conservatory advice?

**MsDG** · 24th July 2006

Yup, its me asking questions again....

We are thinking about a conservatory (and we are aware of the building regs required). However, after seeing many people who have conservatories with the two issues I am just about to mention, I wondered if anyone knows of good solutions around them?

Issue 1) The three sided conservatory. Ever conservatory is three sided (I suppose to keep the ammount of glass required for the regs). However, virtually everybody (and me) has one side directly facing a fence. This seems a daft thing to do.

Issue 2) Freezing in the winter, boiling in the summer. Are there any tips buying/building a conservatory that reduces the need for a shit load of heating / air con?

**lin** · 24th July 2006

First piece of advice?

Buy from a reputable company that gives an insurance-backed guarantee.

Try and get underfloor heating, very handy and not too expensive.

Air-con is not too dear.

Our fence side is solid brick, which it seems might be causing our falling-down problem, just buy blinds.

Buy voile and drape it across the ceiling to reduce heat.

**blacksheep** · 24th July 2006

yeah - don't have a clear/plain glass roof or you'll bake. And blinds on the rest of the windows help a bit

**TheFincher** · 24th July 2006

Lins point about under floor heating is a very good idea............ I would recommend Warmup Underfloor Heating, all electrical and none of that pipe bullshit and a good price too i believe

**Roach-Rampino** · 24th July 2006

When I bought my house 6 years ago, it was in need of full renovation. I put a "lean-to" style conservatory onto the back of the house. My builders built dwarf walls and the conservatory chap (small local independant company recommended to me) just built the framework and roof on top. I decided to split the whole thing into conservatory and utility room. This meant I could continue the run of kitchen cupboard and worktop into the utility, therefore having a second fridge, freezer, washing machine and tumble drier, all intergrated. By having at least one side all brick, not only did I save on cost but there's additional security and it doesn't get as hot as it might.

Up until last week, out of sheer laziness the conservatory has remained an empty room, ideal for drying clothes on airers and having the occasional dinner party in. But we finally ordered some furniture and blinds(which were fitted Saturday) and voila we can finally use the room as it was intended.

I feel it's essential to see the products (frames, closers, doors etc) first, ideally in the showroom, (as opposed to just in a catalogue)that the conservatory company are going to supply as there is some very inferior quality stuff out there. Like a car door you can tell the quality by the solidity when you close the windows, that tells you it is well made. We did have one or two problems with minor leaks on the roof but even 5 years on the guy sent one of his blokes round to sort any such matter without question (or cost!).

The entire conservatory came to around �6k including the builders doing the walls. Blinds are absolutely essential as it gets like a sauna in there, having the tinted plastic roof makes little difference to the temperature. The ones we've had fitted claim to keep out 85% of the heat in the summer and keep heat in in the winterm thus making the room usable all year round. I didn't plump for underfloor heating as the floor is tiled and was advised it would be very costly if there was a problem.

Here's some pics, feel free to ask anything...(relevant

)

The utility room.

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Integration!

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Lighting can be an issue, the sparks and I came up with this...

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Into the conservatory part....

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From outside..

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The blinds are a "honeycombed" style, which I guess helps witht the heat retention/prevention

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Both radiators are covered, which gives extra ledges for stuff

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Didn't really see the point of having motorised/electric blinds as they will be "out" almost constantly. The rod is telescopic and very simple to use...

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**TheFincher** · 24th July 2006

Fuck me Roachy............ you trying to sell the place

ive seen far worse pictures in Estate Agents windows!

On a little side note............ Those tiles, dont suppose you will know but are they called Padova 80 and a 31x45 ceramic?

PS: Nice plant

**Roach-Rampino** · 24th July 2006

Originally Posted by TheFincher

Fuck me Roachy............ you trying to sell the place

ive seen far worse pictures in Estate Agents windows!

On a little side note............ Those tiles, dont suppose you will know but are they called Padova 80 and a 31x45 ceramic?

PS: Nice plant

Yes mate, ironically it's on the market right now.

The plant is Aloe Vera and very good for your skin.

**Shambles** · 24th July 2006

Nice mate. Makes every single one of my 12 bedrooms look shite

**MsDG** · 27th July 2006

Cheers for the advice folks. Karma given all round.

Roachy... your conservatory looks nice but I am a bit concerned that there seems to be a lot of wall involved. Are you sure it meets the conservatory rules?

**lampshade** · 27th July 2006

Can I just add........

Go for a glass roof (with solar glass) deffo' have the underfloor heating and what about panels or obscure glass for the side that faces your neighbour's.

Same as mine but mines in white.

**Roach-Rampino** · 27th July 2006

Originally Posted by Dirtygirl

Cheers for the advice folks. Karma given all round.

Roachy... your conservatory looks nice but I am a bit concerned that there seems to be a lot of wall involved. Are you sure it meets the conservatory rules?

Yes, I had plenty of objections to my extension, none of which were valid or upheld, so we had to play strictly by the book with the conservatory. It falls just inside the cubic capacity allowed without planning consent. I can't remember the exact figure right now.

A lean to conservatory isn't the prettiest but is probably the most economical, for the obvious reasons.

**evilsatan** · 28th July 2006

Ours was completed only a few months ago, we just leave the doors and windows open so its warm with a nice breeze. I wanted underfloor heating but 'her in charge' decided against it.

We have those radiators that plug in to power sockets for the winter, we got them cheap somewhere and they are top quality and can be wheeled out when not in use.

If my camera comes soon (should have come on Tues :@) I will take pics for ya

**lampshade** · 28th July 2006

And another thing.... (BTW Imake UPVC window's/conservatory's)

1: Only have 65/70mm profile upvc (55/60mm is used for council houses and office block's, Unit's on industrial estates TBH)

2

ont pay extra for K Glass it's required by law to be fitted in new houses and will be made on the same production line as normal glass unit's. (know companie's that charge �20 per glass unit for K glass!!!!!)

3: Deffo have internally glazed rubber window's (any burgalar could take out a foam glazed window in about 1minute)

4: Most smaller companie's only sell UPVC and use outside firm's to make the unit's themselves, ask who makes the frame's. Swish and Rehau are the 2 quality makes of UPVC frame's (swish is the better of the two, but mine is Rehau and good enuff' )

5: Only 1 company actually make Conservatory UPVC frames "Anglian Window's" every1 else sell's window frame's/Glass unit's which are then made into a Conservatory.