Replacing conservatory

Teapot55

I find text messages to builders work well. If they’re in the middle of talking to their client or up a ladder or using a power tool a phonecall isn’t so good. 

I put a very brief description of the type of job & approximate location & my contact details. That way they can get in touch when they’re free. 

Occasionally there’s builders whose contact details don’t include a mobile & then I ring the landline number given & leave brief details with whoever answers the phone. 

gozaimasu

Davesnave said:

No one will get annoyed if they are answering their business phone on a Sunday and want your custom!

A solid roof would have implications that go to the foundations, unless you go for one of the lightweight ones that aren't really that solid or real tiles/slates. Also, you'd have to consider what effect the loss of light would have in the room behind.

I'm sure the floor isn't carpet! It will usually be either concrete or tiled-over concrete and how it's treated is up to you. Tiles would be my choice, but if the floor is really dry, other options like laminate and similar become possible.

Didn't ring them in the end. It will be local company and not one of those horrible 0800 places. Floor is floorboards which is covered by carpet. I don't think tiles would be appropriate but my question was more whether or not the conservatory company would do the floor as well or if that had to be done separately.

Glass roof would be fab for light but expensive and it would be an extra 5 glass panels on top of the 13 glass panels around the perimeter. Polycarbonate roof would be cheaper but they just look so tacky and age poorly.

Davesnave

If the company you use is a window company, they may contract out building work, like floors to builders they know, whereas if it's a builder, they usually have the skills to tackle flooring, or changing a suspended floor to concrete etc.

I used a builder to do the ground work and walls on my conservatory and only got the window company to do the superstructure.

gozaimasu

Davesnave said:

or changing a suspended floor to concrete etc.

Reasons for this to be done? The suspended floor would made of concrete adding more weight onto the foundations, unless you are suggesting that concrete gets put down at ground level and then steps are built to lead down from the house? All avoidable building work.

Does anyone have experience of those glass panels with in-built blinds?

Davesnave

gozaimasu said:

Davesnave said:

or changing a suspended floor to concrete etc.

Reasons for this to be done? The suspended floor would made of concrete adding more weight onto the foundations, unless you are suggesting that concrete gets put down at ground level and then steps are built to lead down from the house? All avoidable building work.

We changed ours, not being confident that a suspended floor would be best for tiles,and being 100% confident in the foundations. However, there are plenty of other options, like LVT or suitable laminated floors and I can see why you'd not wish to alter things.

Rosa_Damascena

gozaimasu said:

Davesnave said:

No one will get annoyed if they are answering their business phone on a Sunday and want your custom!

A solid roof would have implications that go to the foundations, unless you go for one of the lightweight ones that aren't really that solid or real tiles/slates. Also, you'd have to consider what effect the loss of light would have in the room behind.

I'm sure the floor isn't carpet! It will usually be either concrete or tiled-over concrete and how it's treated is up to you. Tiles would be my choice, but if the floor is really dry, other options like laminate and similar become possible.

Didn't ring them in the end. It will be local company and not one of those horrible 0800 places. Floor is floorboards which is covered by carpet. I don't think tiles would be appropriate but my question was more whether or not the conservatory company would do the floor as well or if that had to be done separately.

Glass roof would be fab for light but expensive and it would be an extra 5 glass panels on top of the 13 glass panels around the perimeter. Polycarbonate roof would be cheaper but they just look so tacky and age poorly.

So what do you plan to do now? Spill.

gozaimasu

Rosa_Damascena said:

So what do you plan to do now? Spill.

The plan is to get up the guts to ring round a few companies!

Will probably go for a glass roof, polycarb is too tacky. I would love those blinds that are inside the double glazed panes which is why I was hoping someone would share their experience of them.

There is a company that manufactures/supplies them, but they don't install which is a pain. Thing is, all these luxury fittings are likely to hike the price from an expected £8k to £12-15k?. There would be the option of only have certain panels with the blinds where the screening is required, but then the whole look would be inconsistent.

Davesnave

We just have the tinted glass, which is a lot nicer than polycarb and much quieter when it rains. Frankly, we don't care about the conservatory in hot weather, when we're outdoors or eating in the north-facing kitchen/diner which is always cool. It's at the cooler times of the year, when the conservatory comes into its own, often providing all the daytime heat we need and somewhere to sit and watch the wildlife.

gozaimasu

The saga continues. Text a company to ask about a quote, missed calls back and forth throughout the day. Finally get a text saying to email pictures and they'll send a quote based on that? I should have just emailed in the first place, which would have been my preferred method anyway. Sigh. Wish someone else would do this for me. (well actually I wish I could win the lottery so that I could just buy a house where everything was already done to a high standard).

Rosa_Damascena

gozaimasu said:

The saga continues. Text a company to ask about a quote, missed calls back and forth throughout the day. Finally get a text saying to email pictures and they'll send a quote based on that? I should have just emailed in the first place, which would have been my preferred method anyway. Sigh. Wish someone else would do this for me. (well actually I wish I could win the lottery so that I could just buy a house where everything was already done to a high standard).

You'll appreciate it all the more for the hardships you go through, trust me. I'm still basking in the glow of deprivation myself