Guarantee for conservatory - what to look for

ls31

Thanks all, I appreciate the responses. I think the guarantee question sort of remains answered but I'm glad the only one thinking it's BS. 

We haven't looked at the option to get every trade in separately. No other reason that we don't have the experience or time to coordinate it. 
It's not a bad shout to try and get a quote from a builder though. Might be my next bet even if it's just for comparison. 

ls31

Jeepers_Creepers said:

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? :-) 

Thanks a lot for taking the time!

williamgriffin

ls31 said:

Thanks all, I appreciate the responses. I think the guarantee question sort of remains answered but I'm glad the only one thinking it's BS. 

We haven't looked at the option to get every trade in separately. No other reason that we don't have the experience or time to coordinate it. 
It's not a bad shout to try and get a quote from a builder though. Might be my next bet even if it's just for comparison. 

If you're certain you want a conservatory and are complying with building regs then with three sides of glass how are the conservatory companies addressing heat loss?

Doozergirl

williamgriffin said:

ls31 said:

Thanks all, I appreciate the responses. I think the guarantee question sort of remains answered but I'm glad the only one thinking it's BS. 

We haven't looked at the option to get every trade in separately. No other reason that we don't have the experience or time to coordinate it. 
It's not a bad shout to try and get a quote from a builder though. Might be my next bet even if it's just for comparison. 

If you're certain you want a conservatory and are complying with building regs then with three sides of glass how are the conservatory companies addressing heat loss?

They should be producing a SAP calculation to satisfy building control that the overall heat loss from the house is not too high.  

The last time I did any homework on those conservatory roofs, they did not meet the required uvalue for an extension, despite their massive cost.  

Call me cynical, but if a conservatory meets building regs for an extension, it's not a conservatory anymore.  

ls31

williamgriffin said:

ls31 said:

Thanks all, I appreciate the responses. I think the guarantee question sort of remains answered but I'm glad the only one thinking it's BS. 

We haven't looked at the option to get every trade in separately. No other reason that we don't have the experience or time to coordinate it. 
It's not a bad shout to try and get a quote from a builder though. Might be my next bet even if it's just for comparison. 

If you're certain you want a conservatory and are complying with building regs then with three sides of glass how are the conservatory companies addressing heat loss?

Only two sides have glass. It's not a conservatory, it's a ~£25K extension but it seems that sort of thing tends to be done by windows companies these days. We're removing the current patio door so they have to do additional calculations re the heat loss. We'll have a solid lightweight roof... I don't think it'll have that much more glass than our current living room to be honest. 

ls31

Doozergirl said:

williamgriffin said:

ls31 said:

Thanks all, I appreciate the responses. I think the guarantee question sort of remains answered but I'm glad the only one thinking it's BS. 

We haven't looked at the option to get every trade in separately. No other reason that we don't have the experience or time to coordinate it. 
It's not a bad shout to try and get a quote from a builder though. Might be my next bet even if it's just for comparison. 

If you're certain you want a conservatory and are complying with building regs then with three sides of glass how are the conservatory companies addressing heat loss?

They should be producing a SAP calculation to satisfy building control that the overall heat loss from the house is not too high.  

The last time I did any homework on those conservatory roofs, they did not meet the required uvalue for an extension, despite their massive cost.  

Call me cynical, but if a conservatory meets building regs for an extension, it's not a conservatory anymore.  

You're right it's not a conservatory... I think it's just that window companies have expanded in doing them. 
Back to my original question though (I'll try and rephrase it). If you get a builder to build an extension and they don't manufacture their own windows, the windows are still covered by the builder's guarantee?

Doozergirl

ls31 said:

Doozergirl said:

williamgriffin said:

ls31 said:

Thanks all, I appreciate the responses. I think the guarantee question sort of remains answered but I'm glad the only one thinking it's BS. 

We haven't looked at the option to get every trade in separately. No other reason that we don't have the experience or time to coordinate it. 
It's not a bad shout to try and get a quote from a builder though. Might be my next bet even if it's just for comparison. 

If you're certain you want a conservatory and are complying with building regs then with three sides of glass how are the conservatory companies addressing heat loss?

They should be producing a SAP calculation to satisfy building control that the overall heat loss from the house is not too high.  

The last time I did any homework on those conservatory roofs, they did not meet the required uvalue for an extension, despite their massive cost.  

Call me cynical, but if a conservatory meets building regs for an extension, it's not a conservatory anymore.  

You're right it's not a conservatory... I think it's just that window companies have expanded in doing them. 
Back to my original question though (I'll try and rephrase it). If you get a builder to build an extension and they don't manufacture their own windows, the windows are still covered by the builder's guarantee?

I'm finally with you! 

If you contract one entity to supply and fit the entire project, that one entity is responsible for the entire project, regardless of whether they subcontract any work themselves.  Any warranty they provide covers everything.  

If you pay anyone separately, your contract is with that person for that element of a job.  

Fair to say that you don't use the person telling you anything else.  

ls31

Doozergirl said:

ls31 said:

Doozergirl said:

williamgriffin said:

ls31 said:

Thanks all, I appreciate the responses. I think the guarantee question sort of remains answered but I'm glad the only one thinking it's BS. 

We haven't looked at the option to get every trade in separately. No other reason that we don't have the experience or time to coordinate it. 
It's not a bad shout to try and get a quote from a builder though. Might be my next bet even if it's just for comparison. 

If you're certain you want a conservatory and are complying with building regs then with three sides of glass how are the conservatory companies addressing heat loss?

They should be producing a SAP calculation to satisfy building control that the overall heat loss from the house is not too high.  

The last time I did any homework on those conservatory roofs, they did not meet the required uvalue for an extension, despite their massive cost.  

Call me cynical, but if a conservatory meets building regs for an extension, it's not a conservatory anymore.  

You're right it's not a conservatory... I think it's just that window companies have expanded in doing them. 
Back to my original question though (I'll try and rephrase it). If you get a builder to build an extension and they don't manufacture their own windows, the windows are still covered by the builder's guarantee?

I'm finally with you! 

If you contract one entity to supply and fit the entire project, that one entity is responsible for the entire project, regardless of whether they subcontract any work themselves.  Any warranty they provide covers everything.  

If you pay anyone separately, your contract is with that person for that element of a job.  

Fair to say that you don't use the person telling you anything else.  

Thank you so much! I thought it was the case! 

Yes, they're off the shortlist, clearly

Jeepers_Creepers

ls31 said:

Back to my original question though (I'll try and rephrase it). If you get a builder to build an extension and they don't manufacture their own windows, the windows are still covered by the builder's guarantee?

If the builder buys in the windows for the job and fits them - and many/most builders would - then the builder is fully liable.

If you arrange for the windows to be supplied and fitted by a separate entity, then that company is liable for them.

Either way, you are fully covered.

If, however, you bought the windows, and asked the builder to fit them for you, you are in a potentially messy place. Once the builder has fitted them, then he's no longer liable for them - provided he fitted them correctly. If a window is found to be faulty after installation, the window company will replace it, but only after you've paid the builder the labour to remove it - and then replace it with the new one (and that's if you can get them back from their next job for such a trivial thing...).

If the 'BS' builder is otherwise decent in terms of quality and value, then I wouldn't necessarily dismiss them from the shortlist, since good builders can be hard to find. But, you and he would have to work out 'liability' and 'warranties' beforehand so there's no misunderstanding.

With our extension, our main builder (a brilliant fellow) doesn't 'do' windows (or plumbing or electrics or roofs). He is capable of doing them - and his own house is a masterclass demonstration of every skill involved. But he won't do it for others as he doesn't want the involvement of the necessary certification, warranties and all that malarkey. He did, tho', suggest a local guy who could source good Ali products for a decent price, but I'd then have to also find an installer for them. That is just not somewhere I'd 'go' - I'd want ONE person liable for supply AND fit to prevent future arguments.

I mentioned GFD? Their quote was truly impressive - and cheaper than the local guy including fitting and a composite door! Their installers, tho' (Martindales) were a bit shoddy. Stupid stuff - not fitting things plumb, for example. No excuse - especially as our builder left openings that you could set your sprit level by. So, if you are going for a different supplier and installer for windows, I'd include GFD on the list, but would be firm with my expectations when it comes to fitting.

williamgriffin

ls31 said:

williamgriffin said:

ls31 said:

Thanks all, I appreciate the responses. I think the guarantee question sort of remains answered but I'm glad the only one thinking it's BS. 

We haven't looked at the option to get every trade in separately. No other reason that we don't have the experience or time to coordinate it. 
It's not a bad shout to try and get a quote from a builder though. Might be my next bet even if it's just for comparison. 

If you're certain you want a conservatory and are complying with building regs then with three sides of glass how are the conservatory companies addressing heat loss?

Only two sides have glass. It's not a conservatory, it's a ~£25K extension but it seems that sort of thing tends to be done by windows companies these days. We're removing the current patio door so they have to do additional calculations re the heat loss. We'll have a solid lightweight roof... I don't think it'll have that much more glass than our current living room to be honest. 

The fit a proper roof and extend your home in the right way.