Conservatory New Roof

mro85

Hi all,

Hoping I can use your experience and advice to help me make a decision...


My kitchen is an extension that then leads into an open plan conservatory.

The conservatory has a polycarbonate roof and as per usual is either too hot or too cold.

I've had various quotes to change the roof
- leave the existing frame and replace the polycarbonate panels with special aluminium and foam panels (£7500 - ridiculous money)
- new senitel timber roof with plaster board inside (£6000)
- someone else quoting for new roof £4000

This all seems like a huge amount of money.
We use the room all year round and as it's part of the kitchen it impacts the rest of the house.

We would like to fully open up the kitchen but obviously would need proper thermals in the conservatory.

Any thoughts from anyone?
Has anyone done this and found it worth doing? If so what technology and how much did you pay?

I've doing loads of research but can't find many independent reviews.

Thanks again

mro85

Some pictures below if it helps

https://imageshack.com/a/0iCM/1

Excuse the mess and the tumble-dryer.

We are looking to do the kitchen up and ideally
- We would have an energy efficient proper roof on the conservatory
- Remove the wall between the kitchen and conservatory to open the the area up
- Put an island in the kitchen due to the open space.

Does this sound realistic or sensible?

Thanks

Doozergirl

Building control need to be involved. Your present set up doesn't even begin to comply with building regulations.

Conservatories are not designed to be open plan to a house, and if you go for further work, you'll have to work out which, if any of your roof suggestions will meet building regulations. I don't think any will as your floors won't meet regs for insulation either, I imagine.

Conservatories are classed as outbuildings, not extensions, which is why you should have doors in place between the two. At the moment, you could put doors in and comply but if you start removing more walls and putting islands in place then I don't see you having any choice but to have a fully compliant, warm, building.

Conservatories are not a long term option. They will fail and leak eventually.

cyclonebri1

I wouldn't even worry about complying with building regs, (because as above you will never be able to for a habitable space).

Don't go with plasterboarding under the existing roof, to heavy and too prone to condensation.



So, what type of poly roof do you have?

My own is a free standing conservatory, (orangery), 6.5 x 4.5 mtrs.
They supplied the wrong colour poly, should have been clear bronze, they supplied opaque.

We came to a financial solution, but I have to say the room never over heats as the opacity seems to block alot of the effect of direct sun, glad they got it wrong,:D

Furts

I would not be replacing the polycarbonate roof unless it has failed.

If it is replaced a deeper depth polycarbonate could be an answer to give better insulation- I do not know what depth you currently have. Getting an opal polycarbonate should reduce glare and heat gain. Neither are perfect solutions but together they would mitigate, a little, what you have.

Imho you currently have a poorly designed and specified conservatory. The floor space is not wonderful because it was designed with dog legs. The glazing goes to the floor - a bad idea for heat loss and for over heating. The windows have inadequate opening, although you may have restrictors to allow greater opening - only you will know this. But there needs to be more air movement/ventilation. When all this is considered it is pointless opening your kitchen into the conservatory, and also a poor use of money to replace the roof with glass or a lightweight roof.

The ideal scenario is to remove the conservatory and build a proper extension.

You could just accept the current situation. You could buy tremendous amounts of heating for what an upgrade would cost and the French Doors will give give you ventilation when it is hot.

mro85

Thanks - just a clear standard polycarb roof.

I totally agree / understand with Furts - tricky is this setup was already here when I bought the house.

I've had a look at removing the conservatory and building the extension - my issue is the cost of it.

I wouldn't plasterboard under the existing roof - I've heard about the condensation issues.

Another option is Equinox. http://www.eurocell.co.uk/homeowners/conservatories/equinox-tiled-conservatory-roofs

Tough one for me as totally hear what everyone is saying.
Desperate for new kitchen (doesn't look too bad in the pictures but when you go into detail esp the flooring it's not great).

But if if I'm investing in the kitchen I was hoping to open it.

Is there any other suggestions or things people would do in my situation?

Thanks for all the replies so far.

xyz123

Considering the amount of cowboys out there claiming to make conservatories habitable and costs involved I would suggest you consideruputtingt a portable or fixed small air conditioner and extra heating. That would solve ur problems with far less cost than replacing roof properly or building a proper extension.

Doozergirl

Has nobody else noticed that the OP is talking about opening up about another 3 metres of wall in post 2? How on earth could anyone consider or suggest not involving building control when the OP essentially wants to remove the back wall of their house??

We're not talking about a small amount of heat loss here or a bit of flouting of building regs that could be reversed. We really are talking about potentially making the house unsaleable. No buyer's surveyor is going to pass that.

Furts

mro85 wrote: »

Thanks - just a clear standard polycarb roof.

I totally agree / understand with Furts - tricky is this setup was already here when I bought the house.

I've had a look at removing the conservatory and building the extension - my issue is the cost of it.

I wouldn't plasterboard under the existing roof - I've heard about the condensation issues.

Another option is Equinox. http://www.eurocell.co.uk/homeowners/conservatories/equinox-tiled-conservatory-roofs

Tough one for me as totally hear what everyone is saying.
Desperate for new kitchen (doesn't look too bad in the pictures but when you go into detail esp the flooring it's not great).

But if if I'm investing in the kitchen I was hoping to open it.

Is there any other suggestions or things people would do in my situation?

Thanks for all the replies so far.

I suggest the Eurocell roof is a non starter. A stab at the price of this would be £7000 - some are paying £10000. Added to this is the ridiculous concept. This type of roof will plunge your internal kitchen into relative darkness. If you challenge the Eurocell installing companies over this they will then add to the complexity and cost, plus their profits, by introducing roof lights. Guess what? You are back to overheating, and condensation in some situations.

Furts

Doozergirl wrote: »

Has nobody else noticed that the OP is talking about opening up about another 3 metres of wall in post 2? How on earth could anyone consider or suggest not involving building control when the OP essentially wants to remove the back wall of their house??

We're not talking about a small amount of heat loss here or a bit of flouting of building regs that could be reversed. We really are talking about potentially making the house unsaleable. No buyer's surveyor is going to pass that.

I have spotted this but like others, I suspect, I did not comment. One hears this concept so much these days that one just goes with the flow. Lifestyle magazines, nonsensical journalists, television presenters with no building knowledge, and advertising about "bringing the garden into the home" all have some bearing on this.

OP appears to have a limited budget which is why I was suggesting live with the situation.

Equally OP may have a very limited knowledge of building. Fine by me - we all have particular strengths and weaknesses. But for a more technical answer OP should have photoed the outside showing the roof detail, the flashing, whether cavity trays are in place, the height of the wall...

My intuition is if structural works are undertaken and steels are built in to form a large opening the conservatory will be revealed to be poorly built, life expired and leaky from that moment on. In essence structural work will necessitate a new conservatory/extension in order to get a guarantee from the builder and compliance with Building Regulations. None of this will be cheap, and added to a new kitchen, who knows...say £30000(?)

cyclonebri1

Doozergirl wrote: »

Has nobody else noticed that the OP is talking about opening up about another 3 metres of wall in post 2? How on earth could anyone consider or suggest not involving building control when the OP essentially wants to remove the back wall of their house??

We're not talking about a small amount of heat loss here or a bit of flouting of building regs that could be reversed. We really are talking about potentially making the house unsaleable. No buyer's surveyor is going to pass that.

Well I'll put my hands up to that, "opening up the kitchen" registered with me as taking out existing patio doors, which could be done in summer then replaced in winter.
From the pictures it isn't clear but given a better understanding thanks to DZ, it will involve some massive structural work and hefty beams. This will require structural cals and building control involvement and will carry a hefty price tag.

Not involving building control was strictly regarding the roof replacement, not the above work which could have been explained more clearly.;)