The design of the conservatory. Choosing a supplier. Do I need planning consent? Existing conservatories. Works gets underway

Transcription

1 Buyer s Guide

2 : Content Page 1: Page 2-3: Page 4: Page 5: Page 6: Page 7: Page 8: Page 9: Introduction The design of the conservatory Choosing a supplier Do I need planning consent? First steps Existing conservatories Works gets underway Maintenance

3 : Introduction After an extension, a conservatory is the largest addition to your home that you are likely to build. It is a major structural addition and, in most cases, will require the homeowner to go through a similar process to when planning and building a major extension having plans drawn up, obtaining the relevant planning consent, choosing a supplier and contractor, getting building work signed off by an inspector and final snagging. It sounds daunting, but it need not be. We ve put together this buyer s guide to make the process as simple and as painless as possible. By following this advice, a homeowner should be able to choose the right conservatory and builder and have it put up in the shortest possible time. For more information, visit our website: If you have any queries do not hesitate to call our helpline, on

4 The design of the conservatory Conservatories come in a number of different styles, shapes and sizes. While they have traditionally been additions to detached houses, the number of options for the owner of a smaller home is growing and there are designs that will suit both semi-detached and terraced houses. Conservatories generally fall into five main categories: the historic look (Edwardian and Victorian styles), modern designs (Mediterranean and Pavilion), lean-to conservatories, gable-end conservatories and P-shaped constructions. A quick search on the web for each of these will show clearly what they look like and give the homeowner a good idea of what one might look like as an addition to the property. Victorian-style conservatories are ideal for period properties and also add a touch of traditional class to modern houses. These conservatories have attractive bay ends, decorative finials and roof crestings. They are often used as extra living space, dining rooms or even sitting rooms. Because they are generally large, Victorian conservatories tend to increase the value of a property. Prices are higher than for other styles. Edwardian-style conservatories feature are geometric designs, maximising the floor space whilst not being as expensive as Victorian styles. These conservatories have 25 degree pitched roofs with doors on any of the three sides making them more configurable than Victorian ones. Mediterranean conservatories are less expensive than either of the period choices. They are just as practical and are increasing in popularity, particularly in towns and cities. These work well on most house styles and are also suitable for bungalows or houses with low eaves or even flat roofs. Because they come with roof pitches of less than 10 degrees, Mediterranean-style conservatories are less intrusive where there are close neighbours or in terraces. They can be configured to have double doors installed on any of the three sides. Pavilion conservatories are making a bit of a comeback because of their timeless and simple designs that make them look more modern or contemporary than the other options. Costs are similar to Mediterranean conservatories, although they are less suitable for bungalows and houses with low eaves because their roof pitches are generally 25 degrees. Pavilions have less obtrusive framing making them feel lighter and airier than other options. With floor to ceiling glass panels and a 25 degree pitched roof, pavilion conservatories feel light, airy and spacious inside. 2

5 Beyond the generic design, the choices multiply, particularly if the buyer is considering something more bespoke than an off-the-shelf design: 1. How many doors are needed and what design should they be French doors, patio or bi-folding? 2. Dwarf walls or full height? While full height conservatories are the most affordable options, they are not always the most practical. It s true that they maximise the available light and give you full-length views of your garden but they are less insulated (making them colder in winter and hotter in summer) and you cannot install electrical circuits in them or place furniture against the panels. On the flip side, they take less time to construct. Although they take a little more time to put up, dwarf wall conservatories feel much more like a solid addition to your home and can be made to blend in much more easily. You can add electrical circuits and power sockets in dwarf wall conservatories as well as positioning furniture along exterior edges and decorate the walls themselves. 3. What sort of windows do you want wooden or UPVC frames? While wooden windows are considered more attractive and more in keeping with historic designs, UPVC windows are generally less expensive and require less maintenance. 6. Privacy may be important, particularly when neighbours overlook the plot where the conservatory is to be built. 7. Does the back of the house have a southern aspect? Conservatories on the south side of the house will become hot in the summer without sufficient shading but also act to warm the rest of the house during the winter. 8. Consider blinds, particularly in the roof lights. Sitting in glaring sunshine inside what can effectively become a greenhouse might quickly become uncomfortable. 9. How big is the garden? While a large conservatory might be attractive as a showpiece, building one that encroaches too much on the garden may be a mistake in the long term and could negatively affect the value of the property. 10. Heating needs to be considered. This might seem counterintuitive during the summer but all that glass (even if it is triple glazed) means that the conservatory can become very cold in the winter, particularly at night. 4. How many windows will the conservatory need and will these be fully-opening designs or simple openers? 5. Consider the lighting and supplying the conservatory with electricity. 3

6 Choosing a supplier There are an enormous number of companies that supply and build conservatories. We are all familiar with the horror stories of companies that build a faulty conservatory, one that leaks or is unsafe and then disappear, never to be seen again. The homeowner can avoid these and other pitfalls by ensuring that the suppliers the quotes are obtained from are members of FENSA the government competence scheme which governs the suppliers and installers of double glazing, as well as being Guild Approved Ultra Frame Installers and, preferably, the Conservatory Association. These schemes and associations all have codes of practice which members are obliged to follow. Your eventual supplier and installer should have a third-party complaints process which can be called upon to judge on financial disagreements and enforce a settlement. It is generally good practice with building projects to obtain at least three quotes before settling on the one that you are happiest with and the installation of a conservatory should be no different. 4

7 Do I need planning consent? This depends on what type of conservatory you are considering, be it a full conservatory or a simple sunroom. As well as guiding whether you need planning permission for the building, choosing a conservatory over a sunroom also affects the situation when it comes to building regulations. For planning purposes, a conservatory is defined as a building where 75 per cent of the roof is made from translucent material, not less than half of the wall area is translucent, can either be heated or unheated and is separated from the main house by exterior doors. In most cases, conservatories which meet these guidelines do not require planning permission because they fall under the category of permitted development. Sunrooms on the other hand generally do require planning permission because they are classed as single-storey extensions. In most cases, a sunroom is added onto an existing structure and has a non-translucent roof with either tiles or slates. But there are other planning guidelines to consider when it comes to conservatories. The building will also have to meet the following requirements: The roof must not be higher than the roof on the house or include eaves higher than three metres when it is within two metres of the boundary of the property. There are further restrictions if the property is located in a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or a Conservation Area which could mean that planning permission has to be obtained even if the building classifies as a conservatory. Both Wales and Scotland have different planning rules governing the building of conservatories or sunrooms so you should check with your local authority. Ignoring any planning guidance when you need to obtain permission could result in a 5,000 fine and the local authority could insist that the conservatory is demolished. The conservatory supplier and installer particularly if they are registered with one of the trusted industry bodies will be able to advise you on planning rules and, if necessary, handle the entire planning permission process as well as obtaining building regulations sign off from the local authority. It must not be larger than half the size of the existing house and must not be wider than its width. It must not front a road with verandas, balconies or raised platforms. 5

8 First steps When the homeowner has chosen the installer, the necessary permissions have been obtained and work gets underway, a full technical survey will be drawn up which will result in a detailed construction drawing of the new conservatory being created. This will then be sent to the factory where much of the structure will be prefabricated, ready to be installed on site. A project manager will then be on site to draw up plans for the groundwork and excavation, removal of the spoil, building the foundations (including new drainage or rerouting existing waste pipes), quantities of materials needed and a full build schedule. The technical drawings will include levels and alignments. While most conservatories are constructed on level ground, there are gardens and plots which slope and this may require additional stabilisation and earthworks resulting in greater upheaval in your garden and more spoil. Careful consideration will be given to the height of any damp proof membrane (DPM) if there is one in the existing house and where the conservatory s DPM should meet it to avoid causing problems with rising damp. Where this is likely to cause problems, particularly in older houses which do not have DPMs, the company may recommend a suspended floor instead of a solid base which may affect the choice of floor covering (tiles, vinyl, floorboards etc). Although a full technical survey should have been carried out, there are occasions where unforeseen obstacles can lengthen the time it takes to build a conservatory and increase costs. Your contract will tell you what to expect in terms of extra payments should the contractor come across an obstacle which wasn t picked up in the survey. Obstacles might include: drainage problems, gas or mains water pipes, mains electricity cables, old wells, foundations for demolished buildings and subsidence caused by water run-off. 6

9 Existing conservatories Conservatories have been around for a long time and while original Victorian and Edwardian structures retain their appeal, more recent ones (particularly those built in the 1960s and 70s) tend to look tired and dated. If you want to replace an existing conservatory it is highly unlikely that much if any of the existing building will be retained. The older structure will have to be demolished or dismantled and removed safely from the site before any work can start on the new one. 7

10 Works gets underway It may take several weeks between the technical survey being carried out and work actually getting underway. That may be because of prefabrication in the factory and to allow time for the necessary materials to be ordered and delivered to the site. It s surprising how much material is needed even for a smaller structure. Bricks, blockwork, sand and cement will all have to be delivered and basic foundations and wall bases completed before work can get underway on the conservatory itself. You should be prepared as with any other building work for disruption and mess during the early building stages that involve so-called wet materials. The first step is for a trench to be dug half a metre wide by half a metre deep. This may be subject to change dependent upon slopes, soil conditions and what other buildings are close to the site. That trench is going to generate a lot of spoil (a conservatory with a 16 square metre footprint will generate more than four tons of spoil) and this waste will have to be placed in skips. Concrete is then poured into the trench and the cavity wall is then built up to the level of the DPM (generally to a height of 60cm). Concrete is then poured onto the footprint to make the slab that the building and floor will sit on. Brickwork to match the style required by the owner is then constructed on top of the DPM level. Once the base work has been completed and any electrical circuits installed, the frames, windows and doors are fitted and secured to the cavity walls using frame anchor bolts. There will probably be a vertical DPM to stop damp travelling between the new conservatory and into the walls of the existing house. Where the conservatory roof is to meet the existing house, lead flashing will be used to weatherproof the join before the roof itself is installed. Finally, the glazing is installed in all of the frames and the entire building is cleaned. 8

11 Maintenance UPVC conservatories require little maintenance other than regular cleaning to keep the frame and roof free from algae. Wooden conservatories are a different matter. While powder coated aluminium cappings are used on the roof beams and glass giving a life expectancy of at least a decade, the wood will require regular maintenance. Softwood conservatories will need to be repainted at least every two years to prevent rot (particularly at the base of windows) while the glass should be regularly cleaned to prevent build up of algae where it meets the wooden frame. Many windows now come with self cleaning glass and you should check the manufacturer s instructions. Hardwood conservatories (non-oak) should be treated with micro-porous paints or stains every five years, but hardwoods with very high resin contents should be treated more regularly. Oak conservatories which are unpainted (these have a classic weathered, silver look) will have to be oiled every few years to protect the wood whilst allowing it to age gracefully. If you want to retain a newer oak look, then the frames should be oiled much more frequently. Doors, windows and locks should all be regularly cleaned while the locks themselves should be oiled every six months. 9