply an area to chill out and relax with family or friends. A conservatory is a wonderful addition to your family home to create more space, without costing the earth.
A properly fitted and well designed conservatory not only looks good on your UK home, but will also add more value to your house and increase its saleability if you eventually decide to sell. A conservatory that corresponds to the style of your house is an appealing feature which provides an extra room to your home and will give you pleasure for many years, together with increasing that important wow factor when you come to sell.
Choosing a conservatory builder in the UK, from the many that are to be found, is the first decision that you'll need to make. In order to offer you the perfect conservatory to fit your requirements, a first-rate conservatory installer should perform a full site survey of your premises before consenting to do any work. Not every conservatory will require planning permission, and specialist assistance from your conservatory sales force will be able to tell you if this is required. Most conservatories that are less than 30 feet in length don't require any planning permission, though if your house is in a protected area or has got listed status, you will have to double check before any actual work can commence.
The design of your chosen conservatory is down to your own taste, but there are 5 or 6 popular models to think about:
- Victorian - With a ridged roof and a rounded front wall, the Victorian conservatory is a classic option and undoubtedly among the most favoured of styles.
- Edwardian - Very similar in design to the Victorian conservatory, but with a flat front which offers more internal space and is perfect for use as an entertaining area or dining room.
- Lantern - A much taller conservatory with a central glazed structure that looks beautiful on bigger properties. It is sometimes called an orangery.
- P-Shaped - A mixture of Victorian and lean-to to generate a huge amount of space.
- Lean-to - A simple conservatory style that works great on many house types, especially modern day homes.
- Gable - The gable ended construction permits the maximum quantity of light into your conservatory and the style is sometimes called a Georgian.
Now that you have an idea of the design of conservatory you want, now is the time to choose the extra fittings and fixtures that will need to be fitted during the initial building stage. This will consist of TV points, power sockets and light fixtures, to under-floor heating, ventilation and choice of floor required to suit your taste and style. Shading, curtains and blinds should also be considered, as depending on the height and style of your conservatory, they might need to be custom-made.
The quality materials that modern conservatories are made from will keep your room at the right temperature no matter what the weather is like. Your conservatory is going to be warm in winter and cool in the summer time, because of the thermal efficient glazing that is used. Having the luxury of a conservatory means that no matter what the UK weather decides to do, you can enjoy pleasant views of your garden from a light, warm and dry space. A conservatory can genuinely give an outdoor feel to an indoor space.
If you want to merge the conservatory into the style of your home you can have a solid roof to match that of your home. By matching a solid roof, the internal ceilings can also be effortlessly synchronised to your home's interior to create a natural expansion of your living area. This sort of conservatory design enables more options for use as additional living space, and can even be changed into an extra bedroom.
If you don't want to have a glass or solid roof you could always settle on a panelled style roof. The solid panels are usually placed close to the property wall to give an increased degree of privacy, with the glass panes allowing ample natural light to enter.
The alternatives for your conservatory walls don't only have to be glazed or half wall. Becoming much more popular in the UK are the orangery style of conservatories. An orangery will still let lots of daylight into your conservatory, but is constucted from brick frames enabling it to blend flawlessly with the style of your home. The much taller, lantern style roof and mixture of plastered and glazed walls gives a light and airy feel to an orangery conservatory.
A professionally built conservatory should last for many years and making sure that your needs are fulfilled, before any building begins, will save lots of stress and worry down the road. You should ask for guidance and advice from your UK conservatory company and try to get suggestions on all the different styles, electrical fixtures, flooring options and shading which match your exact requirements, along with the type of conservatory you would like. Get a quotation for the final price which includes all installation, fixtures and fittings, and ensure it is an all inclusive costing for the entire conservatory.
Of course there is the option of installing your own conservatory, and if you've got experience in construction this can be a more affordable alternative. If you do not have the appropriate experience, it is generally better to use an experienced installation team in the UK, to build your conservatory to the demanding standards expected. The stress and possible problems of a self-installation are more than compensated for by the additional cost needed for an installation company, on such an important aspect of your house.
To guarantee that you get the best possible deal it is a wise idea to get three or four price quotes from various companies in the UK, considering all the things you need. Examine their range of earlier work and ask to see references before agreeing to any deal. Most conservatory companies in the UK will offer this info during the planning phase to show off their portfolio of projects and demonstrate their products and services.
Acknowledged trade associations such as the Fair Trades Association, the BSI (British Standards Institute) or the GFF (Glass and Glazing Federation) all provide peace of mind to you as a consumer that your chosen conservatory company in the UK has got the appropriate experience, qualifications and insurance coverage to smoothly finish your installation.
Membership by your chosen UK installer to the Double Glazing and Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS) provides a degree of consumer if any problems occur as a result of the installation. The FMB (Federation of Master Builders) is also a recommended association that your conservatory installer should be a signed up member of. These accreditations and memberships provide you with knowledge and peace of mind that the conservatory installer you've selected has attained an acknowledged level of excellence in the field of construction.
Lean-To Style Conservatories UK
Lean-to conservatories are suitable for any style of family home in UK. Providing a stylish, light-filled area to entertain or unwind, a lean-to or Mediterranean conservatory can be flawlessly integrated into older and modern buildings in UK.
Any house in UK can have a lean-to conservatory on account of the variable roof incline, e.g. shallow for a bungalow, or a steeper pitch for a two or three storey terraced or semi-detached home. This flexibility permits any home in UK to have the benefit of the elegant addition of a sun-room or conservatory.
Despite the fact that they might be straightforward in design, lean-to conservatories provide a useable living space even throughout the darkest, coldest days of winter in UK. Additionally, by building onto the existing wall of your home the installation costs are lower and you've got the extra bonus of having electricity and heating options nearby. All of this shows that a lean-to conservatory is a cost effective option for those looking to improve their home, increase its value and create more space.
Victorian Conservatories UK
If you are considering extending your property in the UK, then a conservatory is one of the most popular options. Coming up with conservatory ideas on the other hand, can be quite a daunting task. There are many types of conservatory that you can choose from, and each has their own unique design. Among the predominant style types are: P-shaped conservatories, Georgian conservatories, gable-fronted conservatories, lean-to conservatories, Edwardian conservatories and Victorian conservatories. Out of all these conservatories (or glasshouses as they were formally known), by far the most popular design for modern homeowners in the UK is the Victorian conservatory.
The Victorian conservatory has been around since the reign of Queen Victoria. It is characteristic in its design by having an almost octagonal shape, with around seven splays. The term splay is pretty much outdated nowadays and has been replaced by the more common wording of bay or facet. Another characteristic of this design is the pitched roof, which typically has very ornate mouldings running along its apex. The roof itself can often be very extravagant, and many are found to be domed in design.
There were many well-known conservatories built during the Victorian era. Many of these were built in botanical gardens, as another key characteristic of conservatories is their ability to utilise the maximum amount of light available on any given day. Probably the most famous of these is the conservatory built at Kew Gardens in 1859. This conservatory is the oldest surviving glasshouse in existence today. The popularity of Victorian conservatories sparked huge interest in this period, not only in the UK, but also around the world. With the British monarchy having influence on most continents, so the building of these elaborate Victorian structures boomed. Many of these are still fully functional to this day, and are key attractions in their respective locations.
uPVC Conservatory UK
uPVC has grown to be the favoured material for conservatories in the UK. uPVC conservatories require very little maintenance, and when combined with roofs and double-glazed windows, have excellent windproof, weatherproof and heat insulation qualities. The uPVC framework can be tinted to your choice or even be given a wood grain effect for a natural look without the regular maintenance of a conservatory made from genuine timber.
Given that it does not swell up, warp or rot in damp and humid conditions, it is the perfect material for a conservatory in the UK. This is why most folks in the UK, opt for a uPVC conservatory. Whichever style of conservatory you would like, there's a uPVC model to fit the bill. For a classic and elegant garden room you can choose Edwardian or Victorian, whilst modern homes look great with a lean-to or gable-ended conservatory, with the lean-to option especially suitable for bungalows in the UK.
Conservatory Installation Tasks UK
You will find that there are countless tasks that almost all conservatory installers should be able to handle in and around your home in the UK and examples include: uPVC conservatories in the UK, conservatory installation in the UK, commercial conservatories, conservatory insulation, lean-to conservatories, conservatory lighting, Victorian conservatories UK, bespoke conservatories, conservatory extensions UK, tiled conservatory roofs UK, orangery installation in the UK, wooden conservatories, Edwardian conservatories, conservatory ideas, gable conservatories, conservatory design, conservatory repairs, conservatory services, residential conservatories, and a lot more not mentioned in this blog post.
Conservatory Services UK
- UK Conservatory Planning Permission
- UK Conservatory Design
- UK Commercial Conservatories
- UK Conservatory Services
- UK Conservatory Extensions
- UK Conservatory Builders
- UK Conservatory Fitters
- UK Conservatory Installation
- UK Conservatory Replacement
- UK Conservatory Lighting
- UK Conservatory Repairs
- UK Residential Conservatories
- UK Conservatories
- UK Conservatory Installers
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Conservatories - Conservatory Replacement - Conservatory Design - Conservatory Installers - Conservatory Builders - Conservatory - Conservatory Installations