Guarantee for conservatory - what to look for

ls31

Hi all

We're looking to extend our living room with an extension ("conservatory" with solid roof) and we're really confused. Each company is saying something different (eg which is the best roof or the size of the pillars) buy where I'm looking for some help is here.

So, a company claims that the guarantee that a different company will give us (insurance backed) is void if they subcontract any part (eg the base) or if they don't manufacture their own windows. Therefore, they claim that say they're is an issue with the electrics and the work has been subcontracted, the company wouldn't help us, they'd sent us to the subcontractor. And that if they had gone into liquidation, the insurance wouldn't cover us. 

I hope it makes sense?

I struggle to believe this is true so any advice appreciated! On that same note, what's people's opinions on manufacturers vs fitters for Windows and patio doors?

Thanks in advance

Doozergirl

Ah, the land that exists outside of the building regulations!  

You've got people competing where there is no minimum standard.  The building regulations set the minimum standards for building in this country.  Conservatory companies don't have to meet them as long as you're keeping the door that separates the main house (indoors) from outdoors (conservatory) . 

They'll sell you all kinds of stories, but if you're investing in tiny foundations, flimsy side/roof panels and no mention of building control, you need to sack them.  

ls31

Doozergirl said:

Ah, the land that exists outside of the building regulations!  

You've got people competing where there is no minimum standard.  The building regulations set the minimum standards for building in this country.  Conservatory companies don't have to meet them as long as you're keeping the door that separates the main house (indoors) from outdoors (conservatory) . 

They'll sell you all kinds of stories, but if you're investing in tiny foundations, flimsy side/roof panels and no mention of building control, you need to sack them.  

The type of conservatory we're getting has a solid roof so it's considered an extension and needs building regs. Also, we're removing the internal door and adding a radiator on our gas heating system. 

Any advice on the guarantee question please...? 

FreeBear

ls31 said: So, a company claims that the guarantee that a different company will give us (insurance backed) is void if they subcontract any part (eg the base) or if they don't manufacture their own windows. Therefore, they claim that say there is an issue with the electrics and the work has been subcontracted, the company wouldn't help us, they'd sent us to the subcontractor. And that if they had gone into liquidation, the insurance wouldn't cover us.

So a company is dissing another's guarantee... Personally, I would remove that company from the list of contenders for the job and ask the other company for a copy of the policy document just to see what the exclusion clauses are.

Jeepers_Creepers

What that company has told you just doesn't hold water. So, like FB, I'd treat what they say with extreme care - although I wouldn't  necessarily dismiss them provided you are confident they'll do a good job. Just always know they are capable of BS, that's all, so ask ask ask about anything you are not 100% certain of.

We've just had an extension built, not totally unlike what you are proposing. We had a main builder to do the 'wet' work, a sparky, a roofer, and window/door/skylantern installer. Damn, the warranties are void because it wasn't one company!

That is clearly bar locks. If the walls crack, the 'wet' guy is liable. If I get electrocuted, I'll claim off the sparky (I know I know). If the windows let in water - guess what, one SL did - then the window folk are liable, and did honour their warranty with no hesitation. As they'd have to.

So, as FB says, nonsense - and it would be interesting to see their response when you question them on that.

If this is going through BC, then there will be minimum guidelines for the foundations, for example? Good. Make sure each company who tenders for the job gives their intentions for this. Our guy goes OTT.

Only a totally different note, stop calling it a connie. If I were you, I'd also make some slight adjustments to stop it looking anything like a connie. If you are going to have full walls of glass, then it'll look and feel like a connie, and that's not good, man. It'll have of a connie's associated drawbacks - it won't feel naturally as cosy or welcoming, it'll look like a stick-on connie from the outside as well instead of an integrated, fully-usable, extension/garden room. And when it comes to selling up, you'll be spending a lot of time explaining why you have a rad in a 'connie' and what times of the year it is usable.

The physical appearance and appeal between what are actually, on the surface, very similar rooms - a connie and a garden room - is total, complete, utter. One is "Oh, that'll be nice on a sunny day!" Hmmm, a bit bright in here!" "Ooh, I bet it gets hot!" "Cost a fortune to heat..." and "I guess it's ok - for a connie."

The other will be "I'm going to be spending a lot of time in here!" "I think, let's see, HiFi over there, bookcase here, drinks cabinet just..." "Wow, this brings the garden right in to the house..." "I've always wanted one of these..." "What a cosy room!"

See that last remark? No-one has ever ever ever said that about a connie. Ever. That's a factoid.

Do yourself a humungous favour; make yourself a cuppa, and Google-Image 'garden rooms' and 'orangeries'. Then pour yourself a stiff brandy and G-I 'conservatories'.

See? :-) 

Mutton_Geoff

Wouldn't you be better off using a proper builder and constructing an extension rather than one of these Sunday supplement cowboys? You'll probably get more for your money and add real value to your house that sticking one of these hard top conservatories on.

I'm looking at houses to buy at the moment. If I see any with a "garden room" or conservatory, I budget removing it and building a proper extension.

Davesnave

Sometimes people on here fail to consider price, but I agree about using a local builder for the base work if possible.

We wanted a conservatory so that's what we built. Apart from the roof, it's to building regs standard and we use it all year round, especially in the winter. It's easy to heat from the existing wood burner in the room behind, but we don't particularly want to use it at night, so that was in our thinking from the start.

We certainly didn't want the dreary darkness in the room behind that would come via solid roof. We'd seen other people efforts fail in that direction. Yes, we could have fixed the light issue with a major alteration to our roof and a more complex build, but we had a certain amount of £££. This is MSE not Grand Designs, so do your research like we did, decide on your priorities and please yourself, not others.

Mutton_Geoff

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6245347/in-general-would-you-say-a-garage-or-a-conservatory-increase-a-houses-value

Jeepers_Creepers

Davesnave said:

Sometimes people on here fail to consider price, but I agree about using a local builder for the base work if possible.

We wanted a conservatory so that's what we built. Apart from the roof, it's to building regs standard and we use it all year round, especially in the winter. It's easy to heat from the existing wood burner in the room behind, but we don't particularly want to use it at night, so that was in our thinking from the start.

We certainly didn't want the dreary darkness in the room behind that would come via solid roof. We'd seen other people efforts fail in that direction. Yes, we could have fixed the light issue with a major alteration to our roof and a more complex build, but we had a certain amount of £££. This is MSE not Grand Designs, so do your research like we did, decide on your priorities and please yourself, not others.

Why do I diss' connies so much?

To bring Dave on here :-)

Jeepers_Creepers

Mutton_Geoff said:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6245347/in-general-would-you-say-a-garage-or-a-conservatory-increase-a-houses-value

I'm going to start a new thread "In general would you say a conservatory or a garden room increases a houses value more?"

Actually, I won't bovver. The answer is soooo obvious :-)

Davesnave

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Davesnave said:

Sometimes people on here fail to consider price, but I agree about using a local builder for the base work if possible.

We wanted a conservatory so that's what we built. Apart from the roof, it's to building regs standard and we use it all year round, especially in the winter. It's easy to heat from the existing wood burner in the room behind, but we don't particularly want to use it at night, so that was in our thinking from the start.

We certainly didn't want the dreary darkness in the room behind that would come via solid roof. We'd seen other people efforts fail in that direction. Yes, we could have fixed the light issue with a major alteration to our roof and a more complex build, but we had a certain amount of £££. This is MSE not Grand Designs, so do your research like we did, decide on your priorities and please yourself, not others.

Why do I diss' connies so much?

To bring Dave on here :-)

I think the point I made about cost is valid. Yes, we could have had a garden room and retained our very light living space by doing something special with the bungalow roof. It would have been lovely, I'm sure, but the money  required was needed to convert the garage into an en-suite and dressing room. We couldn't do both, so we compromised. It's the sort of thing us ordinary folk on modest incomes do all the time.

And apart from having to deal with a bunch of sharks for the superstructure, it worked-out better than expected.