Conservatory companies.

fatbeetle

Can anyone recommend one?

I'm sure many will want to warn me off some, (opinions on this welcome too.)

South West England based, (Cornwall,) would be best.

Furts

Davesnave went through an experience with a company - I guess he may be saying avoid that one. I think this one remains anonymous, but up to you to pursue this.

The rule of thumb, and the default setting, with conservatory companies is they are all useless. This is because it is an unregulated industry that operates by keeping all its' information behind closed doors, behind manufacturers, and with protection from GGF.

That said there will be companies better than others. However be realistic here. There is a good one near me, but good is relative in the conservatory world. This company has all the boxes ticked, including Trading Standards. But I had to intervene to prevent them taking advantage of a little old lady with bad design, poor specification and extortionate pricing.

View matters in a different light. The default setting always has to be a sunroom is preferable to a conservatory because this is regulated work, following accepted building practice.

fatbeetle

Thanks for that. Would a general builder be a better bet than a company?

Furts

Impossible to say. But general fundamentals are this ... the builder will sub contract so if this is using his nous and business savvy to sub out to a good installer - that he knows and trusts - then this is a better route. But if the builder intends to erect it himself then no -
conservatory building is a specialised field best not left to general builders.

The way to control matters is for you to draw up the specification, the design and the inspection regime, then seek a good company yourself.

Davesnave

I confirm that I've been in dispute with a conservatory company for the best part of a year. I've withheld £4k of the final price, as this is the minimum the company would have charged to alter the conservatory to make it match the design I thought I'd agreed with them. There is no chance of that now, because the building is complete.

The above has nothing to do with another issue I discovered concerning the integrity of construction. That was rectified under my supervision, since the company 'surveyor' decided not to put in an appearance.

At present, the matter is in the hands of the GGF who have so far refused to send the dispute to arbitration. This suggests that I'm in the right, and their member would lose. Reasons have not been sharedwith me so far.

The only other recourse the company has left, seems to be taking me to the small claims court, where I'd gladly meet them and counter-claim. They know this.

Their nearest branch to Cornwall is in Barnstaple. Stay out of there and you won't meet them.

I'm reasonably happy with the conservatory, which is as well insulated and ventilated as I could make it. I chose it over a garden room, because tacking one of those onto our bungalow would have cut light levels too much. We have friends who've been there and done that.

Down here, winters are typically mild and I have a lot of cheap wood to 'waste' in the stove on the days when the sun doesn't shine!

fatbeetle

Thanks Furts and Davesnave