Please help! Conservatories!

prishaan

I have a longtime dream to have a conservatory in my home, and now that I have recently moved to a new home where there is space for one. Since, I am researching on the conservatory but more I read more I get confused about which one to go for. I will add a pic of the backyard of my home for a better understanding. 

I do not know what's best to choose for a conservatory, alluminium or uPVC, lean to or Edwardian or a modern style( ?), already predone durabase or foundation with footings, whole glass roof or tile roof, with or without dwarf walls, bifold or patio door to outside.

I do not know if i have to hire elctrician and or gas engineer for heating and elctricity or the main company should do this.

Obviously, my plan is for a more sitting area/family room for the all year round not too cold or not too hot.

I will highly appreciate your thoughtful and experienced input and advice for me to way forward. Grateful, if you can just a reliable company nationally or locally. by the way, I live in Derby.

 Thanks 
 in advance


   

grumbler

prishaan said:

...or foundation with footings, whole glass roof or tile roof,

IMHO, anything without a proper foundation and attached to a house is a botch. Personally, I would even make a proper suspended beam&block warm floor.

Full-glass conservatories are very hot in summer and very cold in winter. Many people are now paying money to change their glass roofs to warm ones.

travis-powers

I put up a conservatory beginning of the year had to have proper footings as I have a full height wall.
 My wife loves it but I regret not getting planning permission and building a sun room.

FreeBear

prishaan said: I do not know if i have to hire elctrician and or gas engineer for heating and elctricity or the main company should do this.

The direction your garden faces will make a big difference in the temperatures you'll experience throughout the year. South facing, it will get roasting hot during the day. North facing, and it will be cold much of the year.

Without proper planning permission & Building Control sign-off, it will only ever be regarded as an "out building". As a consequence, you need an exterior grade door between the conservatory and the rest of the house, and any heating should be independent from the main central heating - So no radiator or underfloor heating plumbed in. Electric heaters will be fine although expensive to run.

If you are wanting a space that can be used all year round by the entire family, it is worth doing a "proper job". So decent foundations, well insulated floor, walls, and roof. If you want lots of glass, just remember that you will lose a lot of heat through it in comparision to the walls & floor.

TELLIT01

We had a conservatory for about 10 years and eventually changed the glass roof for a 'warm roof' with two full length glazed panels to avoid it being too dark.  In hindsight I really didn't need the glazed panels as the roof is pitched and the end wall is fully glazed.  No regrets in general about the change though.

stuart45

The problem with conservatories is that a lot of people  want them as cheap extensions. They work well on big houses with loads of space, where the owners want a room to grow some plants in and sit in when the time is right. When people want a cheap dining room extension on a small house for all year round use they don't work so well.
However, the modern ones are a big improvement on the ones put up years ago

Bendy_House

Hi Prish.

For 'style', just Google until your fingers bleed. Ideally with houses of your style and brick type.

For roof, I'd third what the others say and go 'proper', and not clear glass or poly. Windows - entirely your call whether full height, dwarf wall, whatevs. And ditto whether full width or with solid corner wall pillars.

If you go for a 'proper' construction - insulated floor, wall and ceiling - then it'll be properly comfortable and suitable for all year use, regardless of whether it 'conforms'. 

Imo, 'garden rooms' are hugely more desirable and attractive than connies.

TELLIT01

Definitely do not have a polycarbonate roof.  Our neighbours did, and in summer it sounded like a shotgun going off when the sun came round and heated the roof panels.

prishaan

FreeBear said:

prishaan said: I do not know if i have to hire elctrician and or gas engineer for heating and elctricity or the main company should do this.

The direction your garden faces will make a big difference in the temperatures you'll experience throughout the year. South facing, it will get roasting hot during the day. North facing, and it will be cold much of the year.

Without proper planning permission & Building Control sign-off, it will only ever be regarded as an "out building". As a consequence, you need an exterior grade door between the conservatory and the rest of the house, and any heating should be independent from the main central heating - So no radiator or underfloor heating plumbed in. Electric heaters will be fine although expensive to run.

If you are wanting a space that can be used all year round by the entire family, it is worth doing a "proper job". So decent foundations, well insulated floor, walls, and roof. If you want lots of glass, just remember that you will lose a lot of heat through it in comparision to the walls & floor.

Thank you so much that's very informative.

prishaan

grumbler said:

prishaan said:

...or foundation with footings, whole glass roof or tile roof,

IMHO, anything without a proper foundation and attached to a house is a botch. Personally, I would even make a proper suspended beam&block warm floor.

Full-glass conservatories are very hot in summer and very cold in winter. Many people are now paying money to change their glass roofs to warm ones.

yes, indeed. grat tips. thank you

prishaan

Of course not. Now , I  prefer a tiled roof. thank you again