At a glance guidelines
General advice
- Negotiate fairly with suppliers. Don’t expect to get all mod cons if you’re only prepared to pay for the cheapest design.
- Try to meet the builders who will be doing the work – it’s crucial that you can get on with them.
- Check for yourself whether you’ll need planning permission.
- Be friendly and cooperative towards the builders – you’ll enhance the chances of getting the job done well.
- If possible, view some installations done by your proposed supplier. Talk to their customers about how the builders went about their work.
- Always have a small contingency budget as there may be unexpected and unpleasant surprises once the construction starts, for which money will need to be available.
- Buy the best conservatory you can afford. Gather as much information as possible on glazing options and construction materials so that you can make an informed purchasing decision.
- Inform neighbours of your plans so that they won’t be offended by your conservatory – either through jealousy or loss of light in their garden.
- Let your insurance company know about the new extension, as you will need to review your cover.
Design and decision tips
- Choose a shape and style that will enhance the look of your home.
- Try to match the construction materials and colour with those used for your home.
- Take interesting details like bargeboards and unusually-shaped windows into the design of your conservatory.
- Don’t compromise on the size of your conservatory. Use pegs and string to mark out the area of your proposed conservatory and then, ideally, fill it with the planned furnishings – a dining table, a sofa and plants – to check whether you have as much space as you would like. If moving the furniture is impractical, use sand or chalk to mark out the spaces they will take up.
- Always calculate your internal floor size when ordering a conservatory and remember than most conservatory companies quote for the external area.
- Get at least three quotations but don’t automatically choose the lowest. The cheapest supplier will rarely give you the best product or service.
- Build your conservatory onto a well-used room, like your kitchen or living room.
- Depending on the shape of the conservatory, it is generally inadvisable to put doors in the front of the conservatory, as it creates a corridor that makes fitting in furniture difficult.
- Have a plan drawn up by an architect if you are looking for a specific and unusual design. This helps in discussions with the supplier and will also enable you to compare estimates on a like-for-like basis, which is important.
- The more money you spend on efficient insulation and roofing and glazing systems, the less you’ll end up spending on heating and cooling systems for your conservatory.
- Remember to budget for extras such as blinds, furniture and heating.