Thinking of getting a conservatory? Want extra space but you love where you live and aren’t prepared to move?
It’s a common problem for many homeowners and often an extension, conservatory or loft conversion is a great compromise.
So, say you’ve opted for the conservatory option, what do you need to consider before picking up the phone and calling the first local company name you spot on Google? Well, here is what we would want to know:
What’s it’s going to be used for
Are you going to use your new conservatory as a ‘chill out’ room for you and your partner – somewhere the kids are ‘banned’ from at night?
Or perhaps it’s to be used as a home office. So many more of us are working from home now, as a result of lockdown and that doesn’t look as if that situation is going to change any time soon.
Then again, many families use their conservatory as a room to entertain friends and have dinner parties in.
Why you need to decide what you are using your conservatory for beforehand is because this will change the size, shape and make-up of your conservatory.
Where it’s going to go
If you want it to get as much sun as possible then obviously you will want your conservatory to be south-facing, if possible.
Just make sure that you get bifold doors installed so that when the sun does get too warm, you can open them right up and let in some cool air.
If your conservatory is going to be north-facing, then it will be pretty cold during the winter months. As a result, you will need to consider getting some sort of heating installed.
Overall though, the location of your existing home will probably dictate where the conservatory goes.
Whether you can legally go ahead
This has to be sorted out before the first brick is laid. You can only go ahead if you have planning permission from your local authority – if needed.
What puts planning permission in jeopardy is issues such as whether or not your conservatory will seriously interfere with a neighbour’s view @eygwindows: “Neighbours will be consulted and can raise objections to extensions under the ‘Neighbour Consultation Scheme.”
If it’s going to take up more than half the space of your garden you’ll need permission too. In addition, if you have a bungalow and the highest point of the planned conservatory is taller than the roof of your house an application will need to be made.
The company building your conservatory will be familiar with the planning application process and will likely do this for you.
The style of your conservatory
Will you opt for a contemporary-styled conservatory or a Georgian orangery style? Perhaps you prefer Victorian with a tall pointed roof and metalwork appearance?
This is the fun part of having a conservatory installed and is definitely worth pouring hours over brochures for.
For other home improvement ideas, including fitting upgraded windows, take a look around the rest of our website.