Products : Conservatories : Design Advice
With so many variations and combinations in style, our Design Consultants will listen to you then apply their knowledge and experience to advise you of the design that best suits you and your property. They will generate a 3D image of your preferred design to help you visualise exactly how it could look.
To save you time and help you choose the perfect conservatory, consider the following.....
When thinking about materials and which style to choose, make sure it is in keeping with the period of your property. For example, an Edwardian house would suit a conservatory with cornicing and mouldings. And in modern properties, clear glass lean tos with minimal detail are best.
The Victorian design is particularly popular characterised by a gable and a multi-faceted bay end. Or you can mix and match different styles to create a design that is exclusive to you. Whichever you choose, all styles come with the option of full-height glass walls, or part dwarf walls and glass, or a combination. For walls, make sure the bricks you use match the house.
Whichever style you choose, it should always be in proportion to the main building. Get an idea of what you like and think will best suit your home by looking at homes magazines or calling into one of our design studios. Our Cardiff studio displays the largest selection of uPVC conservatories in Wales. We find it's often easier for our customers to visualise a particular conservatory style in the context of their own setting when they are standing inside one.
Think about what purpose your new conservatory will serve as this can affect the overall specification and size. Often people underestimate just how much their new room will be used and wish they had opted for a larger size once it has become the favourite room in the house.
If you are to use it mostly in the summer months, then built in heating won't be necessary and a plug in heater will suffice. Consider under floor heating particularly if stone or ceramic floor tiles are to be used and also as a way of saving wall space; great also if the design you have chosen features floor to ceiling glass panels.
All our conservatories comply with Building Regulations including Document L which relates to energy efficiency. As to Planning Permission, some conservatories need it before they can go ahead and some don't. You can either handle this yourself or choose a company like Nolan uPVC that will take care of the details including having architect's plans drawn up and submitting your application to the local authority. As a rule, in Wales you will not usually require planning permission unless the planned conservatory is bigger than 30 square metres.
It's extremely important to consider the direction your conservatory is to face is this affects the amount of light the conservatory will get over the changing seasons. South-facing will get the sun all year round so can get very hot and will need good ventilation. If it faces north then it will need heating in winter. An east-facing conservatory makes an ideal breakfast room because of early morning sun, and west-facing is great for summer afternoons and evenings. You should also consider which room it is to connect to. Although a conservatory is a bright new living space, the adjoining room will lose some of its natural light.
Adding a conservatory may add value to your property but just how much of a difference it makes to your sale price will depend on the type of house and its location. A mid terrace with a small garden is going to have a ceiling value, conservatory or not. If however a conservatory fulfils a function that was previously lacking such as a dining room, this may well add value. Whatever its use, the higher the quality in terms of finish and construction, the more it will appeal to future purchasers.
If you are interested in finding out more about our range of products contact us either by email or telephone us on 0845 600 90 80 |
