Any experiences of Guardian Conservatory Roofs please?

Furts

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

With the replacement of all windows and doors, it took four days to install from start to end.

All of the materials used were top quality, and the structure is very solid. We were very pleased with the workmanship too.

The result is a very substantial structure replacing a conservatory that was nearer to a greenhouse in terms of quality. For £8,500 this was a cheap way of building a functional energy efficient extension.

Apologies if I sound cynical, but this is bordering on Spam.

The materials "were top quality" is meaningless without proof of specification. British Leyland used to bill the Austin Allegro as "top quality"

"We were very pleased with the workmanship". Without independent proof no other forum users can pass informed comment.

Let us assume there were two men for each of the four days at £150 per day. That gives a labour bill of £1200. The remaining £7300 is accounted for by the upgraded conservatory. IMHO that is not value for money.


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Hireman

Furts wrote: »

Apologies if I sound cynical, but this is bordering on Spam.

The materials "were top quality" is meaningless without proof of specification. British Leyland used to bill the Austin Allegro as "top quality"

"We were very pleased with the workmanship". Without independent proof no other forum users can pass informed comment.

Let us assume there were two men for each of the four days at £150 per day. That gives a labour bill of £1200. The remaining £7300 is accounted for by the upgraded conservatory. IMHO that is not value for money.




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I'm looking at this system and similar, 7-8k completed... Extensions are about £1000 per square meter but you've still got to deal with the existing conservatory ... Furts what would you recommend as an alternative but offering similar insulation values ?

Furts

Hi Hireman
My answer would depend on whether I have correctly understood your proposals. My apologies if I have not.

If you have an existing conservatory I can see no logical, commercial reason for replacing a roof with a product such as a Guardian Roof. The cost is astronomical in order to gain a small saving in heating, and the concept is far from eco.

A commercial decision would be to retain an existing roof and pay a little extra each on heating.

A properly designed and built extension will, more than likely, add value to your home. Proper design, materials and workmanship cost proper money. Hence your cost per square metre.

A conservatory and also the Guardian roofs are considered temporary, short life, non permanent structures. They are built to a far inferior specification than an extension. The design, and build are not regulated. They are exempt from the law - namely the Building Regulations. Hence they are cheaper than an extension.

Hope this helps

DocProc

I am presently sitting at my computer typing this in my 'lean to' conservatory. It is around 18' long x 8' 3" deep.

Above me is a 'Guardian' tiled and insulated roof.

I am now very happy with the conservatory from many respects.

Previously, I had removed the fairly useless double skin polycarboonate roof sheets and re-fitted triple section polcarb' roof sheets, complete with reflective inserts inside the cells and also roof blinds. Still a useless result! Too cold in winter! Too hot in summer!

My vertical window blinds were 'Eclipse' venetian tailor fitted blinds and these have been retained. The glazing units are 20mm toughened sealed units in white pvc framing. Patio Door from the house to the conservatory and French Doors from the conservatory to outside.

Guardian Construction Method:

A full strongly sectioned Aluminium Ring Beam around the entire perimeter, duly fixed to the house brickwork. Aluminium struts across the width, other excellent materials (eg. marine ply above the struts, breather membrane above that, steel coated tiles above that, lead flashing to the house brickwork.

Then treated timber to the underside of the struts, loads of foam slab insulation in between the struts, plasterboard to the entire underside.

Guttering:

This is an integrated system and fixes to the Ring Beam.

Fixing Time:

Old roof removed, tarpaulin covered over when necessary. Roof fixed within 4 days. Everything done and dusted within 8 days, including plastering the ceiling by my plasterer and my electrician fixing the lighting.

Lighting:

I have had installed: 8 No. 240volt, 5watt, GU10 LED Floodlights with 90 degree beam angle, in Mini Firestar lamp holders (these don't require heat shielders), into the plasterboard ceiling.

The conservatory is now extremely comfortable in summer and warm and comfortable in winter. Heat loss in winter, which was previously a massive problem and very costly, is now at a minimum. Heat in this room in summer, which was a massive problem and unbearable, is now solved and the room temperature is now extremely comfortable. The whole ambience is quite wonderful.

Effect on house: There has been some natural loss of light into the house. However, this is not really a problem as we previously used electric lights for our lounge and dining room and still do. So no change there to lighting costs for the house.

Cost of Guardian Roof System, including fitting of same: £6,500 incl. VAT
Cost of plastering: 7 No. 2400 x 1200 x 12mm boards and two skims. £450 incl. VAT.
White paint to ceiling: £40 incl VAT (we did this).
Electrician: A Certificate was required for the lighting circuit. The electrician wired the system up, cut the holes for the lamp holders, provided two circuits from an existing double gang switch in the house. £400 incl. VAT.
Light Bulbs: £48 incl. VAT, delivered.
Lamp Holders: 8 No. Mini Firestars. £96 incl VAT, delivered.

Total Cost: £7,534 for what is now, an extremely 'all year round usable' room.

And importantly, I can thoroughly recommend one to you.

DocProc

Prices appear to be coming down.

Just had a quotation for an 18' x 8'3" Guardian Roof for a conservatory for another house:

£5,600 incl VAT delivered and fitted. Inst'lln time of 3 days.
LED Ceiling Lights at £50 each
Manual Windows at £500 each
Electric Roof Windows at £750 each

shazbee

Anybody know anything about the Sentinel Roof, as we have two quotes, one Guardian and one Sentinel and the Sentinel is quite a bit dearer?? Also interested to read how much difference they appear to make as far as heat and how good the Guardian appears to be

BagpussM

PCL (Phil Coppell Ltd) manufacture and install the Guardian Conservatory Roof.

I'm considering a quote by them to replace my Edwardian style conservatory measuring 3.5m x 7m.
The quote stands at £12344.00 including Tapco slate effect tiles, full insulation, and plastering.

I've been researching the question of building regs. which appears to be a very confused issue.
I raised this with PCL who commented that they also have found this a vexed issue which they have resolved by using jhai limited, an independant approved building control firm. jhai will inform the local authority of the start of work and then deal with all matters relating to the building control including issuing the building control final certificate.
I've googled jhai and confrim that they're an independant national firm.
'jhai Limited is a Corporate Approved Inspector licensed by the Construction Industry Council (CIC) to give certified Building Regulations Approval, operating as an alternative to Local Authority Building Control.'
Re the price I have considered other alternatives including the latest high performance roof from Ultraframe called 'Utopia' which has a claimed 'u' value of just 0.53.
Priced by a local firm this roof would be £6455 supplied only inc VAT ex guttering. By the time you allow for fitting and guttering I doubt I'd see much change from £10K. There is then the fact that this 'Utopia' system is IMO pretty ugly looking both inside and out. By just allowing a low amount of light to pass through it would be defined as 'translucent' and therefore avoid any possibility of the conservatory requiring building regs.

IMO building regs are their for our safety, if PCL are obtaining building reg certificates for their work then I'm far happier to trust their work.
The idea that conservatory roofs need to be transluscent originated from the fact that the structure was unlikely to be safe in the event that 3 foot of snow landed on it unless heat loss through the roof could stop that snow landing in the first place!
The irony is then that as 'translucent' roof thermal insulation becomes more efficient and is then placed on a conservatory of weak structure, then the more likely it is to fall down!:rotfl:

nobulljusttruth

I once worked for Thomas Sanderson Blinds as a fitter or very expensive blinds for roof and windows in conservatories.
The battle against heat and cold in conservatories in this country means that the window (s'cuse the pun), of use in most cases is a few weeks per year. In winter too cold and expensive to heat as the warmth goes straight through the poly or glass roof. Blind companies state thermal properties in winter (rubbish), and 70% heat reduction in summer, (rubbish).
As most owners are out all day, no blinds will keep a room cool if left closed all day with the windows shut.
Most owners could benefit from this roof system despite the cost. (Sanderson roof blinds £5000-6000 a set).
Many conservatory companies are now offering 'roofed' Orangeries as an alternative.

I have been to the factory at PCL and was very impressed with the set up and quality.

No I dont work for them.

simoncrowe

I have been installing the tiled conservatory roof systems for a while now. I have been fitting the Guardian system and the Supalite system. I can provide all the building regulations paperwork required when you come to sell your house and have not yet had a problem.

You will find some companies fitting these roofs without building regs approval or fitting inferior roofs where they just batten over your existing roof. This is not the way to do it and you will only find you have a problem of you come to sell your property. Your solicitor or surveyor will definitely pick up on it.

If anybody has any questions regarding the guardian or Supalite roof systems please do not hesitate to contact me. I have been fitting them for a number of years now and have come across all the pitfalls and problems encountered with these roofs

AdviceSeek_3

Which system do you think is the best and what would be the likely cost of the roof on a 4 X 4 metre conservatory?
Will be most grateful for any advice you can give.
Regards

AdviceSeek