An Introduction to Conservatories

orangery-conservatory-1Whether you are considering adding a conservatory to your property or enhancing an existing conservatory we have a wealth of information available on this truly versatile way of adding extra space and value to your home.

Your choice of conservatory may be primarily determined by purpose, space or budget limitations, while the conservatory style may be influenced by a combination of these factors and also personal preference, together with ensuring that it complements the age and style of the property that you will be adding the conservatory to.

The external appearance of a conservatory is only the beginning – the inside can be turned into pretty much whatever you want it to be, using a wide variety of conservatory furniture, conservatory blinds, under-floor heating, air-conditioning, lighting and flooring – all of which we will cover in more detail in this section.

The amount of use your new conservatory is likely to get is also bound to influence the size and associated budget for your conservatory project – you may only wish to have additional space in which to be able to read under natural light or for occasional use for entertaining friends, or just a beautiful airy space in which to sit, relax and admire your garden.

You may be considering a conservatory as a straightforward way of adding an extra room to your home that will see regular use – for a home office, dining area, lounge or even a kitchen. A combination conservatory, such as the P-shaped conservatory models allow you to have two distinct areas within the one construction – a separate dining and lounge area for example.

You may have a limited area available in which to build your new conservatory, or a limited budget, and so a simple lean-to / Mediterranean type may be more suitable as the exterior walls of your property may form one or more of the walls of your conservatory project – a highly space efficient and comparatively inexpensive way of adding a conservatory to your home.

Using conservatories to extend your home can in many cases negate the need for planning permission or building regulations approval, and is generally considerably cheaper, faster and far less messy and inconvenient than finding and appointing a builder and other associated tradesmen to build a brick-built extension to your property. uPVC conservatories or wooden conservatories provide the solution to your property expansion needs. If you are a competent DIY enthusiast you may even consider your own DIY conservatory project and save money in the process.

As conservatory construction is generally modular to some degree, they can be tailored to suit almost any application, layout, shape and space – large span conservatories can also used for more ambitious projects, such as covering outdoor swimming pools.

There are a wide variety of conservatories available – from simple self-build conservatory projects to bespoke fully installed conservatories – in a wide variety of styles, such as Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian and Regency – along with more contemporary conservatory designs. Conservatories are available in a range of different materials too, with the uPVC conservatory being commonplace and hardwood conservatories and aluminium conservatories also being available. There are even a variety of glass and glazing materials available to suit your needs, ranging from polycarbonate to solar-reflective or even self-cleaning glass!

Gone are the days of the conservatory being a leaky, damp space that is too hot, too cold or just a fairly bleak space to spend your time. Air-conditioning and under floor heating advances, together with specialist coatings on glazing materials all help to ensure that you can create a comfortable living space all year round.

Choosing a conservatory – next steps

After having perused our comprehensive conservatories section, it is likely that you will want to start evaluating conservatory prices and the various styles available so you can make a more considered decision.

The best way to get started is to select around 3 different FENSA registered specialists and arrange for them to come to your home and show you the range available, and advise you on how best to make use of the space in which you are planning to erect your conservatory – they may be able to offer size or layout options that you hadn’t even considered as well as specific conservatory planning permission or building regs information relevant to your particular project.

Conservatory Quotes

One of the more established names, Anglian, have been making and installing high-quality products since 1966 and offer a 10 year warranty on all uPVC products and a 15 year warranty on gas-filled sealed glazing units for peace of mind with your new conservatory. You can request a free Anglian quote by clicking here.