Conservatories UK, First Time Buyers Guide

Conservatories, The Quick and Easy Guide For First Time Buyers

Buying a conservatory can be a daunting task especially if you are a first time buyer. They say that knowledge is power and it is certainly helpful to know something about conservatories before you buy one (as with most financial endeavors). This guide is aimed for first time buyers. Hopefully after reading this you will be able to obtain a conservatory with confidence. The project will most certainly take time and effort but can pay off very nicely with a new room to enjoy and a rise in the value of your home.

You will have to take time to research and think about what you really want, remember YOU have to live with this and you can't afford to make mistakes.

Questions, questions, always questions.

In your quest to be an informed buyer you will have to ask questions. You should always be informed in what's going on. This can put your mind at ease and make sure that no hidden costs or problems arise. So to start of with you need to think about what you want. Ask yourself these questions…

What will I use my conservatory for? - This will have a significant difference in the type of conservatory you will need. Will it be a sunroom? or a dining room? a play room? a study? a children's room? a breakfast room? What type of safety glass should you use? Toughened or laminated glass? What are the advantages and disadvantages of these types of glasses?

When will I use my conservatory? - All year round or perhaps only in the summer? If to be used only in the summer then we recommend full height/fully glazed models - usually in a lean-to style. This would allow you to maximize the space internally and with the full height version give you the best view of your garden. A lot of people will put their conservatory down directly on their existing patio. There isn't anything wrong with this but do remember that you do not have a damp course installed with this method - so do be prepared for some damp. If at all possible lay the conservatory in a slightly raised position (perhaps on a single course of brickwork) so as to minimize the effects of "standing water" [that's the water that accumulates on your patio during rain] and therefore reduce water/damp penetration. All Year round conservatories are the hardest to cater for. This depends on how much money you are willing to spend on the project. With a cheaper route it is almost always best to specify cavity dwarf walls, double glazed frames with a minimum of 16 mm polycarbonate in the roof. You can also add various heating methods and perhaps cavity wall insulation. This specification has a couple of disadvantages such as it may be pretty cold in the winter evenings and also more prone to damp and condensation. This is especially so if you are north facing. By all means have this specification but do please understand that it can have some problems. With the more expensive version you should use a Low E type of glazing such as Pilkington "K" glass in your double glazing (this is important!). You may also like to add Argon filled units to the specification for even better insulation. In the roof we always recommend glass for the glazing material - with Pilkington "K" glass off course, this gives you a great view of the sky and can be very beautiful at night. As an alternative to glass in the roof you can use 25 mm or 32 mm polycarbonate. This product has the advantage of being less expensive and easier to handle than a glass roof whilst being a very good insulator.

What material do I wish my conservatory to be made out of? - The three most common used materials are PVCu, Hardwood and Aluminum. PVCu is an excellent; highly insulate material, which benefits from little or no external maintenance. It is readily available and well tested and the lowest cost option of all three materials. It is mainly seen in white but also available in Mahogany and Cherry Oak woodgrain styles. PVCu is by far the most popular material for conservatories today. The only downside would be that for some the PVCu lacks authenticity when it comes to the more traditional designs. It is not acceptable to planners for use on listed buildings and not popular with planners in conservation areas. Hardwood is used for a truly traditional design with an authentic look. Just about any traditional design or feature can be recreated - incorporating the contemporary benefit of double-glazing. Use this as a material for listed buildings. While it will require some periodic maintenance, modern paint finishes and stains ensure that this is increasingly less of an issue and it is available in a variety of stains. Lastly Aluminum's features are very similar to PVCu, although it is more expensive and not quite such a good insulator. It is a good choice for commercial locations and any situation where strength is a major issue.

What Size? - Quite easy to understand this, what size do you wish your conservatory to be? This is linked with what you wish your conservatory to be used for and so may need to be fairly large if it is to be a dining room for your family and guests.

Where is it located? - Will your conservatory to be south facing or north facing, how much light will it get? Will it need blinds?

Image courtesy of Quantal Conservatory Roof Systems .