South Facing Garden - CONSERVATORY views

PottyHouse_2

Hi all,

Thinking of buying a home with a South facing garden and potentially adding a conservatory.

Had lots of advice not to ... due to heat, glare etc etc but we know there are now companies that can install special glass that reflects the heat etc (I guess at a price !)

Just wondered if anyone had any advice or ideas.

Thank you

sunshinetours

By the time you have specced your conservatory to the highest performing glass and bought blinds and added vents and then installed a heat pump/air con unit (all of which you would need to keep it useable year round) , you may as well do it properly and build a proper extension which you can use easily year round. Include plenty of windows or large bi-fold doors maybe and include a couple of velux for roof lighting

More likely to add value by adding a proper garden room with proper roof i would think

Just my opinion!

missindecisive

I agree. conservatory will be far too hot in south facing garden.:beer:

kaya

missindecisive wrote: »

I agree. conservatory will be far too hot in south facing garden.:beer:

i thought the object of a conservatory was to be a hot sun room, hence all glass?, if your garden faced north then you would have to heat it up, which defeats the object of fitting an all glass room?, its not something i have ever thought about before, would you not just fit blinds for use on realy hot days?

Swipe

I have a south facing conservatory. The point is you don't want expensive heat reflecting glass so it is able to heat up in the winter, spring and autumn. In the summer I'd rather sit out in the garden anyway and it's perfectly fine if you open the doors and windows. The last two summers have been very dull so when the sun came it was welcomed.

Mummy_Jo

We have a south facing conservatory and when we moved in we had cheap glass. In the summer it was unbearable! and I am not sure just how much I can convey that to you. It was hideous totally hideous.

Anyway to cut a rather long and protracted story short we had Hillary's blinds install some roof blinds to block out the sun and well... they drilled a number of holes in the roof and it was totally wrecked! We had to get them to pay £6000 to install a new roof and wow it is good!

I would recommend installing a good roof and do some research on this too - speak to different firms and look up on the net and don't go for the cheapest firm. The glass that blocks the heat out ALSO helps to retain the heat in the winter too. Our conservatory is still a nice place to sit on a winters sunny morning. We also had a roof vent fitted to help heat escape in the summer too which is great.

If I can give you any more advice or answer any questions given that we have had two conservatory roofs in the same house I would be very happy!

Having said all of this... we inherited the conservatory if I had done it I would have built an extension as it would be cooler in summer (but still warm as it is South Facing) and warmer in winter as it would be insulated. A conservatory is still a cheaper option though and ours is 22ft long!

Hope you work it all out

Jo
xxx

PottyHouse_2

Hi, thanks for all your replies - they are very useful and something to mill over.

I would say we currently have SE facing garden and were going to have conservatory but opted for a proper extension with full width patio doors and 2 velux windows - we were so glad we did as it as all year round room which we love.

I suppose it all comes down to money in the end (like everything in life) !!!

I particularly like the idea from 'SUNSHINETOURS' about bifold doors - that would be lovely.

Taking into account the cost of a specialist roof and the glazing that keeps the heat out and in (!) blinds, extra windows etc etc it would probably match the price of a small extension !?

Our other option is what we originally planned and to convert the garage but you are confined to that internal space ... but then no problem about sun as it is north facing !!

Thanks all - very informative.

sunshinetours

PottyHouse wrote: »

Hi, thanks for all your replies - they are very useful and something to mill over.

I would say we currently have SE facing garden and were going to have conservatory but opted for a proper extension with full width patio doors and 2 velux windows - we were so glad we did as it as all year round room which we love.

I suppose it all comes down to money in the end (like everything in life) !!!

I particularly like the idea from 'SUNSHINETOURS' about bifold doors - that would be lovely.

Taking into account the cost of a specialist roof and the glazing that keeps the heat out and in (!) blinds, extra windows etc etc it would probably match the price of a small extension !?

Our other option is what we originally planned and to convert the garage but you are confined to that internal space ... but then no problem about sun as it is north facing !!

Thanks all - very informative.

We did a garage conversion in our house and it has created a great space. If you have a double length or double width garage even better as you can retain some storage space but still get a good sized room. Just make sure you have enough storage elsewhwere for bikes etc. Also get it done properly by a reputable firm who specialises in them (or who ahs done plenty before). How they finish the front is very important and can help "hide" the fact its a garage conversion (we had brick tinting and a pitched roof on ours so it doesn't look so much like a conversion)

As far as the back get a couple of quotes for a high spec conservatory inc blinds etc and get an extension priced up (once you've bought the place of course!) - I bet there isn't a massive difference. Although bi-fold doors aren't cheap for decent aluminium ones

Good luck!

Mummy_Jo

We don't need roof blinds with our new conservatory - only side blinds and whilst we did get them from Hillarys we could have got them from John Lewis off the shelf for at least half of the price... £300.00 and it is 22ft long!

We have also - in the same house - converted the garage into a room and we are looking to move house as we need the space the room gives us AND the garage too. We have a shed that is full to capacity and we have nowhere for kids bikes etc... The space wasn't as wide as I was hoping for and to comply fully with new building regs we have had to install so much insulation in the loft space that we have no storage their either...

My advice is to think fully before you embark on the house move!

Jo
xxx

taffyhl

Just wondering if you did go ahead with a conservatory? We are looking at having one and also have a Suth facing garden. 2 neighbours have and haven't had a problem.

Anyone used a conservatory company in South Wales they would recommend? We've had 1 quote and awaiting 2 - problem is they all seem to offer different advice. 2 have said don't have a glass roof no matter what, whilst one says that's the best option...

PottyHouse_2

Hi Taffy,
Still waiting for the sale of the house to go through !!!
There are about 100 or so houses in the same road and quite a few of them have conservatories too so it is still an option for us and hasn't put us off having one.
There is a new Pilkington blue roof which looks good - reflects the heat apparently - but I know this will be an expensive option.
RE: Glass roof or not - I suppose the only way to really find out is to visit someone with a SF garden and conservatory in the middle of summer, see what the temperature is like in there and find out for yourself !!!!
I live in the Midlands so don't know any reputable companies sorry.
Good luck with yours !!