Find a Conservatory Installer you can trust in West Wickham.

If you’re worried about your conservatory being too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, you can insulate it. Older conservatory roofs are made from inefficient polycarbonate, which means that up to 25% of all the heat lost in a conservatory escapes from the roof.

To insulate your conservatory roof, you can install blinds or curtains – but they can go mouldy from condensation. There are two other options that are more long-term that could be better: upgrading the polycarbonate in the roof or opting for a solid conservatory roof.

You can add a thicker polycarbonate roof panel with better thermal efficiency if the glazing bars on your conservatory will expand to fit. This will offer better insulation, but may not last very long – maybe less than 10 years.

A solid conservatory roof is a new way of making your conservatory usable all year round. Most existing conservatory frames will be able to support a lightweight metal structure and slate-like tiles to match your home’s roof. Or you can opt for a hybrid option where the solid and glass parts are merged together. This will insulate your conservatory roof so it never gets too hot or too cold.

Does It Take Long To Put A Solid Roof On A Conservatory?

If you’re interested in installing a solid roof on your conservatory, it may also interest you to know just how long the project is going to take. Well, the fitting of a solid conservatory roof is quite easy and quick with minimal disruption and mess around when done by a reliable professional. The process, however, involves removing the old existing roof of the conservatory rather than fitting the new roof over the old one which can lead to many complications. Generally, the entire process should take about 6 working days to complete. In this article, we’re going to provide a breakdown of each task as well as the duration to complete the individual tasks to give you an idea of the entire solid roof replacement process. Let’s take a look!

✓ Day 1 - Setting up of the site. This includes sealing off your conservatory from the rest of the house as well as laying of the floor protection. Furthermore, your existing conservatory roof will be removed and positioned in such a way to enable easy transportation and disposal. By the end of the first day, the installation of the new roof will completed and made to be water tight

✓ Day 2 - Insulation will be installed on the inside of your new solid roof.

✓ Day 3 - The replacement conservatory roof will be tiled and the insulated plasterboard will be installed inside.

✓ Day 4 - This involves finishing of the conservatory roof’s inside and outside. And all rubbish would be adequately disposed off.

✓ Day 5 - Your tiled conservatory roof’s new ceiling will be plastered.

✓ Day 6 - This day is free as the plaster is left to dry off properly.

Whilst you may think conservatories are nearly all made from glass, this doesn’t have to be the case. If you live in a built-up area you could have a tiled rooftop to enable extra privacy, use obscure glass and even invest in blinds.Be aware that solid walls are possible but if the conservatory is manufactured with less than 50% of glass, you’ll need Buildings Regulations approval.

It always an exciting decision to extend your home, be it adding to an existing room or building a new one all together. However, the problem starts when you realize there are so many options giving you a tricky challenge of knowing which to choose or where to start. There are great differences in renovations between homes, but a common question that remains is whether to go for a conservatory or an orangery.

There are large array of differences between the styles and knowing a thing or two about the special attributes is definitely a great way to get started. Let’s have a look!

• Orangeries are generally best suited to traditional-styled homes or with older property making use of matching stone or brick in construction. Meanwhile for a more recent or modern property, a conservatory will be the better option to add the flair to your property.

• Conservatories tend to be larger than orangeries, therefore if you want a smaller extension, an orangery would be your best bet.

• Orangeries are typically rectangular in shape and is traditionally a more regular building meanwhile a conservatory can be shaped to suit your needs. With an conservatory, you can get a T-shaped, L-shaped, curved, double ended and lean-to extensions to suit your preference.

• An orangery usually possess a flat roof at the edges with a glazed lantern section right at the centre. You can also find more luxurious orangeries having two or more lantern sections. However, when it comes to the roofing, conservatories generally have more options. Some are gabled or pitched, others are lean-to with a plethora of choice to finish off the roof.

• Due to the fact that orangeries are made of more brick than glass when compared to conservatories, they usually provide more insulation than their counterpart. If your goal is to use the extension during the winter months, then constructing an orangery is the best bet.

What Is The Difference Between A Conservatory And An Orangery?

If you’re looking to build an extension for your home, one of the first things that comes to mind is the type of structure that would best suit your property. When it comes to glass extensions there are two major varieties which includes the traditional conservatory and the orangery, but there are usually a lot of confusion over the differences of these two varieties. With the growth in popularity of glazed extensions, the differences between the two structures are becoming more and more thin. However, the main difference between a conservatory and an orangery is the number of glass incorporated. Conservatories are fully glazed structures featuring a low brick base wall, meanwhile orangeries are grand brick structures with with glazed roofs. But as a result of innovations of over the years in glazing, the difference has changed a bit.

Here are some of the major differences between a conservatory and an orangery.

✓ Orangeries are generally best suited to traditional-styled homes or with older property making use of matching stone or brick in construction. Meanwhile for a more recent or modern property, a conservatory will be the better option to add the flair to your property.

✓ Conservatories tend to be larger than orangeries, therefore if you want a smaller extension, an orangery would be your best bet.

✓ Orangeries are typically rectangular in shape and is traditionally a more regular building meanwhile a conservatory can be shaped to suit your needs. With an conservatory, you can get a T-shaped, L-shaped, curved, double ended and lean-to extensions to suit your preference.

✓ An orangery usually possess a flat roof at the edges with a glazed lantern section right at the centre. You can also find more luxurious orangeries having two or more lantern sections. However, when it comes to the roofing, conservatories generally have more options. Some are gabled or pitched, others are lean-to with a plethora of choice to finish off the roof.

Should A Professional Replace My Conservatory Roof?

As your first and primary line of defence against the harsh weather conditions or elements, there’s the need for your conservatory roof to be in pristine condition at all times. This will enable it to keep your conservatory safe and dry, while also helping to protect its structural integrity. When you have a reliable roof over your head, your conservatory will be free of any weather-related damage. Consequently, highlighting the importance of regular maintenance of your conservatory roof.

However, over the years, there’ll come a time whereby maintenance and repairs will no longer be a wise decision. When this occurs, you know it’s high time you replace your conservatory roof to continue enjoying the structure’s numerous benefits all year round. Getting a professional to replace your conservatory roof is crucial for several reasons, let’s have a look!

✓ Knowledge and expertise. Conservatory roof installation experts are well trained and also possesses the required knowledge to work at height while also being able to guarantee the best results which will save you both time and money.

✓ Giving your conservatory a new look. Replacing a conservatory roof isn’t as simple as it seems. Trying a DIY without prior experience and knowledge can end up disastrous and making the new roof even more unsafe and unappealing than the old roof. When done by a professional who knows his way around the roof, you can be rest assured that your new conservatory roof will come out picture perfect.

✓ Saves you money and time. What would take a professional just a couple of days to complete is most likely to take a DIYer several weeks to get done and more often than not, end up with a disastrous result. To save yourself the stress, time and money, calling in a professional is your best bet.

Whilst uPVC is the UK’s favourite because it’s cheap to manufacture and has a number of qualities, there are also options available including aluminium and hardwood. Both are popular for various reasons.Aluminium, as a metal, is the strongest and most durable material available for conservatories. On top of this it won’t rust, warp or crack. Hardwood offers a more traditional appeal and whilst it requires high maintenance levels, is perfect for conservation areas and listed buildings.

Adding a lean to conservatory to your home or property comes with a whole lot of benefits. It provides you with the much needed additional living space within your property, add value to your home and creates a link between your home and garden. As advantageous as it is, one of the major concerns several homeowners have is whether or not is requires a planning permission. This is a crucial question that must be answered before you make financial commitment to the project. If you don’t know what you’re doing the entire process can be very tedious and you definitely do not want to go through the stress of completing your remarkable new conservatory, only to be instructed to have it removed again. In this post, we’re going to consider if obtaining a planning permission is required before adding a lean to conservatory to your property.

Generally, adding a lean to conservatory to a property is considered to be a “Permitted Development, which implies that you won’t have to apply for a planning permission to complete the project without any risk of interruption from the appropriate authorities. However, there certain circumstance that’ll require a planning permission. These circumstances include:

• If the conservatory covers more than 50 percent of the land around the main house.
• If the conservatory will be placed on the side of the house that faces the road.
• If the conservatory will be higher than the highest point of the main building’s roof.
• If the main building is lower than the height of the eaves and ridge.
• If the conservatory will be constructed to the side of the house and more than a single storey or it goes higher than 4 metres.
• If the conservatory will be wider than the width of the main building, if it’s to be built beside it.
• If the conservatory will be constructed at the rear and higher than 4 metres.