any feed back or advice on a consevatory?

aliclago

I would like to get a conservatory built(3.7mx4.7m) as an extension to the kitchen. I have been inviting sales men from different companies but I am not sure how to pick the company for my job. Obviously the price is the first thing to think of but any other things I should consider?

mvteng

price shouldnt be the most important factor.

Our friend had a conservatory & chose the cheapest price & she's had nothing but problems with it.

I would try to get a recommendation form someones. Does anyone else in your street have a conservatory?

moonrakerz

I would walk around and ask people with conservatories who supplied it and how was their "experience". Even then it can go a bit pear shaped, we had several recommendations for a local firm, so we got someone to come round and give us a quote. When he was there all he tried to do was sell us a much bigger conservatory than we wanted:- "much better value", "you won't regret it" etc, etc. We didn't buy from there !

Would agree with mvteng - if you pay peanuts you will get something built by monkeys !

fluffymuffy

It has to be a separate room - with doors to close it off from the house. If you really mena that your kitchen will be extended into a conservatory space then you're into Building Regulations.

paddy's_mum

I have a beautiful, large conservatory but I'd never have another one. However well heated, you are pouring money down the drain since it just disappears through the roof and there is little that you can practically do to help the situation.

If I were doing something similar again, I'd find the extra money and have a proper garden room built, with insulated ceilings and roof, radiators installed and a place to fix thick curtains to keep warmth inside during the winter.

fluffymuffy

Sadly the current building reglations do not allow for the existance of a "garden room" without heafty inverstment in energy saving for the rest of the house.

rando

While I have been investigating replacing my polycarb conservatory roof with something that offers more insulation to stop all the heat loss through the roof I have come across this product http://www.tuffxprocessedglass.co.uk/A4-flyer-V3.pdf
It is offered in 2 thicknesses with one stating a u-value of 0.2 . The best I have come up with so far with a glass roof using pilkington k activ blue with argon filled units is a u-value of 1.2. I have no idea of the cost of this new eco i panel but it certainly seems to offer superb insulation. Has anyone else come across this product ?

aliclago

This is not a separated room. The kitchen wall is to be opened up, as wide as possible and once the extension is built, it will become a part of kitchen. So I have applied for a building regulation permission and been granted. After a builder's quote, based on detailed drawing, However, I realised that it was too expensive and I had to look for other option, which means a conservatory. I like looks of conservatory but I am still not convinced, especially after hearing feedbacks from some users. It sounds not practical, particularly cold in the winter and hot in the summer. As our garden faces the north, heat wouldn't be an issue in the summer but thinking of the winter, I am worried - it wouldn't be warm enough even if under floor heating were installed. I wonder if I should stick to the original idea of having a proper extension with tiled roof. Any suggestion on this?

aliclago

To Mvteng......could you pls tell me what kind of problems your friend encountered with as a result of chosing a cheapest one?

fluffymuffy

aliclago wrote: »

This is not a separated room. The kitchen wall is to be opened up, as wide as possible and once the extension is built, it will become a part of kitchen. So I have applied for a building regulation permission and been granted. After a builder's quote, based on detailed drawing, However, I realised that it was too expensive and I had to look for other option, which means a conservatory. I like looks of conservatory but I am still not convinced, especially after hearing feedbacks from some users. It sounds not practical, particularly cold in the winter and hot in the summer. As our garden faces the north, heat wouldn't be an issue in the summer but thinking of the winter, I am worried - it wouldn't be warm enough even if under floor heating were installed. I wonder if I should stick to the original idea of having a proper extension with tiled roof. Any suggestion on this?

It might be best stick to the original idea - especially since you've done it properly and got bulding regulations approval for it. To change to a conservatory which is open to the existing kitchen (without connecting doors) would require a new building regulations application, and then then the fun starts with trying to balance the heat loss with the rest of your house.

fluffymuffy

rando wrote: »

While I have been investigating replacing my polycarb conservatory roof with something that offers more insulation to stop all the heat loss through the roof I have come across this product http://www.tuffxprocessedglass.co.uk/A4-flyer-V3.pdf
It is offered in 2 thicknesses with one stating a u-value of 0.2 . The best I have come up with so far with a glass roof using pilkington k activ blue with argon filled units is a u-value of 1.2. I have no idea of the cost of this new eco i panel but it certainly seems to offer superb insulation. Has anyone else come across this product ?

I've looked at it - but I can't see our Building Control officers accepting it to allow the opening up of a conservatory without doors without a full building regulations application. I think that's wishful thinking on the part of the manufacturer.

To remove the doors and have a conservatory as a through-room then building regulations must be applied for. Generally it's required that the heat losses are calculated for the whole thing. For the house as existing, and the house with the new addition - a special report has to be bought from a liscenced government approved SAP calculation company. Negotiations then take place to reduce the window area propesed, without special roof panels we'd have to look at adding some traditional solid roof, and then try to save energy in the existing house by adding double glazing or a condensing boiler.

In all I don't imagine this new material is going to mean you can just install it and then take your doors off. It might mean less tinkering with roof heat losses during the building regulations process.